21 Underrated '90s Action Movies You Need To Watch In 2022

    These action flicks from yesteryear are ready to bring you back to the edge of your seat.

    Ken W. Hanley
    by Ken W. Hanley

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    The 1990s had its fair share of epic action movies, from Speed to Face/Off to Bad Boys.

    But with Hollywood churning out action films by the dozens throughout the decade, many movies ended up getting the short shrift, and 2022 seems like the right time to give them the recognition they deserve.

    1. End of Days

    Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gabriel Byrne in “End of Days”
    Beacon Pictures / Allstar Picture Library Ltd. / Courtesy Alamy

    A grizzled Arnold Schwarzenegger takes on the Devil (Gabriel Byrne) and delivers a surprisingly multidimensional performance in this explosive apocalyptic thriller. 

    Where to Watch: End of Days is currently available to rent on Video-on-Demand platforms.

    2. Toy Soldiers

    Sean Astin and Andrew Divoff in “Toy Soldiers”
    TriStar Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    In this clever (and slightly uncomfortable) late-night cable mainstay, a band of rebellious teenagers take a page out of the Red Dawn playbook when their preparatory school is besieged by Colombian terrorists.

    Where to Watch: Toy Soldiers is currently available to stream on Tubi.

    3. Assassins

    Antonio Banderas and Sylvester Stallone in “Assassins”
    Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Sylvester Stallone goes head to head with Antonio Banderas (at his charismatic best) in Richard Donner's shoot-'em-up cult favorite.

    Where to Watch: Assassins is currently available to stream on Cinemax.

    4. Point of No Return

    Bridget Fonda in “Point of No Return”
    Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Bridget Fonda shines in this seductive and sleek English language remake of Luc Besson's spy thriller La Femme Nikita. 

    Where to Watch: Point of No Return is currently available to rent on Video-on-Demand platforms.

    5. Dead Presidents

    Larenz Tate in “Dead Presidents”
    Buena Vista Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    An incredibly tense action-thriller from Menace II Society filmmakers the Hughes Brothers, Dead Presidents is a unique and unforgettable story of a Vietnam veteran (Larenz Tate) who turns to crime after he is failed by the circumstances of civilian life.

    Where to Watch: Dead Presidents is currently available to stream on the Roku Channel.

    6. Soldier

    Connie Nielsen and Kurt Russell in “Soldier”
    Warner Bros. / AF Archive / Courtesy Alamy

    Kurt Russell breathes life into this hard-hitting, immersive, and overlooked sci-fi action film from Event Horizon and Resident Evil director Paul W.S. Anderson.

    Where to Watch: Soldier is currently available to rent on Video-on-Demand platforms.

    7. Dante’s Peak

    Pierce Brosnan in “Dante’s Peak”
    MCA / AA Film Archive / Courtesy Alamy

    Pitted against the more critically lauded Volcano in 1997, Dante's Peak is an effortlessly entertaining disaster flick anchored by leading turns from Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton.

    Where to Watch: Dante's Peak is currently available to rent on Video-on-Demand platforms.

    8. The Quest

    Jean-Claude Van Damme in “The Quest”
    Universal Studios / United Archives GmbH / Courtesy Alamy

    Often disregarded as a second-rate Bloodsport remake, The Quest deserves credit as a fun and campy martial arts film bolstered by a scenery-chewing Roger Moore in a key supporting role.

    Where to Watch: The Quest is currently available to rent on Video-on-Demand platforms.

    9. Lethal Weapon 4

    Mel Gibson and Jet Li in “Lethal Weapon 4”
    Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Though it is often considered to be the weakest of the tetralogy, Lethal Weapon 4 is still a stronger action flick than many of its contemporaries, cemented by a simply outstanding climactic fight sequence in which Wah Sing Ku (Jet Li) faces off against both Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover).

    Where to Watch: Lethal Weapon 4 is currently available to stream on HBO Max.

    10. Drive (1997)

    Mark Dacascos in “Drive”
    MARKA / Courtesy Alamy

    Not to be confused with the 2011 Ryan Gosling movie, this criminally unseen buddy action comedy is a metric ton of fun headlined by Mark Dacascos, Kadeem Hardison, and the late Brittany Murphy.

    Where to Watch: Drive (1997) is currently available to stream on Tubi, the Roku Channel, and Amazon Prime Video.

