Copyright Screen Rant
The 1990s was the golden age of action movies, and there are a ton of explosive films available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. With big budgets and even bigger stars, '90s action movies built upon the trend that started during the bombastic days of the 1980s. Burgeoning film technology like CGI made action movies a playground for creativity. The '90s also saw the action genre feature in plenty of crossovers, including with sci-fi and fantasy. Streaming has made many of the best '90s movies more accessible than ever before, and Prime Video is one of the most popular platforms around. Buried deep in its humongous catalog are plenty of exciting '90s action movies that are worth streaming today. Tank Girl (1995) It would be a stretch to call Tank Girl an all-time classic, but it's a silly action comedy that captures the quirky side of its decade. In a post-apocalyptic future, two young women join a band of rebels to take on a tyrannical company that controls the world's water supplies. The box office bomb initially left audiences scratching their heads. However, it has since become a '90s cult classic because it so perfectly captures the zeitgeist of the period. It's one of the only comic book movies to truly lean into its print origins, and never shies away from the books' goofy tone. As a part of Prime Video's streaming catalog, Tank Girl is the perfect deep cut. The Negotiator (1998) Though over-the-top action is exciting, tension is what makes a story truly crackle with life. The Negotiator concerns two skilled hostage negotiators who must face off in a tense battle of wits. The underrated 1990s gem stars Samuel L. Jackson in one of his most compelling roles, and deserves more attention than it currently gets. The Negotiator has that classic Hollywood gloss of 1990s action movies, but it uses its explosive moments sparingly for maximum impact. It has a strong mystery plot underneath it's engrossing exterior, and it has more layers than many of its contemporaries. It did okay back in '98, but it is begging to be rediscovered on streaming. Cutthroat Island (1995) Cutthroat Island is one of the biggest box-office bombs in history, but it's a pretty decent film beneath all of its financial woes. The swash-buckling story is set in the 17th century and follows a woman who inherits a map to hidden treasure from her father. Its tale of pirates and high-seas adventure was out of place in the '90s. The film has a nostalgic quality that hearkens back to the Golden Age of cinema, a time when adventure stories were much more popular. Its massive budget was its downfall, but every penny shows up onscreen with beautiful sets and amazing on-location shooting. It's notoriety overshadows its status as a precursor to early Aughts cinema like Pirates of the Caribbean. End Of Days (1999) By 1999, Arnold Schwarzenegger was entering a new phase in his career, and End of Days was one of the last blockbusters of his heyday. The action horror flick casts Schwarzenegger as a security guard who must protect a young woman from becoming a pawn of Satan himself. End of Days isn't a good movie, but it's certainly entertaining. It's so weird and over-the-top that it's unlike anything else in Schwarzenneger's action catalog. The horror elements are superior to other parts of the film, but it doesn't skimp on its action sequences either. Holding only an 11% score on Rotten Tomatoes, End of Days isn't popular with critics, but it has a certain '90s charm that doesn't exist anymore. GoldenEye (1995) After his longest break (thus far), James Bond returned with a new look in GoldenEye. Pierce Brosnan's first turn as 007 sees him take on a rogue 00 agent who has stolen a superweapon. Though each era of the franchise has its favorites, GoldenEye is generally considered one of the best James Bond films ever made. The 1995 classic effortlessly blends cartoonish action with the charm of its lead actor, and it can be seen as a return to form after the experimental tone of Licence to Kill. The entire Bond catalog is now streaming as part of Amazon's massive umbrella, and GoldenEye is a perfect place to start for newcomers and old fans alike. The Limey (1999) Director Steven Soderbergh has made a wide array of films, and The Limey is a rare foray into action. It follows an Englishman who travels to the U.S. to avenge his daughter's death, and he takes on a powerful gang in Los Angeles. Made in the Death Wish mold, The Limey is anchored by a stellar performance from Terence Stamp. Though exciting, The Limey uses action realistically to convey the emotion of the story. The drama is never overshadowed by ridiculous set pieces, and there is a methodical nature to the way the plot plays out. One of the most underrated action thrillers of the 1990s, The Limey is a hidden gem that could use a popularity boost from streaming. Payback (1999) Revenge thrillers are a cornerstone of the action genre, and 1999's Payback is a perfect example of the genre done right. The Mel Gibson vehicle taps him to play a betrayed thief who vows revenge against all those that wronged him in the past. Incorporating elements of film noir, Payback is a gritty movie that revels in its own violence. The box office smash walks a fine line between bombastic absurdity and down-to-earth thrills, and Gibson eschews his usual action hero persona for something a bit darker. In a post-John Wick world, a movie like Payback may seem somewhat antiquated. However, it is a fun watch on streaming, and certainly deserves credit for pushing the genre in a new direction. Twin Dragons (1992) While it may not stand up against other Jackie Chan classics, Twin Dragons is a fun little action comedy. Chan plays a pianist who learns he has a twin brother, and accidentally finds himself in the criminal underworld along with his sibling. Chan's double role opens the door for a lot of humor, but it has action too. The stunt work is exhilarating, and the quirky sense of humor is classic Hong Kong cinema. A few years before he came to Hollywood, Chan showed why he was a movie star. As a bit of light entertainment, few action comedies on Prime Video are as strong as Twin Dragons, and it's a nice gateway to Chan's other movies. Timecop (1994) Jean-Claude Van Damme was one of the biggest action stars of the '90s, and Timecop continued that trend. Van Damme plays a temporal agent who must stop a corrupt politician from using time travel to advance his own interests. Its goofy premise is accentuated by even sillier action sequences that are pure '90s cheese. Timecop is such an enjoyable experience because it never takes itself too seriously. It utilizes the time travel concept in a few clever ways, and never makes the audience go too long without a few martial arts kicks from Van Damme. Audiences loved it back in the 1990s, and it remains a go-to popcorn flick in the age of streaming. Waterworld (1995) Waterworld was a blockbuster that mostly failed to launch, but it best represented the action genre's flexibility in the 1990s. Kevin Costner plays a man who is adapted to living in a post-apocalyptic future in which the entirety of Earth's surface is covered in water. With its massive budget, Waterworld is one of the most imaginative movies of the decade.
