Unlike the current trend of making live-action movies out of animated ones, the 1990s suffered much less from such “sickness” and had more original movies being made including action movies. However, we only tend to remember the best of the best such as The Matrix, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and Point Break.
And yet, there are many hidden gems that you still haven’t seen. If that is the case, you are missing out on a lot, so here are ten action movie masterpieces from the ’90s you’ve probably never seen.
Dark Angel (1990)
Dark Angel, also known as I Come in Peace, is a 1990 R-rated action movie that combines science-fiction, crime, and horror. The story follows a renegade cop who has to team up with an FBI agent in order to investigate the mysterious case of drug dealers in Houston, Texas.
The movie was directed by Craig R. Baxley who is also known for his stunt work. The main characters are played by Dolph Lundgren (who played Ivan Drago in Rocky IV), Brian Benben (known for Dream On and Private Practice), and Betsy Brantley (known for Shock Treatment).
Judgment Night (1993)
Judgment Night is a 1993 action crime thriller that has a bit more star power than Dark Angel, but just like the latter, it has a story centered on drugs. Starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Emilio Estevez, Jeremy Piven, and Stephen Dorff, Judgment Night is about a group of friends running away from drug dealers.
Stephen Hopkins, who is known for his work on Predator 2 and A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child, directed the movie. What is peculiar about it is also the fact that the soundtrack was composed by none other than Alan Silvestri (the Back to the Future trilogy) himself.
Rapid Fire (1992)
Rapid Fire is another movie that deals with drugs in one way or the other (probably because this was a trend in ’90s action movies). The movie was directed by Dwight H. Little who also directed Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers as well as several episodes of Prison Break and Dollhouse among others.
Student Jake Lo, played by the late Brandon Lee, becomes a witness of a murder and finds himself caught in a war between two drug lords. He can now trust only Mace Ryan, played by Powers Boothe, a Chicago cop who seems to remind Jake of his father.
Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)
Grosse Pointe Blank is a 1997 black comedy with crime at its center directed by George Armitage (known for Miami Blues) and starring John Cusack, Minnie Driver, Dan Aykroyd, and Alan Arkin.
In the story, Martin Blank, a professional assassin, returns to his hometown, Grosse Pointe, on a mission. At the same time, he finds himself at his ten-year high school reunion party which doesn’t go entirely well with his job.
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)
If you are a Jim Jarmusch fan, you will love Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai because this action crime drama is one of his creations. The movie stars Forest Whitaker, Cliff Gorman, John Tormey, Henry Silva, and others.
The movie has often been described as weird and logically so. The main character “Ghost Dog” is a hitman working for the Mafia. He follows the teachings of the samurai from Hagakure, a book with the recordings of Yamamoto Tsunetomo’s teachings.
Small Soldiers (1998)
The unique feature of Small Soldiers is the fact that it is a live-action movie that has animated toy soldiers as well as real actors in it. It is a 1998 science-fiction war comedy directed by Joe Dante (Gremlins), starring Kirsten Dunst and Gregory Smith, and using the voices of Tommy Lee Jones and Frank Langella.
At the center of it all is the conflict between two factions of action figures called the Gorgonites and the Commando Elite constantly fighting with each other. The film later got an action-adventure video game made based on it.
Strange Days (1995)
Strange Days has a special place on this list because it was written by James Cameron and Jay Cocks. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow (known for Point Break and The Hurt Locker), the movie stars Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett, Juliette Lewis, and Tom Sizemore.
The movie combines elements of film noir and science-fiction and explores such themes as racism, sexual assault, voyeurism, and abuse of power. It’s a story about a former cop who has turned into a street-hustler. By accident, he uncovers a conspiracy in Los Angeles. The events take place during the last two days of 1999.
Darkman (1990)
Co-written and directed by Sam Raimi, Darkman is a 1990 sci-fi superhero thriller that is completely original and relies solely on a short story Raimi wrote as its source material. If you are looking for a superhero movie that is truly unique, this is the one to check out.
The story follows a brilliant scientist Peyton Westlake, played by Liam Neeson, who is left for dead but comes back as Darkman to get revenge on the people who burned him alive. Other stars include Frances McDormand, Colin Friels, and Larry Drake. The music was written by Danny Elfman who would go on to collaborate with Raimi again on his Spider-Man trilogy.
Toy Soldiers (1991)
Toy Soldiers is a surprisingly great action drama thriller. The movie was directed by Daniel Petrie Jr. who is known for such action comedy movies as Beverly Hills Cop and Turner & Hooch. The movie stars Sean Astin, Wil Wheaton, Keith Coogan, Andrew Divoff, Denholm Elliott, and others.
Toy Soldiers takes place in an all-male boarding school that terrorists seize control of. The authorities cannot help much, but a group of trouble-making students decides to take things into their own hands and stand up to the terrorists.
Waterworld (1995)
Perhaps the only movie that is somewhat known by modern audiences is 1995’s Waterworld. Directed by Kevin Reynolds, this 1995 science-fiction action movie stars Kevin Costner, Dennis Hopper, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Tina Majorino, and others. Waterworld was the most expensive movie ever made at the time of its release.
The story is set in the distant future where the polar ice cap has completely melted and the sea level has risen so much that almost all land is now covered with water. The main character, “The Mariner”, is trying to survive while helping a woman with a young girl find a piece of dry land.
