Buzz
While many action films suffer from poor performances, weak writing, clumsy editing, and unconvincing effects, this list celebrates the ones that rise above these flaws. These movies might have their share of shortcomings, yet they somehow succeed. Their excessive cheesiness makes them irresistible, turning them into cinematic guilty pleasures. The '90s were a golden era for such films, which not only entertained but also reshaped the action genre.
Picture Nicolas Cage (featured three times here) flipping needlessly during a shootout with John Travolta in a church, as a flock of doves mysteriously flies by. Imagine Charlie Sheen romancing Kristy Swanson while being chased by Henry Rollins' cop character. Visualize Keanu Reeves struggling with a surfer dude accent and Patrick Swayze showcasing his baffling martial arts skills. These films are gloriously cheesy masterpieces.
10. Armageddon 1998
This film is brimming with an overabundance of cringe-worthy one-liners, making it the epitome of a so-bad-it's-good 'F' movie. The narrative revolves around Bruce Willis, a seasoned oil driller, and his team of clichéd misfits. This ragtag group becomes humanity's last hope against an asteroid described as 'twice the size of Texas'—why Texas is the default unit for asteroid size in movies is anyone's guess. Their mission involves using the moon's gravity to gain enough momentum to land on the asteroid, drill into its core, and split it apart with a nuclear explosion. Easy, right?
The Cheesiest Moment Award goes to the pre-space departure scene featuring A.J. (Ben Affleck) and Grace (Liv Tyler). In a moment dripping with clichés, they share a tender embrace, and Liv Tyler asks, 'Baby, do you think it’s possible that anyone else in the world is doing this very same thing at this very same moment?' A.J. replies, 'I hope so, otherwise what the hell are we trying to save?' A line so predictably sweet it’s almost charming.
9. Broken Arrow (1996)
The magic formula for a John Woo film? Explosions, acrobatic stunts, and John Travolta. Woo is a pioneer in crafting over-the-top, physics-defying explosions that dominate every setting—be it air, land, or sea. Whether it’s a helicopter, train, motorcycle, or boat, Woo’s explosions are larger than life. Thankfully, we don’t live in a Woo-Physics universe, or else everyday objects like bicycles, skateboards, pogo sticks, and even horses would be constantly blowing up.
Cheesiest Moment Award: Christian Slater, Delroy Lindo, and Frank Whaley realize they’ve been tricked by Vic Deakins (John Travolta), who is actually heading in the opposite direction of where they initially believed. After Slater begs Lindo to pursue the villains, Lindo retorts, 'Captain Hale, do you know what rules are?' Hale responds, 'Yes.' Lindo then declares, 'Good… Because I’m about to break them.' [Cue adrenaline-pumping action music.]
8. Battlefield Earth
This film teeters on the edge of being hilariously cheesy and downright awful. Even L. Ron Hubbard might have cringed at John Travolta’s painfully bad performance in this cinematic disaster. The movie shamelessly consumes 118 minutes of your life—time you’ll never reclaim—except for one unforgettable scene where Travolta delivers what might be the worst-written and worst-acted line in film history.
Cheesiest Moment Award: In a scene that’s become a hallmark of cinematic cheese, Travolta vents about his new role with the villains, saying, 'I can assure you, I was not groomed since birth to have some cushy job that even a moron like you could perform! While you were still learning to spell your name [emphatic]… I was being trained to conquer galaxies!'
7. Demolition Man (1993)
This 115-minute spectacle features John Spartan (Stallone) and Simon Phoenix (Snipes) sprinting, shouting, diving, and delivering iconic one-liners. The plot centers on Stallone’s character, who is cryogenically frozen for being excessively violent as a cop—apparently, doing your job too well gets you encased in ice for over three decades. Thawed out in 2032, he’s tasked with capturing his archenemy Simon Phoenix, who inexplicably sports a bleached blonde half-Afro. And let’s not forget the character names—John Spartan and Simon Phoenix—only in an action movie could such names feel right at home.
Cheesiest Moment Award: Simon Phoenix spends the entire film referring to himself in the third person, frequently uttering, 'Simon says…[insert absurd command].' At one point, he dramatically declares, 'Simon says… Die!' A moment so unintentionally funny it’s unforgettable.
6. Days of Thunder (1990)
Days of Thunder, the oldest film on this list, narrowly qualifies but is a worthy inclusion. What kind of list would it be without Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise) spending 110 minutes convincing us he’s the world’s greatest NASCAR driver, despite having only driven for a few months? The movie is a treasure trove of cheese, from Harry Hogge’s (Robert Duvall) heartfelt chat with a car, Tim Daland’s (Randy Quaid) awkward attempts at being a menacing villain, a chaotic beachside demolition derby, to the forced romance between Dr. Claire Lewicki (Nicole Kidman) and Cruise.
Cheesiest Moment Award: The budding romance between Cole and Claire kicks off with Cole grabbing Claire’s hand and placing it on his groin, declaring, 'I think this is what you are looking for.' Earlier in the film, Harry Hogge surprises Cole with a stripper dressed as a police officer, leading Cruise’s character to assume every woman might be a stripper.
