">
NERDCORE MOVEMENT
  • Home
  • Movies
    • Star Wars
    • DC
    • Marvel
  • TV
    • American Horror Story
    • Breaking Bad
    • Game of Thrones
    • Sons of Anarchy
    • True Blood
    • Walking Dead
  • Recaps
  • Reviews
  • Horror
No Result
View All Result
Nerdcore Movement
  • Home
  • Movies
    • Star Wars
    • DC
    • Marvel
  • TV
    • American Horror Story
    • Breaking Bad
    • Game of Thrones
    • Sons of Anarchy
    • True Blood
    • Walking Dead
  • Recaps
  • Reviews
  • Horror
No Result
View All Result
Nerdcore Movement
No Result
View All Result

Why the 1990s Was the Most Interesting Decade for Action Cinema

NerdcoreMovement by NerdcoreMovement
December 4, 2019
in Movies
0
">

Many movie fans look back on the 1980s fondly as the halcyon days of the action movie. It was in this decade that Rambo was born, Schwarzenegger shot to superstardom, and Bruce Willis proved to be very hard to kill. However, another way of looking at the decade is that action movies in the 1980s merely laid the foundations for better movies that arrived in the 1990s.

Yes, the 1980s had Rambo, Die Hard, Predator, Commando, The Running Man, Aliens, and The Terminator. All triple A movies, many of which helped to shape and define the action genre. That said, as we moved into the 1990s, the genre was refined and improved upon and the list of classic movies that emerged is long.

Action movie characters became more flawed and funnier, while the movies themselves never compromised that vulnerability against explosive set pieces. Whereas 80s action characters were often depicted as invincible, 90s protagonists were allowed to be more human. Of course, Bruce Willis playing John McClane as a sometimes lucky but versatile action star in Die Hard helped pave the way.

McClane was an everyman. Even as he was mowing down bad guys and besting international terrorists, he came off like just another guy. Someone who watches sports on the weekend, checks out loteria en linea USA, and eats fast food. McClane was an action trailblazer and into the 1990s his template defined the genre.

What followed were a string of thinking man’s action stars. Keanu Reeves (Point Break and Speed) looked the part but was also able to provide pathos. Nicolas Cage married crazy with vulnerability in The Rock and Face/Off, while going full action hero in Con Air. Neither movie stars provided the classic view of the action hero that we had become used to.

Even Schwarzenegger and Stallone, the two kings of the muscle-bound invincible action star, changed in the 1990s. For the former, The Last Action Hero, True Lies, and Total Recall mixed vulnerability with comedy. Stallone followed a similar path with Demolition Man. Sure, both Schwarzenegger and Stallone still kicked plenty of ass, but at least now they did it in more interesting ways.

It’s worth noting that the seeds sewn by John McClane and extended through the 1990s re-shaped action cinema forever. In fact, it set an evolution that continued into the new century, sometimes to the detriment of the genre. In the new millennium, anybody could be an action hero and any actor could become an action star. Just ask Matt Damon, who rode the action genre to huge success with Jason Bourne.

So, the 1990s was a dazzling decade for the action movie. The genre changed forever and arguably got worse as we reached the year 2000. But over that glorious 10 years, at least we got some of the best action movies ever made. A proper list would be too long, but here are some of the action classics brought to us in the 1990s:

  • Total Recall
  • Terminator 2: Judgement Day
  • The Rock
  • Cliffhanger
  • Con Air
  • The Last Action Hero
  • Speed
  • Face/Off
  • Hard Target
  • True Lies
  • Broken Arrow
  • Demolition Man
  • Point Break
  • Die Hard with a Vengeance

Related Posts

‘Rosemary’s Baby’ Prequel ‘Apartment 7A’ Starring Julia Garner Set for Release in October
Horror

‘Rosemary’s Baby’ Prequel ‘Apartment 7A’ Starring Julia Garner Set for Release in October

A prequel to the classic film "Rosemary's Baby" titled "Apartment 7A" starring Emmy winner Julia Garner is set for...

by NerdcoreMovement
May 19, 2024
Al Pacino, Dan Stevens to Star as Troubled Priests in Exorcism Horror Film ‘The Ritual’
Horror

Al Pacino, Dan Stevens to Star as Troubled Priests in Exorcism Horror Film ‘The Ritual’

Al Pacino and Dan Stevens play a pair of troubled priests in an upcoming exorcism horror film titled "The...

by NerdcoreMovement
April 27, 2024
LISTEN: ‘Abigail’ Review: Did the Trailers Ruin The Fun with this Film?
Featured

LISTEN: ‘Abigail’ Review: Did the Trailers Ruin The Fun with this Film?

In the latest episode of Rewind of the Living Dead, we’re going to strap on our ballerina shoes and...

by NerdcoreMovement
April 24, 2024
WATCH: ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Trailer Teases Ultimate F**king Team Up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Marvel

WATCH: ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Trailer Teases Ultimate F**king Team Up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Check out the new trailer for "Deadpool & Wolverine" as the mutants provide the ultimate f**king teamup to change...

by NerdcoreMovement
April 24, 2024
Next Post
Why the 1990s Was the Most Interesting Decade for Action Cinema

'1917' Review: A Reminder of Cinema’s Power

Nerdcore Movement

© 2020 Copyright NerdcoreMovement.com

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • Movies
  • TV
  • Comics
  • Reviews
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Follow Us

RSS
Facebook
Twitter
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepage
  • News
  • TV
  • Horror
  • Movies
  • Recaps
  • Reviews

© 2020 Copyright NerdcoreMovement.com