A Glean movie guide
90s Action Icons
Pure adrenaline from the 1990s.
The decade of practical stunts, high-concept thrills, and legendary blockbusters.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
The Matrix
A revolutionary blend of philosophy and groundbreaking bullet-time combat that redefined the genre.
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
The gold standard for sequels, featuring relentless pacing and iconic 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 masterclass in tension, anchored by a legendary urban shootout and a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game.
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 high-concept masterpiece that maintains breathless momentum 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 thriller that balances smart investigation with explosive set pieces.
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 finest hour, delivering high-octane military action inside the walls of 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
Face/Off
John Woo’s signature stylized gunplay meets a wild, high-concept premise for pure cinematic spectacle.
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.
- 08
Point Break
A cult classic that seamlessly blends extreme sports culture with high-stakes heist tension.
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.
- 09
Mission: Impossible
The film that launched a franchise with its sophisticated espionage and high-tension set pieces.
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.
- 10
Independence Day
The definitive 90s disaster epic, featuring massive scale and iconic aerial combat.
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.
- 11
Leon: The Professional
A stylish and emotional thriller known for its tactical urban combat and intense performances.
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
James Cameron’s explosive mix of domestic comedy and massive, over-the-top action sequences.
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.