The ’90s as a whole are not necessarily considered a decade of cinematic excellence, but there is no denying that certain genres were very successful between the ’90s and the new millennium.
Comedy has evolved over the decade, with major SNL actors like Mike Myers, Dana Carvey and Adam Sandler becoming comedy classics, cult hits and favorites of comedy nerds. Drama, of course, has remained the award-winning genre it always has been. Even horror had a sudden, sweet resurgence after a brief lull in the early 1990s, when slashers finally died out, slashers lost their luster, and filmmakers struggled to understand what horror fans wanted.
Good thrillers were not rare in the 90s. Apart from the well-known classics, however, these films are rarely mentioned in discussions about cinema. Honestly, you don’t hear much about thrillers from the 90s.
It’s not that thrillers don’t have fans, fans and collectors, but thrillers in general don’t really inspire the devout fanfare that builds communities. People love thrillers, but they don’t spawn sequels or franchises like horror or comedies do. The same personal obsessions people have with their favorite comedies or horror movies don’t exist when it comes to adventure or mystery films.
Thriller fans still exist, though. Also for fans of 90’s movies. In some cases, these groups overlap in a very passionate place. The years 1990 to 1999 were a prime opportunity for fans of suspense, stalker films or dystopian mysteries – for this decade produced a catalogue of thrillers, many of which went almost unnoticed.
The crime novels of the 1990s have a special electricity: They are elegant, shiny, often light in color while the darker objects glisten; no subtlety. Serial killers were angry. The psychological problems were overwhelming. Psychopaths, lunatics, maniacs and monsters were everywhere. Old tropes are interwoven with new ones, just as classic film techniques are modernized.
Some of the best movie thrillers of all time were released in the 1990s. The silence of the lambs and the misery in the first place. But aside from the well-known classics, people tend to dismiss 90s thrillers as harmless cysticism. So much better than average but forgotten or just unloved films from this era deserve attention and praise.
Consider a mix of great but not too respectable 90s thrillers. Whether you’re looking for an action-packed road thriller, a psychological thriller about serial killers or an erotic thriller, there’s always a good 90s movie for you. If you grew up in those years or saw a lot of movies from the 90s, you might not see the fresh, obscure title here. I hope this at least reminds you of the movie you liked. Here are 10 harrowing thrillers from the ’90s that deserve to be revisited.
Breakdown (1997)
Synopsis: Jeff and Amy Taylor are moving to California. When they are stranded in the desert, a trucker drops Amy off at a local restaurant for help. Jeff goes looking for Amy, but finds a restaurant where the customers don’t remember Amy or the man she was with. After meeting a trucker who claims to have no idea who he is, or who Amy is, Jeff becomes a missing person who has been searching for him and haunting him for ages.
The 1990s blockbuster Challenge starring Kurt Russell may seem silly or underrated, but the fact is that Breakdown doesn’t get enough credit for being an entertaining, funny, and sometimes scary chase movie.
Breakdown is as good as a mediocre movie can be, or as mediocre as a good movie can be, and that’s entirely up to you. If you’re looking for a thrilling road thriller that incorporates every conceivable cliché from the action thriller (and seems to succeed in doing so), Breakdown is definitely worth a look. It’s nice to be: Insufficient of Kurt Russell’s pessimistic vision. The crazy truckers. Paranoia. Go on. A gunshot. Climbing on moving vehicles.
These are nail clippers that raise the stakes and increase the excitement every time. Breakdown is a bit of a duel between Spielberg and Deliverance, as it contains horror elements – vulnerable people struggling to survive the senseless wrath of madmen. You’ll be sure to follow the bloodshed in Breakdown, as it’s a well-constructed action thriller, but you can also get the thrill of the villains that our heroes Jeff and Amy Taylor put their victims through, just for fun.
Pacific Heights (1990)
Synopsis: The couple renovated their dream home in hopes of financing it as renters. A smart tenant has a different plan.
Although unremarkable as a whole, John Schlesinger’s Pacific Heights is a surreal and fascinating look at a deranged sociopath and his damaging effects on well-meaning people. Schlesinger is pretty good at building the plot and making the most of a sloppy script full of wording problems. Michael Keaton is certainly fantastic as the wily and manipulative maniac Carter, who remains quirky and sympathetic despite his violent behavior.
When I say terrible behavior, I mean terrible. Carter breeds cockroaches in rental apartments, which is disgusting and evil. There is no reason for such an activity, other than to be a cranky rogue. Pacific Heights finds strange ways to portray a psychopath, but all of Carter’s disgusting eccentricities are part of his depraved charm. If you haven’t seen it yet, don’t miss young star Michael Keaton tormenting yuppies in a quirky thriller that’s as heady as a 1990 film can be.
