A Glean movie guide
90s Action Essentials
Pure adrenaline from the 1990s.
The decade of practical stunts, high-concept plots, and explosive blockbusters.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
A groundbreaking sequel that redefined visual effects and high-stakes sci-fi action.
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.
- 02
The Matrix
A genre-bending masterpiece that introduced 'bullet time' and changed action 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.
- 03
Heat
A masterclass in tactical realism and character-driven crime drama.
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 keeps the tension high from start to finish.
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 that balances intelligence with pulse-pounding 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
Michael Bay’s high-octane spectacle featuring an unlikely duo infiltrating Alcatraz.
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
Kathryn Bigelow’s stylish blend of surf culture and high-stakes bank robberies.
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
John Woo’s operatic and highly stylized action reaches its peak in this identity-swapping thriller.
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
True Lies
A massive James Cameron production that expertly blends domestic comedy with explosive set pieces.
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.
- 10
Mission: Impossible
A sleek and suspenseful spy thriller that launched one of cinema's most enduring 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.