Cult action heroes of the 90s (photo)

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

In the 90s, Hollywood remained the "monster" in the production of action movies, so almost all over the world they know and remember the "iron Arnie", the "chosen one" Keanu Reeves, the charming Mel Gibson and other heroes.

Heroes of old action movies: Arnold Schwarzenegger

It is impossible to imagine the 90s without Schwarzenegger. Yes, and the 80s, 2000s, too. "Iron Arnie" has been steadfastly holding on to the film Olympus for almost thirty years.

In the 90s, Schwarzenegger was widely known to the public, but his iconic roles were only ahead. First, the fantastic action movie Total Recall was released. The film was directed by Paul Verhoeven and Arnie's partner was Sharon Stone herself.

In 1991, Terminator 2 was released, which turned not only the minds of viewers, but also changed the attitude of Hollywood directors to computer graphics. The film surprised with its $102 million budget, but even more impressed with its global box office gross of nearly $520 million.

In the same 90s, the fantastic action movie “The Last Action Hero”, the comedy action movie “True Lies”, where Jamie Lee Curtis became Arnold’s partner, and the films “Eraser” and “Batman andRobin.”

Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson, who is now over sixty, in his youth was good for everything: a pretty face, a prepared athletic body, a charming smile. That is why the militants with Mel were not averse to watching the ladies as well.

Gibson's career began back in the 70s, and by the 90s the actor was already basking in the glory. And Mel owes this precisely to the militants. Gibson's first role was insignificant, he played it while still living in Australia. This was followed by melodrama, and then Gibson hit the jackpot and immediately got the lead role in the cult Australian action movie Mad Max. Since then, things have been going great for Gibson.

In 1992, the third part of the well-known action movie "Lethal Weapon" was released, then there was the wonderful western "Maverick" and the historical action movie "Braveheart", the action comedy "Bird on the Wire", where Gibson's partner became Goldie Hawn, as well as "Lethal Weapon 4" and the action drama "Payback".

Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford is also rightfully considered the star of the 90s. Back in the 80s, he became famous for his participation in the Star Wars franchise and the Indiana Jones epic.

The 90s were marked for the actor by participation in such militants as "Patriot Games", "The Fugitive", "Direct and Present Threat", "President's Plane", etc.

Films with an actor almost always pay off. For example, "Patriot Games" grossed $261 million worldwide on a $25 million budget. Ford played the role of Jack Ryan in the film, a CIA officer who opposesterrorists.

In the movie "The Fugitive" Harrison Ford plays the role of surgeon Richard Kimble, who is undeservedly convicted of killing his wife and breaks out of prison. And of course, the action movie "President's Plane", where Ford embodies on the screens the role of the American president, who alone confronts the terrorists who hijacked the plane.

Jackie Chan

Action heroes often go unclaimed when their time "passes by". But this unspoken rule does not apply to the smiling and plastic Jackie Chan, who to this day is one of the brightest action movie stars. The actor is known for performing all the incredible stunts in films on his own.

Jackie has been acting in films since 1962. But the real glory came to him when Chan got to Hollywood. Throughout his career, he starred in more than 114 films, only in the 90s 20 films were released with his participation. But the most memorable project during this period was the action comedy Rush Hour.

Jackie Chan plays an inspector from Hong Kong who flies to Los Angeles in search of the kidnapped daughter of the Chinese Consul. The FBI cannot officially refuse the consul's request to allow his people to investigate, but they are not going to help Chan either. Instead, they assign an LA cop, played by Chris Tucker, to keep the intrusive Chinese inspector out of the investigation.

The comedy duo of Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan just blew up the box office: the picture "Rush Hour" with a budget of $ 33 million earned 244million

Bruce Willis

Bruce Willis takes pride of place in the "Action Heroes of the 90s" list, since it was during this period that the actor was known as a mega-star.

In the late 80s, the first part of "Die Hard" was released, and the heyday of Willis' acting career fell just in the period from the 90s to the 2000s, since at that time he starred in a record number of action films.

It all started with the release of "Die Hard 2" in 1990, which consolidated the success of the previous project and provided the picture with 4 more sequel films. Then there was the action comedy The Last Boy Scout with Halle Berry, Striking Distance with Sarah Jessica Parker and, of course, Pulp Fiction. In the latest film, Bruce becomes the central character in the novella Golden Hours, where he plays Butch, a professional boxer.

Pulp Fiction was immediately followed by Die Hard 3, which once again hit the jackpot at the box office. Bruce Willis was just like hot cakes, successful projects followed one after another: "12 Monkeys", "Lone Hero", "The Fifth Element", "Jackal", etc.

Will Smith

The action heroes in the 90s were predominantly white guys. Will Smith changed the situation. It was in the 90s that this actor managed to light up in box office memorable films, which ensured his popularity today.

Smith's calling card is Men in Black. Fantastic action comedy by Barry Sonnenfeld was produced by Steven Spielberg himself. The film grossed $589 million at the box office on a budget of $90 million. Will Smithacted as an agent who fights in alien aliens.