Unauthorised access (1992)
Synopsis: A yuppie couple faced a violent burglary. They enlist the help of a local policeman who seems to have his own interests. The police officer offers to protect Michael and Karen, but is he a greater threat to the couple than they previously feared?
Okay, Illegal Entry isn’t exactly forgotten, but it’s not talked about often enough given its endearing insanity. Ray Liotta, in his frenzied role of bad cop Pete Davis, is one of the craziest (and most hilarious) charismatic psychopaths to ever appear in a thriller. His terrifying crystal blue eyes glow with a manic, terrifying yet breathtaking light as he terrorizes the naive and fearful couple, played by Kurt Russell and Madeleine Stowe.
As a big Russell Goliath, I have to say that Kurt is not good in Trespassing. That’s not to say his performance is bad – he’s just interchangeable with someone in the audience, but excitement doesn’t come easily when you’re playing a jaded victim. Madeleine Stowe is as charming as Karen Carr, or as charming as anyone can be as long as you refuse to recognize dangerous psychopathic behavior and instead see the agent’s seductive charm.
Illegal Entry has a list of hilarious performances from Roger E. Mosley, Ken Lerner, Andy Romano and others, but they all come on the back of Liotta’s strange aggression and icy brilliance. This guy is willing to take on anyone, anytime, anywhere, and it’s a joy to watch him do it. Liotta’s raw intensity carries the show, which is ultimately a good thing. His leaps from serene but cunning to violent rage set the tone – a tone that makes for a manic, never dull thriller, a rollercoaster ride from paranoia to volcanic activity. The film is designed to build suspense, so it’s a solid thriller, but Liotta’s over-the-top anger proves to be the strongest hold on the audience.
Broken (1991)
Synopsis: After a terrible car accident, a man suffers from amnesia and is forced to face the troubling past that led to the accident.
If you can get past the incredible implausibility and soapy moments of the games, Shattered is an incredibly mysterious, stylish and quirky early 90s song that arrives in a very pleasant way in the early 90s.
Say what you will about Tom Berenger, Greta Skackey and their respective acting talents, but they are dynamite as a pair of confused, adulterous liars in this suspenseful tale of amnesia, murder and deceit. Tom Berenger plays his usual earnest self – either stiff, empty, or outstanding acting, or whatever Tom Berenger had in the 80s and 90s. I’ve always felt that Berenger’s sincerity adds to the tension of the subject matter in the films, and that’s the case in Heartbreak. He gets really passionate when he needs to, bringing exciting pleasure in all the right places and an oddly sensual touch to the saucer scenes.
Describing most of the content of this film would make it less enjoyable, as it is meant to keep you guessing, but we will touch on a few highlights:
Broken Home is set in the hills of San Francisco in the early 1990s. Whether it’s lush green hills, beautiful luxury homes or clear blue waters, you’ll almost always see something visually appealing. The lines are not exactly pleasing to the eye either!
The editing and effects may be questionable, but these choices make for good old-fashioned entertainment, with cheesy transitions, see-through shots of crashing waves in love scenes, and glass shattering every time our hero Dan remembers an injury.
The colors in Shattered come from the typical bright palette of the late 80s and early 90s – cool blues and bright purples. In fact, Shattered is a high-end style.
As for the acting, Tom Berenger and Greta Scacchi are, as mentioned, adequate, but Bob Hoskins is fantastic and incredibly likable as Gus Klein, pet store owner and private investigator. Hoskins brings a quick delivery, honest charm and heartwarming old school New York moments. Gus is a good friend of Dan’s, a curious and engaging detective.
broken down, it will certainly allow you to observe the theory. From this point of view, it’s a passing conundrum. The twists are absurd. Some actors feel like they’re in a Lifetime movie. Some of the effects are almost too ridiculous to fit the dark tone of the film. All of these flaws only add to the entertainment value if you’re someone who loves a melodramatic 90s thriller.
Immersion (1993)
Synopsis: A man whose wife was kidnapped from a gas station years ago continues to search for her while Barney’s abductor keeps an eye on her.
Big spoiler in this post. Oddly enough, if you haven’t seen Vanishing in 1991, you will soon.
Watching The Disappeared, you may wonder why it isn’t better. On the surface, the plot is invigorating. The cast includes stars like Kiefer Sutherland, Nancy Travis, Sandra Bullock and Jeff Bridges. Bridges plays a maniacal creep and has fun doing it. This is a remake of the legendary Dutch film Suspense, directed by the same director as the original. Why isn’t this a great cult thriller?