    11. Blue Steel

    Jamie Lee Curtis in “Blue Steel”
    MGM / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Directed by the great Kathryn Bigelow, Blue Steel is an unpredictable white-knuckle thriller following a rookie police officer (Jamie Lee Curtis) who learns her significant other (Ron Silver) is an obsessive serial killer.

    Where to Watch: Blue Steel is currently available to stream on Tubi and Vudu.

    12. Stone Cold

    Brian Bosworth in “Stone Cold”
    Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Famed NFL bad boy Brian Bosworth took his shot at big screen fame in this awesome, stunt-driven flick about an undercover cop taking on a ruthless biker gang with their eyes on assassinating an influential politician.

    Where to Watch: Stone Cold is currently available to rent on Video-on-Demand platforms.

    13. Conspiracy Theory

    Mel Gibson in “Conspiracy Theory”
    Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Filmmaker Richard Donner makes his third appearance on this list with this suspenseful and twisty action-thriller about a paranoid cab driver (Mel Gibson) who discovers the conspiracy theories he often dwells upon may be real...and coming right at him. 

    Where to Watch: Conspiracy Theory is currently available to rent on Video-on-Demand platforms.

    14. L.A. Wars

    "L.A. Wars"
    Vinegar Syndrome / Via YouTube

    On the surface, L.A. Wars seems to be a generic knockoff on '90s cop movies, but there's a sense of passion and go-for-broke dedication to legitimately exciting effects work that makes this long-lost gem one hell of a watch.

    Where to Watch: L.A. Wars is currently available to stream on Tubi.

    15. Hard Rain

    Christian Slater in “Hard Rain”
    Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    A box office bomb that became better known as a video store discovery, Hard Rain is a pleasant surprise, with a solid cast and an inspired "disaster-movie-meets-heist-film" premise that ultimately makes for mindless entertainment.

    Where to Watch: Hard Rain is currently available to stream on Cinemax.

    16. Nemesis

    "Nemesis"
    Greenleaf Productions / United Archives GmbH / Courtesy Alamy

    It may be silly and more than a little convoluted, but this stylish cyberpunk action flick is nonetheless compelling from start to finish.

    Where to Watch: Nemesis is currently streaming on Tubi, the Roku Channel, and Crackle.

    17. Deep Rising

    Famke Janssen, Kevin J. O'Connor, Treat Williams, Wes Studi and Anthony Heald in “Deep Rising”
    Buena Vista Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Walking so The Mummy could run, Deep Rising is the perfect mix of high-concept genre film and rough-and-tumble action flick that is made all the better by its gallery of character-acting greats.

    Where to Watch: Deep Rising is currently available to rent on Video-on-Demand platforms.

    18. The Quick and the Dead

    Sharon Stone in "The Quick and The Dead"
    TriStar Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Sam Raimi brings his signature style of off-the-wall filmmaking to the Western genre in this fun and frenetic action movie, which is led by Sharon Stone, Russell Crowe, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Gene Hackman.

    Where to Watch: The Quick and The Dead is currently streaming on PlutoTV, fuboTV, and Philo.

    19. Fist of the North Star

    Chris Penn in “Fist of the North Star”
    Overseas Filmgroup / United Archives GmbH / Courtesy Alamy

    Based on the acclaimed anime of the same name, this ridiculous and cartoonish live-action adaptation may not be gunning for the Oscars, but certainly ranks high on the "so-bad-it's-good" scale of endlessly rewatchable.

    Where to Watch: Fist of the North Star is currently available for purchase on DVD.

    20. Showdown in Little Tokyo

    Brandon Lee and Dolph Lundgren in "Showdown in Little Tokyo"
    Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Perhaps Showdown in Little Tokyo is lower on a buddy cop movie totem pole, but it's unjustly so, as the pulse-pounding action and the genuinely great chemistry between co-stars Dolph Lundgren and the late Brandon Lee are worthy of praise, even more than 30 years later.

    Where to Watch: Showdown in Little Tokyo is currently streaming on HBO Max.

    21. Crimson Tide

    Gene Hackman, Denzel Washington, Jaime Gomez, and Matt Craven in "Crimson Tide"
    Buena Vista Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Tony Scott's submarine thriller may have been overshadowed by The Hunt for Red October, but it's undoubtedly one of the most underrated and gripping action films of the 1990s.

    Where to Watch: Crimson Tide is currently available to rent on Video-on-Demand platforms.