Image credit: TriStar Pictures, Walt Disney Studios, Paramount Pictures, New Line Cinema, Cinetel Films, Orion Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox
The 90s gave us a delightful range of airborne action films, a lot of which were so over the top, they circled back to being entertaining. Nicolas Cage, Mel Gibson, Robert Downey Jr. – it's all there.
1. "Iron Eagle II" (1988) Alright, we're bending the rules a tad by sneaking in a late 80s flick, but it's a great starter anyway. Doug Masters, our hero from the first "Iron Eagle" movie, gets shot down and killed. The plot twist? The U.S. and Russia are teaming up to destroy a nuclear weapons site in an unnamed Middle Eastern country. Wild, right?
It's a mishmash of patriotism, dramatic aerial fights, and some seriously outdated cold war vibes. The dialogue? Cheesy. The action? Over the top. The entertainment value? Priceless.
2. "Fire Birds" (1990) Nicolas Cage, helicopters, and drug cartels. If that doesn't scream 90s action, I don't know what does. Cage plays Jake Preston, an Army pilot who needs to learn a new combat technique to tackle evil cartel helicopters (as you do).
There's rivalry, romance, and oh boy, those flight scenes are both dizzying and dazzling. And with Cage's signature wild-card acting, it's like adding hot sauce to nachos: intense, but you can't look away.
3. "Flight of the Intruder" (1991) Set during the Vietnam War, this film showcases a couple of Navy pilots – Jake "Cool Hand" Grafton and Virgil Cole – frustrated by the wartime rules of engagement. So, what do they do? Go on an unauthorized mission to attack Hanoi. Yes, you read that right.
There's a moral struggle, lots of air combat, and as much drama in the air as there is on the ground. It's part revenge story, part buddy flick, and part courtroom drama. Sounds like a weird combo? It is. But it's also oddly entertaining.
4. "Aces: Iron Eagle III" (1992) Remember our sneaky inclusion of "Iron Eagle II"? Well, its sequel lands squarely in the 90s. This time, retired Air Force pilot Chappy Sinclair (the mentor from the first film) is back, and he's up against, get this, a Peruvian drug cartel armed with WWII fighter planes.
It's a wild ride with a bizarre assortment of characters – from German and British WWII fighter aces to Chappy's ragtag team. It's like someone threw darts on a plot board and went with whatever they hit. The result? An oddly captivating hot mess.
5. "Terminal Velocity" (1994) Charlie Sheen swaps tiger blood for adrenaline as a skydiving instructor, Richard "Ditch" Brodie.
After a student (played by Nastassja Kinski) "dies" during a jump, he gets embroiled in a plot involving Russian spies, stolen gold, and yes, more skydiving. You'll see Charlie skydive from a car, into a car, and out of explosions. It's bonkers in the best way.
And if you've ever wondered, "Can skydiving be made to feel like a Top Gun aerial dogfight?" – this movie's your answer.
6. "Drop Zone" (1994) 1994 was clearly the year of airborne antics! Wesley Snipes is U.S. Marshal Pete Nessip. Bad guys hijack a plane, and his brother gets killed during the chaos. But here's the twist: The criminals are skydivers! Nessip's solution? Learn skydiving to take them down.
The film's a mid-air extravaganza with Snipes delivering his signature kicks and punches even while plummeting from the sky. Is it realistic? Nope. Is it fun? Absolutely.
7. "Stealth Fighter" (1999) Ice T, fighter jets, and betrayal – the trifecta of 90s action goodness. Ice T plays Owen Turner, a pilot who fakes his death, steals a stealth fighter, and goes rogue. Fast forward a decade, his old buddy (played by Costas Mandylor) is on his tail, trying to stop him from using the jet for nefarious means.
There's a lot of talk about "double-crossing," "redemption," and "second chances." While the plot might sound convoluted, there's enough high-flying action to keep you glued.
8. "Air America" (1990) Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr. piloting planes for a shady CIA-operated airline during the Vietnam War? Yes, please! These pilots aren't just ferrying supplies, but also, unbeknownst to them, trafficking opium.
What's interesting is the dynamic between the two leads; it's half buddy-cop vibe and half moral dilemma. The backdrop of the golden triangle, amidst the chaos of war, makes for some visually striking aerial sequences.
9. "Hot Shots!" (1991) It's "Top Gun," but make it a spoof! Charlie Sheen is at it again, this time as Topper Harley, a talented but troubled fighter pilot. With a love story mirroring Maverick and Charlie's, ludicrous airplane stunts, and parodies galore, this movie doesn't take itself seriously at all. There's even a scene with Sheen frying an egg on a plane's surface mid-flight. Practical? No. Hilarious? You bet.
10. "Behind Enemy Lines" (1997) No, not the Owen Wilson one from 2001. This is the one where an ex-Marine turned teacher (played by Thomas Ian Griffith) learns that one of his students, a prince, is captured by enemies while visiting his homeland. Naturally, he goes on a one-man mission to rescue him. What follows? Sky-high gunfights, gritty aerial chases, and a lot of "I'm too old for this" vibes.
It's an under-the-radar film with all the hallmarks of a great bad movie.
