In this article I’m covering films 30-21. Another ten fantastic action movies that deliver a bit of it all. Some of these movies are bigger than others but the imprint they’ve left on the action genre in my opinion is timeless. So, let’s dive into it.
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Ricochet (1991)
Closing out the thirties at #30 is a bit of a forgotten gem from 1991 that still delivers everything you want from an action flick. It centers on a cop accused of murder and the only man who knows he’s innocent is the killer who framed him in Ricochet starring Denzel Washington, John Lithgow, and Ice-T.
I can assume most wouldn’t have Ricochet as high up on their lists, but I absolutely love it and feel both Washington and Lithgow elevate the material intensely. This could easily have been an instantly forgettable action thriller but with the heightened performances the result is a nostalgic memory of two fantastic actors going all in on their roles. Washington showed he had action range immediately and you can easily see Lithgow is relishing in the role of sadistic killer. But outside of that, Ricochet has all the pieces you need for a great action thriller. There’s motivation for the hero, you can easily sense the capability of the villain, and the cat-and-mouse game they play with evenly paced, filled with violence, practical action, and an ultra-rewarding final showdown that was everything we loved from action movies of the 80s, but wrapped here in a sleek early 90s package.
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The Rock (1996)
Moving along to my #29 pick is a big blockbuster action flick from the decade set in Alcatraz where 5 million lives will depend on two men trying to break into The Rock from director Michael Bay starring Nicolas Cage, and Sean Connery.
To me The Rock is the perfect recipe for a blockbuster action flick. You get Nicolas Cage jumping into the action genre as the everyday hero. He’s paired with the legend Sean Connery, so you get the dual generation of acting legends, then you get the (at the time) cutting edge direction from Michael Bay. This all translates to one of the iconic action flicks from the decade and a movie that can still sweep you up all these years later. Cage and Connery are fantastic together as they grow into a team and the mission, as melodramatic as it is, feels intense and impactful with Ed Harris in control. This one’s filled with all the Bay-ism’s but it was still very much, cool when The Rock was released and the blend of action on display in this over-the-top adventure is everything that was awesome about the genre in the mid to late 90s.
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Fist of Legend (1994)
Coming in at #28 is a classic remake of a classic martial arts movie. To avenge the death of his master a man will fight like never before in the thrilling Fist of Legend from 1994 directed by Gordon Chan starring martial arts legend Jet Li.
Pure martial arts movies from the 90s could easily have their own list but this remake of the Bruce Lee classic was one of the first martial arts movies I owned, and I couldn’t get enough of the speed of Jet Li. This one tells a familiar story but the fight choreography on display is riveting no matter how many times you watch it. Jet Li is impressive in this film with his breakneck speed and the fluidity of his movements, and the result is a buffet of feverish action that will have you on the edge of your seat. It’s super hyper realistic and visually stunning to see the escalation of the action and whether Li is taking on one man or many men at once he never feels out of control. And this controlled rage elevates perfectly until it explodes in the fantastic final showdown.
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Double Impact (1991)
My #27 movie is another nostalgic favorite of mine. It follows twin brothers out to avenge the murder of their parents. One packs a punch, the other packs a piece, and together they deliver when Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Jean-Claude Van Damme, would star in 1991’s Double Impact from director Sheldon Lettich.
Double the Van Damme really was double the fun in this nostalgic 90s action romp. It’s a simple story, brothers out for revenge. But the international locations, the practical action, Bolo Yeung as the villain, and Van Damme doing a great job playing brothers makes this ridiculous movie, magically ridiculous. You get the smooth preppy-ish Van Damme then the slicked hair cigar smoking Van Damme and you have to give him credit for bringing some range to the brothers to sell it a little bit. But outside of that Double Impact knows what it was, it keeps the pace quick, and the killing frequent. There’s a capability in the gunplay and the fight scenes are well staged which makes the movie a blast. Van Damme is young here but already showed he had the charisma to be a leading man and that’s what he would go on to do after this movie, but Double Impact will always be one of his best.
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Mission: Impossible (1996)
Now my #26 movie would be the kick-off of a franchise that’s still going strong and that would be the Brian De Palma classic, 1996’s Mission: Impossible starring Tom Cruise, Emmanuel Beart, Ving Rhames, Jean Reno, and Jon Voight.
The Mission Impossible franchise is still going strong all these years later and most of the entries after this first one were much flashier and intricate from an action standpoint. But as a film in the 90s this first impossible mission led by Tom Cruise still holds up as a sound action adventure lined with mystery and a layered plot. The performances are fantastic, led by Cruise, but the twists and turns the story takes, the variety of the action, and how it impacts the story, as well as Cruise as Ethan Hunt just gives this movie a timeless appeal. The direction from De Palma gives this film an ominous atmosphere that complements the story so well, but it’s his staging of the action from the elaborate set-pieces to the chase sequences, and even the quieter moments that make this film so good and despite being a bit too digitally reliant the finale is still plenty satisfying.
