A Glean movie guide
The Golden Age of Action
Relentless, intense, and unforgettable.
High-octane thrills and iconic set pieces that defined 90s cinema.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
The Matrix
A mind-bending masterpiece that completely revolutionized action choreography.
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 definitive 90s blockbuster, blending groundbreaking effects with relentless pacing.
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 masterclass in high-concept tension that never lets its foot off the gas.
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
The Fugitive
A perfectly executed cat-and-mouse thriller with incredible momentum.
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.
- 05
The Rock
The quintessential 90s buddy-action film featuring high stakes and explosive set pieces.
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.
- 06
Mission: Impossible
The stylish start to a legendary franchise, anchored by iconic, suspenseful sequences.
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.
- 07
Point Break
A cult classic that pairs an undercover FBI agent with adrenaline-fueled bank robbers.
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
Die Hard with a Vengeance
A high-energy urban chase that keeps the stakes high across New York City.
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.
- 09
Leon: The Professional
A gritty, stylish hitman story that left a massive mark on 90s action cinema.
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.
- 10
Face/Off
An audacious, high-concept premise delivered with maximum stylistic 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.