Somegritty action films from the 1990sare worth revisiting as many of them have slowly begun to slip from the minds of the general public in recent years. The ’90s introduced some of the most influential action films, likeTotal Recall,Heat, andThe Matrix. Such films have taken over pop culture discussions, leaving gritty action films likeCrimson TideandNew Jack Cityto take the back seat.
Gritty action films from the decade show a darker side to criminal activity, such as drug trading and arson. Some films likeDesperadohave a comedic approach to the dark material, while films likeNew Jack Cityaim to incorporate social commentary into their narrative. Though they were moderate successes at the time of their release and weren’t torn apart by critics,certain ’90s action films aren’t as heavily discussed and merit a rewatch.
Executive Decisiondoesn’t rank highly amongthe best of Kurt Russell’s action films, likeTombstoneorEscape from New York,but is an underrated gem from the actor’s filmography that can be appreciated with a rewatch.Executive Decisionfollows a special team aboard a hijacked plane in midair.
10 Underrated ’90s Action Movies From The Decade’s Biggest Action Stars
The 1990s featured some of the best action movies of all time, but there are plenty of underrated releases that action movies should check out.
Moving at a slower pace,Executive Decisionisn’t as inventive or action-packed as other ’90s entries in the genre.However, patient viewers are rewarded with compelling performances from Russell and his co-stars, who include Steven Seagal, Halle Berry, and John Leguizamo.
There’s a twist early on in the movie that involves Seagal’s character which is sure to grab the audience’s attention. The instance not only shocks audiences but also serves a greater purpose as Russell’s character and the other team members must save the day without Seagal’s on-screen guidance.
For many,Backdrafthas a stronger legacy as a Universal Studios Hollywood attraction than it does as a film.TheBackdraftattraction ran for nearly two decades as a fire special effects show inspired by the action of the film. Even with its typical action film setup and star-studded cast — Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, Donald Sutherland, and Robert De Niro just to name a few —Backdrafthasn’t had the same relevancy as other disaster films.
Backdraftfollows a group of firefighters in Chicago determined to catch a serial arsonist. Receiving generally positive reviews from critics,Backdraftwas a decent hit when it was first released.
Backdraftwas nominated for three Academy Awards for the film’s sound and visual effects.
The film hasn’t lingered in the general public’s mind but is remembered for its technical achievements.Backdraftwas nominated for three Academy Awards for the film’s sound and visual effects.
Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson, both familiar figures in Renny Harlin’s films, leadThe Long Kiss Goodnight. Written by Shane Black,The Long Kiss Goodnightfollows Samantha Caine (Davis), a woman who gains memories of her past bit by bit, enlisting the help of a private detective (Jackson) to sort it all out, but not before they uncover a dark conspiracy.The action inThe Long Kiss Goodnightas two interact with others is both bold and plentiful.
Despite being one ofHarlin’s best films,The Long Kiss Goodnightwasn’t a massive success upon its release. Regardless of its imperfections pointed out by critics,The Long Kiss Goodnighthas accumulated a cult following over the years. One of the main reasonsThe Long Kiss Goodnighthas avoided complete obscurity, and why it’s worth revisiting, is because of Davis and Jackson’s electrifying compatibility. The two are not only comfortably situated within Black’s writing as solo performers, but the actors also bounce off one another and seamlessly move through the film’s thrilling and comedic tones.
Widely considered to be one ofSamuel L. Jackson’s underrated films,The Negotiatorfollows Jackson’s Lieutenant Danny Roman, an esteemed hostage negotiator who finds himself in trouble when he is framed for a murder he didn’t commit.The Negotiatorhas a runtime of just over two hours and doesn’t stray too far from the typical formula of an action thriller.
These two factors led to an average response from critics, butThe Negotiatorshould still be rewatched for Jackson’s performance alone. In response to being framed, Danny takes several people hostage. Sitting on the other side of his day-to-day job, Danny has a leg up on the FBI and his own unit. Jackson deftly portrays the cleverness of his character and contributes to a large amount of suspense throughout the film that rarely dwindles.
Following the cult classic horror filmNear Dark,Kathryn Bigelow directedBlue Steelstarring Jamie Lee Curtis.Already having reached a high level of fame after leadingHalloween, Curtis stars inBlue Steelas a police officer who shoots a robbery suspect as she’s just beginning her career. Officer Megan Turner’s life becomes increasingly complicated as she begins dating a man she’s unaware is dangerously obsessed with her (Ron Silver).