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Ronin (1998)
And in at #25 is a mildly forgotten film with a great cast, about a group of people brought together to complete a job but how can you do that when everyone is an enemy for a price in John Frankenheimer’s 1998 classic Ronin starring Robert De Niro, Sean Bean, Jean Reno, and many others.
The awesome qualities of Ronin are those that lie in this film’s subtleties because Ronin is certainly an unassuming film for an action flick. It’s methodical, and certainly story driven. There isn’t a ton of violent action but when he does splash on the screen it is memorable and suspenseful. Ronin also delivers an ensemble of great performances. De Niro is cool and calculating in the lead, but it is an ensemble effort with everyone playing their part in the outcome. But none of this is what makes Ronin one of the best action films of the decade. That would be the result of the impressive chase sequences littered in this film. Good, old fashion chase sequences fueled by precision driving, top notch stunt work, and immaculate direction that pulls you into the speed of the sequences like few films can.
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The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)
Next up at #24 is a thrilling action flick from Renny Harlin about a secret agent with amnesia who finds her past coming back to haunt her and that film would of course be 1996’s The Long Kiss Goodnight starring Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson.
What I love about The Long Kiss Goodnight is how it was able to craft a unique story inside of the assassin genre. The plot progression is smooth and forward moving and it’s layered just enough to keep the engagement up. Plus, it’s led by a killer performance from Geena Davis and from Samuel L. Jackson. They have a strong chemistry together. It makes the story easily engaging and when the action kicks in the suspense elevates with ease. I think Renny Harlin’s direction is sleek and the action and violence in this movie fits inside the tone of the film perfectly. And The Long Kiss Goodnight may not be as flashy as other assassin flicks but it’s well-crafted from the writing to the action to the performances to the direction and that’s what gives the film a timeless appeal.
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Desperado (1995)
We’re jumping back a year to 1995 for my #23 movie. A big-budget sequel to a small indie movie we’ve already covered on this list. It follows a man who came back to settle the score with someone, anyone, and everyone in Robert Rodriguez’s Desperado starring Antonio Banderas, and Salma Hayek.
Antonio Banderas would burst onto the Hollywood action scene with Desperado, a ballet of bullets south of the border that delivered a stylistic violence most audiences had never seen. It’s hyper realistic in places (most places), but also gritty and grounded during others and it all translated into an action film with a completely unique atmosphere and vibe. There’s relentless gunfire in this modern western and the elegance in the carnage brought to the screen from Rodriguez is nothing short of commendable. Banderas is soaking in the scenery in this movie and commanding the screen with ease. Salma Hayek is world class gorgeous, and sure the mission of revenge at the core is a been there done that saga, but it’s also a tried-and-true formula that when used correctly can result in a timeless action romp and that’s exactly what Desperado is.
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Rumble in the Bronx (1995)
We’ve already talked about one martial arts legend on this list and this next film at #22 stars another when Jackie Chan would take on a street gang in 1995’s Rumble in the Bronx directed by Stanley Tong also starring a ton of guys who get their asses kicked.
The unofficial introduction of Jackie Chan to Western audiences Rumble in the Bronx when it was released was like a breath of fresh air in the action genre. Chan was doing his own stunts and delivering action to the screen we hadn’t seen with Stallone, Arnold, or Van Damme. And the result is a visual polish to the action choreography that still looks just as amazing today as it did back then. The story in this one is admittedly surface level thin, but the charisma and stunt work from Chan is never limited as you take the ride of this mission with him. From stunning action set-pieces and chase sequences, to dazzling martial arts choreography this movie delivered a bit of it all in the action department and while it may get a tad silly in spots Rumble in the Bronx is still considered a game changer in the genre of action.
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The Boondock Saints (1999)
And coming in at #21 is a film not everyone may like as much as me. The MacManus Brothers aren’t angels; they were just sent from heaven to make life hell for all sinners in 1999’s The Boondock Saints starring Norman Reedus, Sean Patrick Flannery, and Willem Dafoe.
I think the blend of drama and action crafted in The Boondock Saints is near seamless as this pair of brothers get a mission from God. Admittedly it’s more an out of the box drama but when the violence and action kicks in it’s as unrelenting as it can get in the genre. There’s a slightly methodical pace to this film that I enjoy, it gives the characters time to breathe and grow, it gives the dynamic with Dafoe’s character time to seed itself and grow as well and overall, I find the atmosphere and vibe this movie delivers to be an instant escape in the Boston underworld. The Boondock Saints is a raw film, the performances aren’t perfect either, but that’s actually perfect for the needs of this story and when the bullets are flying, which is frequent, you can’t help but be all up in your seat in the middle of the emotional fueled carnage.
Anthony J. Digioia II © 2024 SilverScreen Analysis & Movies Never Say Die!