It is impossible not to note the game of Smith in the action movie "Enemy of the State". In the US$250 million film, Will plays lawyer Robert Clayton Dean, who is drawn into politics by chance.

In 1996, another successful film project with the participation of Smith appeared on the screens - "Independence Day". This action movie not only earned $817 million at the box office, but was also nominated for numerous awards, including two Oscars.

Keanu Reeves

The cult thriller "The Matrix" was released in 1999 and became a sensation. Neo's goggles, Neo's raincoat, etc. became fashionable. Handsome Reeves, the lead actor, woke up a celebrity, and action heroes recruited another "superman" into their ranks.

We must pay tribute to the actor - his name was known to avid film lovers even before the release of The Matrix. For example, everyone knows the 91 action movie "Point Break", where Reeves played a major role along with the famous Patrick Swayze. To this day, action movie fans enjoy revisiting the 1994 film Speed with its original storyline and star-studded cast.

Thanks to his ability to choose worthwhile projects, Reeves remains in demand to this day: the actor has 4 film premieres scheduled for 2016 alone.

Sylvester Stallone

Usually action heroes start their careers with cameo roles. Sylvester Stallone immediately started with the main characters, but … in porn films. The "Italian stallion" Stallone at that time was poor and homeless, so he was glad even for such work. And the Italian was not given normal movie roles because of his strong accent.

After a string of episodic roles and a couple of porn films, Stallone wrote a script about a failed boxer, Rocky. Sylvester managed to negotiate with the producers who bought the script for him to play the lead role in the film. After that, Stallone got into the kings, and his business went like clockwork. Heroes of action movies, whose photos flaunted in magazines, made room - another actor joined their ranks.

90s Stallone met with a celebrity. And of course, the role of an action actor was assigned to him, which Sylvester adhered to. In the 90s, one after another, action pictures with his participation flashed on the screens: “Tango and Cash” (with Kurt Russell), “Rocky 5”, “Cliffhanger”, “Destroyer”, etc.

Today, Stallone continues to act, moreover, he went into directing and created a very successful series of films "The Expendables", the fourth part of which will be released in 2017

Indian Action Heroes: Aamir Khan

At this time in Bollywood, too, time was not wasted. The heroes of American action movies are cool, of course, but they can’t fight like Indian supermen (meaning the specific sound when punched).

Aamir Khan is considered one of the highest paid actors in India. In the 90s, the hero of melodramas flashed in several cult Indian action films - "Malic Intent" (1999) and "Defiant Fate" (1998). In both films Khanplays characters who oppose criminal gangs, and in both cases, his hero avenges the death of people close to him.

Aamir Khan still appears in cool Bollywood action films today. For example, his latest work is shooting in the film "Bikers 3", which was the first Indian film released in IMAX format.

George Clooney

George Clooney, like any guy, was interested in action heroes, photos of which flaunted on movie posters. But Clooney never dreamed of "showing off" on one of these posters.

George began his acting career in 1984 at the age of 23. But he became popular only at 33, and then thanks to the series, and not the feature film.

Luck smiled at the actor in the 90s, and he became one of the main characters of R. Rodriguez's cult action movie From Dusk Till Dawn. And then things went well for Clooney, and he became the leading actor in the film "Batman and Robin" directed by Tim Burton. Such a role could not fail to serve his career in good stead: since then, Clooney has firmly established himself in action films and action films - The Peacemaker (1997), Out of Sight (1998), The Thin Red Line (1998)..) and Three Kings (1999). but Clooney's filmography does not end there - today he is one of the highest paid actors.

Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage's starlet also began to rise in the 90s. Action heroes of the 90s were brutal and tough men, Cage is even in actionlooked sensual, sentimental and in some moments gallant.

The 90s began for the actor with the action movie Firebirds, which did not arouse positive emotions from critics. But then things went much better for the actor: the military drama A Time to Kill, where Cage played a lieutenant of the troops of fascist Italy, and the crime thriller West of the Red Rock, where he was accompanied by Dennis Hopper, are released. Then, together with Samuel L. Jackson, Cage starred in the action movie "Kiss of Death", in 1996 - with Sean Connery in the action movie "The Rock".

Next, Nicholas starred in one action after another and always in a star company: with John Travolta in the action thriller "Face Off", with John Malkovich in the movie "Con Air", with Angelina Jolie in "Gone in 60 Seconds "".

These days, Cage also shines on the screen, but more and more in dramas and psychological films.

Where do action heroes live and what do they do now? It is safe to say that they are not in poverty, and their fate has turned out more than well. Stallone, Reeves, Clooney and others are still in demand today: at least three films with their participation are released a year.

The action heroes then and now live to the fullest: change wives, buy expensive villas, appear on the red carpet. Because the genre in which they work is almost always in demand. Who doesn't want to get comfortable on the couch in the evening and, crunching chips, escape from everyday problems, watching how invulnerable and indestructible heroes solve all their problems with a wave of a fist?