The Best Action Movies of 1992
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- 1Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, Russell MeansIn the stirring historical drama, The Last of the Mohicans, protagonist Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) navigates the perilous landscape of 1757 colonial America. Amidst the chaos of the French and Indian War, he embarks on a mission to rescue two daughters of a British colonel. The film intricately weaves an entrancing tale of love, honor, and survival against a backdrop of all-consuming war. Directed by Michael Mann, it received an Academy Award for Best Sound. Its poignant narrative and striking cinematography make it a cinematic masterpiece that immerses viewers in a tumultuous era long past.
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- 2Harrison Ford, Anne Archer, Patrick BerginIn Patriot Games, ex-CIA analyst Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford) trades his desk job for a perilous adventure. After thwarting an IRA terrorist attack in London, he becomes the target of a vengeful faction led by Sean Miller (Sean Bean). The movie spirals into a cat-and-mouse chase, with Ryan's family caught in the crossfire. Set against the backdrop of international espionage, this action-thriller weaves a web of intrigue and suspense, punctuated by gripping performances from its star-studded cast. This film is based on Tom Clancy's best-selling novel and directed by Phillip Noyce.More Patriot Games
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- 3Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle PfeifferIn the 1992 classic Batman Returns, Gotham City is once again under threat, this time from a trifecta of villains. Batman (Michael Keaton) must face off against the sinister Penguin (Danny DeVito), a grotesque man-bird hybrid who emerges from the city's sewers with a vengeful agenda. Simultaneously, he battles the enigmatic Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer), a former secretary turned feline vigilante after a near-death experience. This Tim Burton-directed sequel weaves a darker web than its predecessor, offering an intricate narrative that explores themes of identity and duality. Until today, it remains a noteworthy entry in the iconic superhero franchise.More Batman Returns
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- 4Steven Seagal, Tommy Lee Jones, Gary BuseyA heroic loner takes on a group of nuclear terrorists in this seagoing tale. Posing as a rock band, the terrorists get themselves hired for a party aboard the USS Missouri, a battleship en route to Pearl Harbor for decommissioning. They plan to steal the ship's nuclear arsenal but haven't reckoned on the intervention of the ship's chef, a decorated former Navy SEAL.More Under Siege
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- 5Omar Epps, Tupac Shakur, Jermaine "Huggy" HopkinsFour Harlem friends -- Bishop (Tupac Shakur), Q (Omar Epps), Steel (Jermaine Hopkins) and Raheem (Khalil Kain) -- dabble in petty crime, but they decide to go big by knocking off a convenience store. Bishop, the magnetic leader of the group, has the gun. But Q has different aspirations. He wants to be a DJ and happens to have a gig the night of the robbery. Unfortunately for him, Bishop isn't willing to take no for answer in a game where everything's for keeps.More Juice
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- Bruce Campbell, Embeth Davidtz, Marcus Gilbert3rd Evil Dead movie. Ash (Bruce Campbell) finds himself trapped in medieval times. He must quest for the Necronomicon, a book of evil which can return him to his time. Unfortunately, he releases the evil trapped inside the book and unleashes an army of the dead.More Army of Darkness
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- 7Wesley Snipes, Bruce Payne, Tom SizemoreJohn Cutter (Wesley Snipes) is a former policeman flying to Los Angeles to start his new job working for the anti-terrorism unit of a major airline. However, apprehended terrorist Charles Rane (Bruce Payne) is on the flight, too, being transported by the FBI. After Rane's accomplices kill the FBI agents and free him, Cutter realizes the entire flight is in danger. With the help of flight attendant Marti Slayton (Alex Datcher), Cutter tries to capture Rane and free the passengers.More Passenger 57
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- 8Russell Crowe, Daniel Pollock, Jacqueline McKenzieHando (Russell Crowe) and Davey (Daniel Pollock) are the leaders of a racist youth gang who spend their nights attacking Asian immigrants in a rough section of Melbourne. On the run after losing badly in a fight against the new Vietnamese owners of their local pub, the pair hook up with teenage junkie Gabe (Jacqueline McKenzie), who suggests robbing the mansion of her rich and sexually abusive father (Alex Scott). But the girl's presence begins to drive a wedge between the longtime friends.
- 9Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe PesciVeteran police detective Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) is only days away from retiring when he and his tough partner, Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson), are roped into an important internal affairs case. Working with the beautiful, no-nonsense Sergeant Lorna Cole (Rene Russo) and aided by the shifty informant Leo Getz (Joe Pesci), Murtaugh and Riggs begin to close in on a black-market weapons operation involving corrupt cop and arms dealer Jack Travis (Stuart Wilson).
- 10Kristy Swanson, Luke Perry, Donald SutherlandIn Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy Summers (Kristy Swanson) is your typical cheerleader-turned-vampire hunter. Guided by her mentor Merrick (Donald Sutherland), she fights against Lothos (Rutger Hauer), a powerful and ancient vampire. Alongside her, Pike (Luke Perry), a seemingly average guy, turns out to be an unexpected ally. This genre-bending film, directed by Fran Rubel Kuzui, combines horror, comedy, and action in unexpected ways. It's a tale of empowerment and survival in a world where high school and vampires coexist ominously. Despite its supernatural elements, it remains grounded with relatable characters and common dilemmas.
