The action film genre is more of a catch-all term. Fantasy, science-fiction, thrillers, horror, superhero, and even romantic comedies can fall under the action genre, considering that in order for a story to even be told, some action is required to move the story along. Whether it’s a death of a significant person or discovering the agency you work for has put out a hit on you, action movies are some of the most iconic. Yet what sets an action movie apart from all other genres are the fight sequences.
Many movie goers consider the 80s to be the quintessential era of action movies and stars. From films like Top Gun and Die Hard, the action movies and their iconic scenes are nearly impossible to follow up. Yet the 90s carried on the legacy of iconic action movies scenes with familiar and new faces. Like in the chase scene in Terminator II, action legend Arnold Schwarzenegger raises the bar for himself and other prolific action stars. Or the CGI scenes of The Mummy proving that action movies can utilize more than stunt doubles and camera angels.
Just as the 80s laid the foundation for action stars, the 90s brought in iconic movie scenes that raised the bar for future action films. Here are 20 of the most iconic scenes in action movies from the 1990s.
20 Chase Scene in Terminator 2: Judgment Day
In this five-minute scene from Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) rides in on his motorcycle to save a kid being pursued by T-1000, a shape-shifting Terminator. The scene is intense due to the high speed chase between a motorcycle and a semi-truck. But it's one of the most iconic action scenes because as The Terminator is saving the boy, an explosion occurs behind them just as they are escaping.
19 Morpheus’ Rescue in The Matrix
From the meta-philosophical layers to the cinematography, The Matrix changed film forever. The Matrix is known for the slow-motion bullet scenes, which took 120 cameras to accomplish according to Ranker. But when Morpheus is in a compromising situation, Neo arrives just in time to save him. As Morpheus makes a running leap, it's apparent he won't make it. In just the knick of time, Neo leaps from a helicopter to catch Morpheus midair.
18 Frost HQ Fight in Blade
The Blade trilogy combines the action of a superhero movie with the horror of vampires. Wesley Snipes portrays Blade, a human-vampire hybrid who hunts vampires. In the fight between Blade and Frost, a vampire who loathes humanity, they have an epic sword fight. During the fight, Blade and Frost have plenty of close calls with each other's swords. Just as you think Frost is about to win, Blade impales him in the brain.
17 Car Jump in Speed
Speed gave audiences plenty of epic movie moments. Not only was the film Sandra Bullock's breakout role, but it made Keanu Reeves into the predominant action hero we know today. The day begins like any other for Annie (Bullock) as she waits for her morning bus to arrive. Yet the day ends up as anything but ordinary when it's discovered that a bomb is on the bus and will go off if the speed goes below 50 MPH. Annie is thrust into driving the bus and relying on Jack (Reeves), a police officer, for help. In order for Jack to help Annie, he jumps from a car onto the bus which is going more than 50 MPH.
16 Train Fight in Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible is a big competitor of The Matrix as far as iconic scenes are concerns. A large part of this is due to Tom Cruise doing his own stunts in the film. This is an impressive feat for any action film star. But when Ethan (Cruise) is trying to evade his enemies, he is forced to also protect innocent lives on the train he boarded. Eventually, he is clinging to the top of the train as he dodges bullets from a helicopter. This scene is an adrenaline rush for audiences because not only is Ethan evading a hailstorm of bullets while hanging onto a train. But the train is traveling at a very high-speed.
15 Ambush Scene in Die Hard 2: Die Harder
If an actor and their movie had to define a decade, Bruce Willis in Die Hard would be a top contender for the 80s. Yet Die Hard 2: Die Harder raised the stakes for all actors and action movies. The scene that makes this film so incredible is the ambush scene. John has been asked to help stop an attack at an airport. As John and his team are below the airport attempting to find the perpetrators, they encounter a rogue military. The ensuing fight will have you on the edge of your seat with John and his team barely escaping the rogue team.
14 Hanger Shootout in Bad Boys
Bad Boys is the film that launched Will Smith from our home screens to the silver screens, as Entertainment Weekly describes. In sunny Miami, two detectives are paired up as they stumble upon something nefarious. Their investigation leads them to a hanger where they encounter several notorious criminals. Even though the hanger shootout scene continues to inspire action sequences today, it's nearly impossible to top the build up to the hanger shootout.
13 Plane Hijacking in Air Force One
In Air Force One, President Marshall (Harrison Ford) is on a routine flight on the prolific plane, Air Force One. Security is going about their routine of settling in as a staff member is walking through the jet. He enters a room where two fellow staff members of the president are waiting for him to receive their briefings.
But as soon as they receive their packages, the staff member shoots them and all hell breaks loose. Just as soon as the plane is set to take off it is hijacked, putting the president and everyone on board at risk. The scene is so iconic because of it's otherwise peaceful beginning, but it quickly escalates thirty seconds in.
