Action movies were at the top of their game in the 1990s, with films like Mission: Impossible, Speed, and The Matrix, just to name a few. They were dominating the box office and making megastars out of actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Keanu Reeves, and Tom Cruise, who created major film franchises that are still alive today. The success of this era has lasted for two decades and even Hollywood has taken some of the more popular movies and remade them. When action movies started to appear, they sprang up guns-blazing and fists of fury that took over pop culture.
The action genre went through a transition in the 90s. An immense amount of CGI hadn’t quite overtaken the movies like it has in the 21st Century. The era had a lot of technical limitations, but they were still packed with exhilarating fighting scenes and fun quips that resonate in movies today. Now, the action movies of the 1990s have created a sense of nostalgia for most viewers. Most 90s action movies can hold more of an impact than any other film that has been made to this day. So, how have these movies shaped modern blockbuster franchises?
80s Action Movies Made Way for the 90s
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Orion Pictures
The beginning of movies didn’t have the most fun-loving start that drove people to the theaters like today. They were whimsical musicals, bust-a-gut comedies, and romantic movies to make anyone swoon. In the 80s, movies started to really turn a corner when action became a new genre for films. Audiences sped to the theaters to watch gun-blazing and chest-pumping action that, just like each explosion, only got bigger and bigger in pop culture. The 60s and 70s saw some action movies that created stars like Clint Eastwood, Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and Charles Bronson. However, Ultimate Action Movies says that by the time the 1980s came around, the world was finally ready for higher-octane action movies — and they took off like a rocket.
In 1982, Sylvester Stallone came to the big screen as Rambo, and some say it paved the way for the next rise of action heroes. Blockbuster stores and theater marquees were lit up with names like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson, and, of course, Jean-Claude Van Damme. The golden years of action movies started in 1986 and led into the 90s. It was during this era that the action genre perfected characters and narrative tropes that are still seen in films today. The lone wolf cop, comedic sidekick, an angry police captain, and the villainous bad guy — all became iconic staples for action movies. They have evolved and changed over time, like giving the main character aviator glasses and jacket, but what will remain the same is the hero’s deep-rooted hatred for lawlessness.
Related: The Most Iconic Lines from ’90s Action Movies
Innovations in Technology
20th Century Fox
The 90s saw some positive changes in movies in storytelling as well as the most famous directors Hollywood has seen today — James Cameron, Quentin Tarantino, Wes Anderson, and John Woo. These new directors began experimenting in ways to make action a part of the plot in the movie and getting actors who were martial arts experts. The movies created in the 90s were filled with great action sequences that geared towards political paranoia and angst. New York was always being destroyed or terrorized in movies like Independence Day or Armageddon. This led to new innovations with how films were made.
Technology really began to advance in the 90s for feature films in hopes that they could make visually-striking movies that cost less to produce. Movies were also being available to purchase on videotapes, making them available to people who have already seen the film and to future viewers. Filmmakers were hoping to produce movies for wide audiences under $5 million, according to The Action Elite. Action movies will continue to bring death-defying stunts and explosions to audiences for the foreseeable future with new stars and filmmakers that are bringing back nostalgia with ’90s style films.
Related: The 14 Best 90s Action Movies, Ranked
Over-the-Top Stars and Stunts
Warner Bros.
The thing that truly sets 90s action movies apart is their over-the-top main characters and high-flying, explosive stunts. Filmmakers were honing their skills and, at the same time, experimenting with new ways to make their films bigger and louder, and, of course, setting off more explosions than the latest action movie that was released. Fight sequences, car chases, and stunts had to be bigger and better with each new movie while it kept to the plot of the film. Action stars had to quickly become flexible and martial arts experts, so when their character is put into a dangerous position, they are able to pull off the stunt with authenticity and realism.
Fight scenes and stunt work are the true makings of an action movie. It is a genre where each film could easily be replicated with each fiery explosion and badass fight scene. Action movies are now forever cemented into filmmaking for audiences to enjoy. The genre has been taken up by sci-fi and superhero movies, but pure action films still exist. Action movies are a refection of the 80s and 90s, and even though characters, costumes, and tropes have changed, the major elements are still the core of the genre.