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- 11Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, Ally WalkerDuring the Vietnam War, soldier Luc Deveraux (Jean-Claude Van Damme) finds that his superior officer, Andrew Scott (Dolph Lundgren), has turned violently deranged, and the two fight to the death. After their bodies are retrieved, they are placed into a secret program in which they are reanimated and trained to become unquestioning killing machines. While Devereaux and Scott initially have no memory of their former lives, glimpses of their pasts start to return, rekindling their intense conflict.More Universal Soldier
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- #39 of 98 onThe Best Movies of 1992
- 12Chow Yun-Fat, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Philip KwokHard Boiled is a 1992 Hong Kong action film written and directed by John Woo, and starring Chow Yun-fat as Inspector "Tequila" Yuen, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai as Tony an undercover cop, and Anthony Wong as Johnny Wong, a leader of the triads.More Hard Boiled
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- 13Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung, Nina Li ChiDecades after the abduction of his newborn twin, world-famous American pianist John Ma (Jackie Chan) arrives in Hong Kong to perform and finds himself face-to-face with Boomer (Jackie Chan), the identical twin brother he has never known. When the reunited brothers switch places by mistake, John discovers that Boomer is a petty criminal with a knack for getting into trouble. Soon John gets in over his head with a group of gangsters looking for Boomer, and his brother vows to save him.
- 14Jet Li, Donnie Yen, David ChiangOnce Upon a Time in China II is a 1992 Hong Kong–Chinese martial arts film written and directed by Tsui Hark, and starring Jet Li as Chinese martial arts master and folk hero of Cantonese ethnicity, Wong Fei-hung. It is the second instalment in the Once Upon a Time in China film series. The iconic theme song, A Man Should Better Himself (男兒當自強), was performed in Cantonese by George Lam at the beginning of the film, and by Jackie Chan in the end credits. (Chan also sang the Mandarin version.)
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- 15Kurt Russell, Martin Short, Mary Kay PlaceWhen mild-mannered Martin Harvey (Martin Short) finds out that he has inherited a vintage yacht, he decides to take his family on a Caribbean vacation to retrieve the vessel. Upon arriving on a small island and realizing that the ship is in rough shape, Martin and his family end up with more than they bargained for as the roguish Captain Ron (Kurt Russell) signs on to sail the boat to Miami. It doesn't take long before Ron's anything-goes antics get the Harveys into plenty of trouble.More Captain Ron
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- 16Carlos Gallardo, Juan García, María CastilloEl Mariachi is a 1992 American action film and the first installment in the saga that came to be known as Robert Rodriguez's Mexico Trilogy. It marked the debut of Rodriguez as writer and director. The Spanish language film was shot with a mainly amateur cast in the northern Mexican bordertown of Ciudad Acuña, Mexico across from Del Rio, Texas the home town of leading actor Carlos Gallardo. The US$7,000 production was originally intended for the Mexican home video market, but executives at Columbia Pictures liked the film so much that they bought the American distribution rights. Columbia eventually spent several times more than the 16 mm film's original budget on 35 mm transfers, promotion, marketing and distribution. The success of Rodriguez's directorial debut led him to create two further entries, Desperado and Once Upon a Time in Mexico. For the two sequels, Antonio Banderas took over from Carlos Gallardo for the main character El Mariachi, though Gallardo co-produced both films. In 2011, El Mariachi was inducted into the Library of Congress to be preserved as part of its National Film Registry for being culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.More El Mariachi
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- 17Robert Redford, Dan Aykroyd, Ben KingsleyIn the world of cyber espionage, a group of talented misfits led by Martin Bishop (Robert Redford) navigate through complex technology and security systems in Sneakers. They're blackmailed into stealing a mysterious code-breaking device by an enigmatic character named Cosmo (Ben Kingsley). This tension-filled thriller, directed by Phil Alden Robinson, delves deep into the realm of cryptography. Alongside riveting performances from Sidney Poitier and River Phoenix, Sneakers weaves a tale of intrigue that merges humor with suspense, making it a standout in its genre.More Sneakers
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- 18Victor Wong, Michael Treanor, Max Elliott SladeYoung siblings Rocky (Michael Treanor), Colt (Max Elliott Slade) and Tum Tum Douglas (Chad Power) arrive for their summer stay with their Ninjutsu master grandpa (Victor Wong), who has passed down his vast knowledge of martial arts to the boys. But they're accosted by the criminal Snyder (Rand Kingsley), a rogue ex-student of Grandpa's who kidnaps the boys as part of a scheme to get to their FBI agent dad, Sam (Alan McRae). But Snyder doesn't know just how skilled his abductees are.More 3 Ninjas
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- 19Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeaoh, Maggie CheungTo infiltrate a drug cartel, police Inspector Chan Ka Kui (Jackie Chan) goes undercover in a Chinese prison. There, he earns the trust of Panther (Yuen Wah), a cartel member, by breaking him out of prison. With the help of another undercover agent (Michelle Yeaoh), they travel to Hong Kong and join up with Panther's gang. Ka Kui is accepted by the gang's leader (Ken Tsang), but his operation is jeopardized when Ka Kui's girlfriend (Maggie Cheung) accidentally reveals his true identity.