In short, The Vanishing follows too standard a course and sticks to the safe territory of 90s blockbuster thrillers, when it should be more original. Given Bridges’ insanely creepy long persona, which leads to Barney Cousins making sure Jeff (Sutherland) has no peace, it calls for sharper twists and wilder turns. Make no mistake, Disappearance is a fascinating journey. There’s a wildness and strangeness that locks you in. Bridges reaches a hypnotic climax that feels like a joke, and it’s fun to watch and confusing enough to spark discussion. The Vanishing movie has its appeal, and I hope I’m not giving anything away here, but the concept of burying people alive is fun. It’s a sinister act not shown often enough in movies. If you like things to get particularly dark in a thriller, you’ll get your money’s worth and have an unforgettable moment.
Overall, however, Disappearance is forgettable. Jeff Bridges buries people alive, but everything else is standard thriller material. Now that I have completely refuted my first assertion by writing this, I will give the appropriate praise:
Barney’s an ugly chemist. The ugly thing is drugs. This is his strong point. Jeff Bridges plays him in a stranger way than you might think. That’s quite an achievement. Honestly, I can’t tell you what he does. His accent ranges from that of an Austrian who was hit in the head with a shovel to that of Vincent Price on tranquilizers when he was also hit in the head with a shovel. It’s not even one of Jeff Bridges’ best performances, and it remains to be seen if it’s a good one, but it’s really disturbing. Bridges plays scary, and he’s scary as hell. Let’s give it to him. Maybe that’s enough to make it an extraordinary achievement? Maybe the movie is too crazy, an action-packed chase thriller, and Jeff Bridges is leading a sick, depraved thriller? As I write this, I’m discovering the deep layers of this film that make it so much better than it seemed when I last saw it about three months ago. The jury thought so too. I can say it’s a thriller in which Kiefer Sutherland is excellent and hilarious, Jeff Bridges is annoying, and there’s another dark twist that I could SEE before (because of the funeral). You can watch The Vanishing streaming on Starz, among others.
Replacement Part (1996)
Synopsis: Shale, a retired mercenary, takes a job as a substitute teacher at a Miami high school where his fiancée, the teacher, has been having problems with the students. Shale and his team promised to put an end to the criminal activity at this school full of young bullies.
We know that some action/thriller films from the past few decades have not aged well. Most of the age to be cheese than to stay big, which they were. However, there is a special kind of entertaining cheese in thrillers and action films from the 90s, when a film that may have been very innovative and cool at the time now seems like a farce, or a fun mess that takes itself too seriously. And, hey, some of these overplayed, pimped-up thrillers are still sloppy. Drama fever, where tired history, tame risks, dated production and extreme nastiness collide, is what drives some of us.
If you’re one of us, you’ll love Substitute, or you’ll vaguely remember seeing it a few years ago and loving it when you were drunk or high. The plot, as written above, is ridiculous. We follow a routine action formula of shooting guys, sure, and the guy (Tom Berenger) has to take a beating and restore order, but The Substitute has a heart and a pulse beneath the spectacle of shooting, punching and kicking guys.
Mountaineer is the commander of the presence. He’s cold and ominous, as he should be when it comes to taking down hordes of teenage thugs and organizing a drug deal. His character, Sheil, has a soft spot for him, and it’s nice to see Berenger go beyond his role as a ruthless jerk with a hardened exterior.
2 Days in the Valley (1996)
Synopsis: A hitman and his partner in an insurance fraud, a suicidal failed filmmaker, an art dealer, a corrupt vice squad, two jealous women – for 48 hours, the lives and crimes of these men intersect in Los Angeles.
Writer/director John Herzfeld’s 2 Days In The Valley is a startling cinematic force and a borderline anomaly that ranges from a hilarious black comedy to a gritty crime thriller, all while dramatizing the downfalls, betrayals, fears, and redemptions of his absurdly strange but endearing characters. It is vividly written, the plot is deep and the interpretations on all levels are excellent. I hate to make comparisons to Tarantino, but this movie really feels like what it could have been if it had more heart for empathy. In other words, it’s a Tarantino-esque mix of violent crime, in-depth character studies, and ridiculous failures, with a deeper-than-average but lighthearted look at the damaged roots that drive the characters’ decisions.
2 Days In The Valley offers plenty of emotion during an initially confusing journey that swings back and forth between black comedy and outright bravado. It’s full of sex, violence, laughter, fights and twists. Herzfeld also doesn’t fail to include poignant character development. You may be surprised to learn that a movie with a comically violent fight scene between two women can also almost make you cry.
In between poignant and comedic moments, Herzfeld highlights meaningful themes that appeal to everyone – from feeling stuck and useless, to not being enough, to being used or betrayed. During the two days spent in the valley, each character works on his or her trauma and tries to get out of it.
You will laugh at the quirky characters and fall into moments that will make you cry. You’re fascinated by violence and comfortable with smart writing and fun communication. Herzfeld’s underappreciated, darkly comic thriller isn’t the most compelling film of its kind, but it’s gripping, genuinely funny and poignant.
