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Sure, we've all seen "The Pelican Brief," but the '90s had a whole collection of political intrigue and suspense that flew under the radar.
10. "Clear and Present Danger" (1994) Who can resist Harrison Ford doing his rugged thing? Ford returns as Jack Ryan, a CIA analyst who finds himself way in over his head. First, his mentor, Admiral Greer, kicks the bucket. Then he finds himself tangled up in a covert war against a Colombian drug cartel. But wait, there's a twist! U.S. officials are involved in drug money laundering.
It's Ryan against the world, as he attempts to bring the corruption to light, dodging bullets and betrayal. And yeah, this one pulled in over $215 million globally, but people forget how tightly wound this plot is.
9. "Enemy of the State" (1998) Before Big Brother was a reality show, it was your government watching you through every electronic device possible — well, in this movie at least. Will Smith plays Robert Clayton Dean, a lawyer who accidentally gets his hands on a tape that shows a congressman's murder. Cue the intense manhunt by rogue National Security Agency operatives.
It's a tech-savvy cat and mouse chase that'll make you want to put tape over your webcam. Even Gene Hackman shows up as a former NSA agent to help Dean disappear from the grid.
8. "The Ghost and the Darkness" (1996) Alright, I know what you're thinking — how is a movie about man-eating lions in Africa a political thriller?
Let's break it down: Val Kilmer plays Colonel John Patterson, who's sent to build a bridge in Uganda. Only problem? Two lions start eating the workers. But here's the kicker: the lions are trophies in a game of political maneuvering between British imperialists and local tribes.
It's 'Man vs Wild' meets 'Game of Thrones,' and yeah, it's as awesome as it sounds.
7. "The Negotiator" (1998) How about Samuel L. Jackson holding a room full of people hostage? Yes, please. Jackson plays Danny Roman, a top-notch police negotiator wrongly accused of corruption and murder. What does he do? Takes hostages to buy time and prove his innocence. Enter another negotiator, played by Kevin Spacey, who tries to reason with him.
The tension is like a rubber band stretched to its limit. Who's pulling the strings? That'd be a corrupt faction within the police force, my friends.
6. "Ronin" (1998) Robert De Niro, car chases in Europe, and a mysterious suitcase. Do you need more? De Niro plays Sam, a mercenary hired to steal a case. His team betrays him, and it turns out they're all pawns in an Irish political struggle. What's in the case? We never find out, but it's the ride that counts, right?
High-speed chases through narrow streets, double-crosses, and political subterfuge — what more could you ask for?
5. "Sneakers" (1992) A team of security experts led by Robert Redford. Their job? To break into places to test security systems. All is fun and games until they're blackmailed by the government to retrieve a code-breaking device.
Spoiler: the device can access any computer system, even those controlling nukes! To make matters worse, their former colleague, who faked his death years ago, is the villain.
4. "Arlington Road" (1999) Ever suspect your neighbor might be up to no good? This one's for you. Jeff Bridges plays Michael, a widowed professor suspicious of his overly friendly neighbors, the Langs. It starts with a kid's fireworks accident and spirals into a labyrinth of paranoia.
The gut-punch? The Langs are domestic terrorists planning to blow up the FBI headquarters. Michael tries to stop them but ends up framed as the perpetrator.
3. "Absolute Power" (1997) What happens when you witness the President of the United States involved in murder? That's what Eastwood's character, a professional thief, grapples with after a robbery goes sideways.
You've got political cover-ups, secret service agents, and a lethal game of hide and seek. Despite mixed reviews, it's Eastwood doing what he does best: serving justice with a side of gruff charm.
2. "The Siege" (1998) Here's a film that was unfortunately ahead of its time. Denzel Washington is the FBI agent tackling a series of terrorist attacks in New York. Bruce Willis plays the general who enforces martial law.
The film dives deep into the ethical quagmire of civil rights during wartime conditions. Tensions rise, the military takes over, and Washington has to navigate a moral minefield. For a movie from the '90s, its themes hit eerily close to home even today.
1. "City Hall" (1996) Al Pacino as New York City's mayor, caught in a tangle of corruption after a shootout leaves a cop and a mobster's kid dead. John Cusack plays the Deputy Mayor unraveling the sticky web of politics, crime, and racial tensions. The finale? A grand jury hearing where Pacino has to answer for the administrative sins.
It's a slick and grimy look at the underbelly of politics, and honestly, who better than Pacino to bring that to life?