Seeing how Curtis' character finds herself fighting off an intimidating antagonist,many critics drew comparisons between her performance inBlue Steelto that of hers inHalloween, with some considering the former film an upgrade and others viewing it as unoriginal. However, as compelling of a lead as Curtis is in the film, Silver often steals the show with a truly chilling performance.
Despite the fact that it underperformed at the box office,Roninhas continued to be brought up in numerous conversations as its car chases throughout France are some of the decade’s most memorable. However,Roninis more than its car chases.
Starring an ensemble cast led by Robert De Niro,Roninfollows a team of former special operatives who are tasked with stealing a highly protected briefcase.The film has all the best traits associated with legendary action director John Frankenheimer and is one of his last films.
Upon revisiting the film, many critics have made comparisons betweenRoninand the highly acclaimedThe French Connection.
The action inRoninrarely settles as the film is full of gripping twists and turns.Upon revisiting the film, many critics have made comparisons betweenRoninand the highly acclaimedThe French Connection, namely for the aforementioned car chase scenes, as well as its notable acting performances.
The second installment in the Robert RodriguezMexico Trilogy,Desperadofollows El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas) as he seeks revenge against a drug lord who killed his former lover. The best action films often have an intriguing narrative and progressive character development paired with intense action scenes.Desperadohas a slew of the latter, butthe lack of a coherent story has led the film to be largely forgotten.
WhileDesperadowasn’t lambasted by critics, other neo-Westerns have earned greater popularity over the years.Still,Desperadoboasts a charming lead performance from Banderas and a memorable breakout appearance from Salma Hayek.The humor in the film is also entertaining and comes in various forms. Over-the-top gunfights (including a guitar case that’s used to shoot bullets) and explosions are laughable in their absurdity, but rarely do they take the film into parody or B-movie territory.
Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman strongly leadCrimson Tideas two conflicting officials undecided on how to carry out an incomplete order amidst a nuclear standoff with Russia. Working as both a political thriller and an action film, the threat inCrimson Tideis larger than its two central characters, but much of the film’s focus is on Washington and Hackman.Crimson Tideapproaches its political conflict on a smaller, personal level, but still manages to gradually build up its tension.
Additionally, there are some parallels to the Cuban Missile Crisis found inCrimson Tide, with Washington’s character drawing the most comparisons to Vasily Arkhipov, a senior Soviet Naval officer who stopped a torpedo from being launched toward the U.S. Navy.The historical influence adds to the high stakes in the film and keeps audiences on the edge of their seats anticipating how the events ofCrimson Tidewill play out.
2New Jack City (1991)
The film was Directed by Mario Van Peebles
Based on a story by Thomas Lee Wright,New Jack Cityis among the most culturally influential crime-related films by Black directors in the ’90s, alongsideMenace II Society,Juice, andBoyz n the Hood. Still,New Jack Citytends to be the least popular among the group.New Jack Cityis a prominent example of blaxploitation filmmaking and follows New York City detective Scotty Appleton’s (Ice-T) efforts to take down the powerful drug dealer, Nino Brown (Wesley Snipes).
New Jack Cityshould be rewatched for its sharp dialogue, rich performances, and exploration of a relevant epidemic at the time of its release.Rather than romanticize the criminal lifestyle of Nino,New Jack Cityseeks to show the negative impact of his business during the consequential crack epidemic at the time.
While not having as big of an impact as a film likeA Better Tomorrow, John Woo, known for his action films, made noise withHard Boiled.The stylized Hong Kong action film stars notable actors like Chow Yun-fat, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, and Anthony Wong and is the last of Woo’s before he transitioned into making Hollywood films for a few years.Hard Boiledtells the story of two men with the shared goal of taking down a powerful triad boss (Anthony Wong) after people close to them are killed because of him.
Hard Boiledis one ofthe best collaborations between Chow and Wooand showcases the best of the latter’s filmmaking.There are a great number of exemplary action scenes inHard Boiledto choose from, but the famous one-take hospital shootout is easily the most talked about. The action is impressive on-screen, but as Chow and Leung’s characters take the elevator, the film’s crew works quickly behind the camera to set up the next set of explosions and practical effects (viaFar Out Magazine).
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