Blown (1994)
Synopsis: An Irish bomber gets out of prison and attacks his archenemy, a member of the Boston bomb squad.
An explosive thriller about two bickering bomb experts, with one trying to destroy the city of Boston while the other tries to protect it, starring Jeff Bridges and Tommy Lee Jones? It’s hard to argue with that. Blown Away is a standard 90s action thriller with a good cast and plenty of thrills. Add to that a great soundtrack consisting mostly of U2 songs and you have an exhilarating experience.
Suspense, lots of explosions and hilarious stunts more than make up for a somewhat light story. The characters are simple but convincing. Bridges plays Jimmy Dove, a somewhat lost and jaded explosives service commander, who might be labeled crazy or incompetent, and who must protect the town from a loose bomber he knows well from the past.
Tommy Lee Jones is Ryan Garrity, a devious IRA agent who knows how to make a bomb out of anything. Ernst is astute, but frighteningly sick in the head – a clever man who could do a lot of good, but instead devotes himself to terror and revenge. Jones is at the top of his game here, angry and depraved, but also strangely funny and quite amusing when he throws in a dry line.
The war between men and women is a subject to invest in from the start. Blown Away doesn’t bring much new to the action thriller genre, but it’s compelling, action-packed, and has that Boston Irish touch that makes it unique. It plays like a classic good cop movie, but with bombs, extra humor and Celtic flair.
Imitator (1995)
Synopsis: A reclusive psychologist and a team of detectives track down a serial killer who has been copying murders from the past.
A serial killer thriller with excellent performances by Sigourney Weaver, Holly Hunter and Harry Connick Jr. The Aspirant didn’t get the title it deserved because it was overshadowed by similar, disappointing films of the time like The Silence of the Lambs or Se7wen. While Copycat doesn’t rival either of these films, it’s an above-average stalker film, with its own heavy atmosphere and sharp (for the time) style that’s especially fantastic for preferring stylish, tense characters to the expected adrenaline-pumping sequence of events and cheesy thriller stunts.
For some, the impersonator barely rises above the long list of cat-and-mouse games from the 1990s. Between the many characters to keep an eye on and the twists and turns that keep the audience on the edge of their seats, the film does have some cheesy, weak points, but the performances are top notch and the atmosphere is what I would call dark, paranoid grandeur.
Harry Connick Jr. plays a very disturbing psychopath. Sigourney Weaver is a convincing, tormented psychologist who spends most of her time in her apartment and a character with whom you can sympathize. There’s a complex puzzle to solve in the Copycat. None of the characters are boring or particularly useless. Our leads are versatile and compelling. It’s not the unforgettable thriller of Silence of the Lambs, but for fans of serial killers, Copycat is a highly entertaining and disturbingly dark thriller that deserves a viewing or two.
The Good Son (1993)
Synopsis: After the tragedy, the boy goes to visit his aunt, uncle and cousin of the same age. His nephew exhibits a violent and psychopathic behavior that he must convince his aunt of.
If you’re 25 or older, the right son probably has a place in your brain. It may be a vague, strange memory, or you may vividly remember watching a creepy thriller on TV in your youth. Those who know Macaulay Culkin as the good-hearted prankster Kevin McCallister will have a hard time getting rid of him as the evil, murderous jerk Henry Evans in The Good Son.
How you see the good son depends largely on the stage of life when you first saw him. Turning on this disturbing thriller when you’re young and only know Mac from home can reach an almost traumatic level of dread. Ultimately, Culkin plays the troubled boy disturbingly well. Anyone who has seen Henry Evans and all his cousins in their naive youth cannot help but find this a strong and justifiably scary psychological thriller.
That would not be a far-fetched explanation. Elijah Wood and Mac are a great pair of child actors, playing two very different and appealing children here, one of whom evokes empathy and fear. The good son will make you cheer for Mark, the nephew of the crazy and dangerous Henry. While you hope for Mark’s safety, you’ll be disgusted by Culkin’s evil and manipulative antics as Henry. He is the usual deranged thriller character who revels in the misery of others, but presented as a seemingly innocent blonde boy. That’s the excitement.
The Good Son is a groundbreaking, non-fiction thriller. However, it is a great soft psychological thriller with disturbing shocks and an exceptional and unforgettable climax. The donkey of terror is carried by a child. In many contexts, this can become acidic. The Good Son has no moments of unintentional comedy. It’s a simple psychological chase with a creepy villain. A film with a young Macaulay Culkin as a bloodthirsty psychopath shouldn’t be good, but Good Son is. The fact that it didn’t degenerate into camp or ridiculous silliness speaks volumes about the quality of this film.
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