5. Dragonheart (1996)
Dennis Quaid is hilariously unconvincing in everything he does, yet Dragonheart remains irresistibly entertaining despite his lackluster acting. The story unfolds years after Draco, a dragon voiced by Sean Connery, sacrifices half his heart to save a young prince. Bowen (Quaid), a dragon slayer, is determined to kill the dragon he believes corrupted the king’s heart. The film evolves into a classic 'buddy movie' as the two foes join forces against a shared enemy. Despite its cheesiness, the movie tugs at your heartstrings, thanks to Randy Edelman’s moving score.
Cheesiest Moment Award: While hunting dragons, Bowen corners Draco in his cave beneath a waterfall. With dramatic flair, Bowen prepares to strike, but Draco quips, 'Since you seek a profit, we might as well begin.' Bowen retorts in his gruffest, most theatrical voice, 'Oh, don’t flatter yourself, it’s not the profit, it’s the pleasure!' A moment so over-the-top it’s unforgettable.
4. Con Air (1997)
Who can resist the earnestness in Nicolas Cage’s voice when he delivers lines like 'Put the bunny back in the box' or 'Tie a ribbon ‘round the old oak tree, ‘cause this boy’s comin’ home' in his exaggerated Southern drawl? Where he found that accent is a mystery, but it’s oddly captivating. The film follows Cameron Poe (Cage), imprisoned for killing a man who tried to assault his fiancée. The judge sentences Poe, declaring, 'You are a deadly weapon and are not subject to the same laws as other people who are provoked.' What laws? Who created these 'special laws'? The scene leaves viewers scratching their heads in confusion.
Cheesiest Moment Award: One of the convicts aboard the 'flying prison' betrays Cyrus 'The Virus' (John Malkovich) by attempting to escape without him in a small Cessna plane. John Cusack sabotages the plane, causing it to crash and spill jet fuel everywhere. As the traitor stumbles out of the wreckage, drenched in fuel, he pleads, 'Cyrus, we were coming to get you! Cy—' Cyrus interrupts with a cold '—anara,' tossing a lit cigarette onto him, resulting in a fiery explosion.
3. Face/Off (1997)
In action cinema, there’s a delicate balance between cheesy and sophisticated. John Woo gleefully smothers that line with cheese, and Face/Off is the glorious outcome. This isn’t to say the film is a chaotic mess—Woo’s approach is surprisingly artistic. The editing is sharp, and the gunfights are choreographed to showcase over-the-top action in all its dazzling glory.
Cheesiest Moment Award: Sean Archer and Castor Troy engage in a relentless battle across land, sea, and air for the film’s entire 2-hour and 18-minute runtime. Their final showdown involves a high-speed boat chase, where they wrestle for control of the steering wheel while trying to kill each other with fists, anchors, propellers, and spear guns. They momentarily pause their fight to brace for impact as the boat hurtles toward a dock. What follows is either operatic brilliance or an avalanche of cheese—so overwhelming you might need to look away. The boat flips into the air in slow motion, with Archer and Troy soaring in front of it. The boat explodes mid-air, while they land safely on the beach, unscathed.
2. Point Break (1991)
Where to begin with this hilariously bad yet brilliant film? Keanu Reeves, as an actor, is a walking disaster, but his movies are endlessly entertaining. The story follows rookie FBI agent Johnny Utah (Reeves) and his clichéd, world-weary mentor Pappas (Gary Busey). Reeves goes undercover as a surfer to infiltrate a gang of bank-robbing surfers led by Bodhi (Patrick Swayze), a surfing icon who also happens to be an inexplicable karate and Zen guru.
Cheesiest Moment Award: Tie: During a chase after a bank robbery, Johnny Utah injures his bad knee, leaving him unable to run. As Bodhi escapes, Utah aims his gun at him. Bodhi turns, giving Utah a soulful 'puppy dog' stare, complete with a dramatic zoom on his piercing blue eyes. Mesmerized, Utah can’t shoot and instead fires his gun into the air, screaming 'Aaaahhhhhh!!' as he empties the entire clip. In another scene, Johnny Utah nearly has his face shoved into a running lawnmower by a thug (Warchild). Pappas saves the day by shooting the lawnmower (instead of the bad guy), causing it to shut off. He then points his gun at Warchild and quips, 'Speak into the microphone, squid brain.'
1. The Chase (1994)
This film is a gooey, over-the-top cheese fest. The plot centers on Jack, aka 'The Red-Nosed Robber' (Charlie Sheen), who escapes prison after being falsely accused of being a clown-masked bank robber. The story kicks off with Jack robbing a gas station using a candy bar as a fake gun and taking Natalie (Kristy Swanson) hostage.
Cheesiest Moment Award: In the film’s climax, Jack is surrounded by a swarm of police officers with no escape. After surrendering, Natalie (Kristy Swanson) commandeers a helicopter—yes, a helicopter—and the two fly off to Mexico, start a family, and live happily ever after. A delightfully absurd and cheesy ending.
