A Glean movie guide
90s Action Essentials
Adrenaline, stunts, and pure nostalgia.
The decade of high-concept thrills, practical stunts, and legendary blockbusters.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
The Matrix
A revolutionary blend of philosophy and groundbreaking 'bullet time' visual effects.
Set in the 22nd century, The Matrix tells the story of a computer hacker who joins a group of underground insurgents fighting the vast and powerful computers who now rule the earth.
- 02
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
A landmark achievement in sci-fi action featuring iconic practical and digital effects.
Ten years after the events of the original, a reprogrammed T-800 is sent back in time to protect young John Connor from the shape-shifting T-1000. Together with his mother Sarah, he fights to stop Skynet from triggering a nuclear apocalypse.
- 03
Speed
A relentless, high-concept thriller that perfectly captures the decade's adrenaline-fueled energy.
Tensions run high when a crazed bomber rigs a Los Angeles bus with a device that will kill everyone on board if the vehicle's speed dips below fifty miles per hour.
- 04
Heat
A sprawling crime epic famous for its tactical realism and legendary street shootout.
Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.
- 05
The Fugitive
A perfectly paced chase movie driven by strong performances and constant suspense.
Wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife and sentenced to death, Richard Kimble escapes from the law in an attempt to find the real killer and clear his name.
- 06
The Rock
The definitive 90s blockbuster experience featuring explosive action and a charismatic lead duo.
When vengeful General Francis X. Hummel seizes control of Alcatraz Island and threatens to launch missiles loaded with deadly chemical weapons into San Francisco, only a young FBI chemical weapons expert and notorious Federal prisoner have the skills to penetrate the impregnable island fortress and take him down.
- 07
Point Break
An atmospheric cult classic that blends high-stakes crime with extreme sports culture.
In Los Angeles, a gang of bank robbers who call themselves The Ex-Presidents commit their crimes while wearing masks of Reagan, Carter, Nixon and Johnson. Believing that the members of the gang could be surfers, the F.B.I. sends young agent Johnny Utah to the beach undercover to mix with the surfers and gather information.
- 08
Face/Off
A wild, highly stylized action spectacle that showcases John Woo’s signature cinematic flair.
In order to foil a terrorist plot, an FBI agent undergoes facial transplant surgery and assumes the identity of a criminal mastermind. The plan turns sour when the criminal wakes up prematurely and seeks revenge.
- 09
Independence Day
The ultimate large-scale disaster movie that defined the 90s summer blockbuster.
Strange phenomena surface around the globe. The skies ignite. Terror races through the world's major cities. As these extraordinary events unfold, it becomes increasingly clear that a force of incredible magnitude has arrived. Its mission: total annihilation over the Fourth of July weekend. The last hope to stop the destruction is an unlikely group of people united by fate and unimaginable circumstances.
- 10
Leon: The Professional
A stylish and emotionally resonant hitman thriller with a standout performance by Jean Reno.
Léon, the top hit man in New York, has earned a rep as an effective "cleaner". But when his next-door neighbors are wiped out by a loose-cannon DEA agent, he becomes the unwilling custodian of 12-year-old Mathilda. Before long, Mathilda's thoughts turn to revenge, and she considers following in Léon's footsteps.
- 11
Mission: Impossible
A tense espionage thriller that successfully launched one of cinema's biggest action franchises.
When Ethan Hunt, the leader of a crack espionage team whose perilous operation has gone awry with no explanation, discovers that a mole has penetrated the CIA, he's surprised to learn that he's the prime suspect. To clear his name, Hunt now must ferret out the real double agent and, in the process, even the score.
- 12
Die Hard with a Vengeance
A fast-paced buddy-cop adventure that takes the franchise's scale to the streets of New York.
New York detective John McClane is back and kicking bad-guy butt in the third installment of this action-packed series, which finds him teaming with civilian Zeus Carver to prevent the loss of innocent lives. McClane thought he'd seen it all, until a genius named Simon engages McClane, his new "partner" -- and his beloved city -- in a deadly game that demands their concentration.