A Glean movie guide
90s Action Essentials
Pure adrenaline from the pre-CGI era.
The decade that defined the modern blockbuster through practical stunts and high-concept thrills.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
The Matrix
A revolutionary blend of philosophy and groundbreaking 'bullet time' combat that changed cinema forever.
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 rare sequel that surpasses the original with massive scale, heart, and legendary practical 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
Heat
A sprawling crime saga anchored by an iconic urban shootout and a historic pairing of acting legends.
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.
- 04
Speed
A relentless, high-concept thriller that never lets its foot off the gas for a single second.
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.
- 05
The Fugitive
A perfectly paced chase movie driven by two powerhouse performances and a gripping mystery.
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
Point Break
The ultimate adrenaline-fueled undercover thriller set in the world of extreme sports and surfing.
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.
- 07
The Rock
A high-stakes prison break movie that defines the peak of the 90s explosive blockbuster aesthetic.
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.
- 08
Face/Off
A wild, visually stunning masterpiece of stylized action and gloriously over-the-top performances.
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
Hard Boiled
A breathtaking display of Hong Kong action cinema at its most inventive and hyper-kinetic.
A cop who loses his partner in a shoot-out with gun smugglers goes on a mission to catch them. In order to get closer to the leaders of the ring he joins forces with an undercover cop who's working as a gangster hitman. They use all means of excessive force to find them.
- 10
Die Hard with a Vengeance
A fast-paced buddy-cop dynamic that turns New York City into a giant, high-stakes playground.
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.
- 11
Leon: The Professional
A gritty and visually striking tale of an unlikely bond formed in the heart of the criminal underworld.
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.
- 12
True Lies
A massive, entertaining spectacle that perfectly balances domestic comedy with world-class stunts.
A fearless, globe-trotting, terrorist-battling secret agent has his life turned upside down when he discovers his wife might be having an affair with a used car salesman while terrorists smuggle nuclear war heads into the United States.