12 The First Twister in Twister
Twister is a quintessential 90s flick. In the film, a meteorologist and storm-chaser named Jo (played by Helen Hunt) is having another normal day of storm chasing. As she sets up with ther team, her ex-husband and his new fiance arrive with divorce papers for her to sign. She brushes them off only to be rushed off to chase a storm, which almost results in their deaths.
But the storm is the calm in this instance because the first tornado they encounter is nothing compared to what is coming. Fans of the film believe that the first tornado scene is a layered metaphor for Jo and her ex-husband's failed marriage.
11 Test Scene in Men in Black
Just a few years after Bad Boys, Smith united with Tommy Lee Jones in the buddy comedy Men in Black. The film is hilarious due to Smith and Jones' comedic timing and talents. As agents of the Men in Black, they have benefited from the peaceful interactions with intergalactic species who have helped them develop futuristic tech. However, before Jay (Smith) can join the MIB, he has to take a test and go into training. In a room full of the top military personnel, Jay and the other candidates are given a pencil and test but nothing to write on.
Fans of the film can audibly hear the table scraping on the floor as Jay moves it to complete his test. Though the physical training scene is where the iconic package is complete. As the military personnel shoot at all the cardboard aliens, Jay shoots at a cardboard little girl, justifying that she is too young to read about physics and advanced math books.The action in the training scene is more comedic, but it sets up the tone for the rest of the film.
10 Hollywood’s Chinese Theater Scene in Rush Hour
Definitely a top contender for best 90s action movie is Rush Hour. Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan are perfect together in this flick. Lee (Chan) and Carter (Tucker) are both pulled from an investigation by their respective employers, but they cannot shake that something is off. Before they unite as a team, Carter chases Lee down Hollywood Blvd. They become separated at the Chinese Theater, but just as Lee evades Carter by running onto a double decker tour bus, Carter finds him.
9 Slaughterhouse Fight in Predator 2
The second sequel to appear on this list is Predator 2. In the film, we learn that Predators and Xenomorphs are linked, as Eighties Kids describes. When Mike (Danny Glover) begins blasting down the meat packing hanger door, the action doesn't stop. Between the Predators' evasion techniques and the army of humans pouring into the slaughterhouse, the sequence of events is a sight to behold.
8 Joe at the Fair in Mighty Joe Young
Plenty of 90s flicks focused on the relationship between humans and animals. But Mighty Joe Young took a different angle to the giant gorilla being overwhelmed scene. Instead of being put down, he is able to calm down and save people.
7 Training Scene in Cyborg 2: Glass Shadow
Although Cyborg 2: Glass Shadow isn't a film typically associated with Angelina Jolie, this should be reconsidered. Before staring in this film, Jolie had been in plenty of music videos, but Cyborg 2 put her on the map as an action star. Her scene in the training dojo is so beautifully choreographed, it truly deserves more praise.
6 Imhotep vs The Plane in The Mummy
Not too many action movies can do what The Mummy did for cinema. Between O'Connell's (Brendan Fraser) quips and the epic CGI, every action sequence is just as perfect. So, the scene where Imhotep's control of the sand swallowing McConnell's plane is not only the best plane chase scene but the best use of CGI.
5 Shark Bite in Deep Blue Sea
If a movie features a shark, there's always a bite scene. These bite scenes are epic. From the shark is tearing apart a boat in Jaws or leaping into the air like in The Meg. But the shark bite scene in Deep Blue Sea is the best scene of them all because it comes from out of nowhere as Russell (Samuel L. Jackson) is lecturing his crew.
4 Firetruck Scene in Con Air
According to Mental Floss, Disney wanted to compete with Die Hard's popularity, but in their own way. While Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage) in Con Air may have a similar outfit to John McClane's, the similarities stop there. In an attempt to avert a disaster, Cameron steals a motorcycle and chases after a fellow jail mate who has chosen a moving firetruck as his getaway vehicle. The scene that follow is nothing short of epic.
3 Dance Battle in The Fifth Element
Of the futuristic movies of the 90s, The Fifth Element is one for the books. In the most prolific action scene, an opera singer astounds an audience while an epic fight scene occurs in a different part of the city. As the opera booms in the background, Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) takes down five armed guards by herself. The juxtaposition of violence with opera is a spectacle to be seen.
2 T-Rex Rain Sequence in Jurassic Park
Steven Spielberg is known for films like E.T. and Indiana Jones, but Jurassic Park is one of his most iconic. The film has plenty of epic dinosaur scenes, but it's the scene in the rain that can never be topped. In an attempt to save everyone, Grant (Sam Neill) lights a flamethrower to distract the T. rex in the rain. This scene is one of the best action sequences of all time.
1 Chase Scene in Point Break
Just a year after his breakout role in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, Keanu Reeves joined Patrick Swayze in Point Break. Reeves portrays an undercover FBI agent who infiltrates a group of bank robbers.The car chase scene is mainly focused on the bank robbers who wear rubber masks of former presidents trying to evade Johnny (Reeves) and Pappas (Gary Busey).