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- 20Sylvester Stallone, Estelle Getty, JoBeth WilliamsSmarting from a romantic breakup, macho police Sgt. Joe Bomowski (Sylvester Stallone) gets a cross-country visit from his mother, Tutti (Estelle Getty). Her misguided efforts to help only fray his nerves, but that doesn't stop her from nagging Joe to be more open about his feelings toward his ex-girlfriend and current boss, Lt. Gwen Harper (JoBeth Williams). When Tutti witnesses a brutal multiple murder, she takes her meddling to the extreme by tagging along to help her son solve the case.
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- 21Sigourney Weaver, Charles S. Dutton, Charles DanceIn Alien 3, Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), the sole survivor of an escape pod crash, finds herself in a maximum-security correctional facility on Fiorina Fury 161. She's surrounded by a motley crew of hardened criminals, played by skilled actors like Charles S. Dutton and Brian Glover. With no weapons to defend themselves from the alien creature that stowed away with Ripley, the inmates must rely on their wits and fortitude. Directed by David Fincher, this third installment in the Alien franchise is a suspenseful mix of science fiction and horror, its claustrophobic setting intensifying the terror. Despite mixed reviews at release, it has since gained appreciation for its atmospheric storytelling and strong performances.More Alien 3
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- 22Damon Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Stacey DashAfter petty criminal Johnny (Damon Wayans) falls for the lovely Amber (Stacey Dash), he decides to stop breaking the law and gets a gig at his crush's workplace in order to get closer to her, thus proving that he's a stand-up guy. Soon, he learns that going straight doesn't pay very well, so he decides to nab a company credit card and show off his newfound wealth to Amber. Unfortunately, a blackmailer catches Johnny and forces him to commit a crime that is far from small.More Mo' Money
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- 23Jōji Yanami, Toshio Furukawa, Masako NozawaDragon Ball Z: The Return of Cooler, known in Japan as Dragon Ball Z: Clash!! The Power of 10 Billion Warriors, is the sixth Dragon Ball Z movie, originally released in Japan on March 7, 1992 at the Toei Anime Fair along with the second Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibōken and the third Magical Tarurūto-kun movie. It was released on DVD in the United States on August 13, 2002. It also had a special theater presentation as part of a double-feature with Fusion Reborn on March 17, 2006. These movies are the first Dragon Ball-related movies to receive a theatrical release in the United States. This film, alongside Cooler's Revenge, was re-released to DVD and Blu-ray in a double feature on November 11, 2008. It was later re-released to DVD again on December 6, 2011 in a remastered 4-pack with the next three films in the series.
- 24Terry Farrell, Doug Bradley, Paula MarshallWatch for Free with Amazon Prime Free TrialAfter learning in "Hellraiser II" that he used to be British air force Capt. Elliot Spencer (Doug Bradley) -- before he was sucked into another dimension and turned into the pain-craving creature known as Pinhead -- Spencer's soul ends up in limbo. Meanwhile, Pinhead is sealed in a column, which is bought by J.P. Monroe (Kevin Bernhardt). In a dream, reporter Joey Summerskill (Terry Farrell) learns from Spencer she must reunite his two halves to send the murderous Pinhead back to his world.
- 25Jeff Fahey, Pierce Brosnan, Jenny WrightThe eccentric Dr. Lawrence Angelo (Pierce Brosnan) puts mentally disabled landscaper Jobe Smith (Jeff Fahey) on a regimen of experimental pills and computer-simulated training sequences in hopes of augmenting the man's intelligence. In time Jobe becomes noticeably brighter and also begins to fare much better with the opposite sex. But, as he develops psychic powers, he realizes that those around him have taken advantage of his simplicity his whole life, and he plots a bloody revenge.
- 26Ethan Hawke, Peter Berg, Kevin DillonIn the winter of 1944, American soldiers led by Will Knott (Ethan Hawke) are assigned to capture a small squad of German soldiers posted in France's Ardennes forest. Tired of war, the Americans have already lost half their division and discover that their German enemy is equally unwilling to fight. With Jewish soldier Stan Shutzer (Arye Gross) interpreting, the Germans and Americans agree on a plan that will let the former surrender without violence -- but then, tragedy strikes.
- 27Willem Dafoe, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Mickey RourkeSmall-town New Mexico sheriff Ray Dolezal (Willem Dafoe) stumbles upon a corpse clutching a suitcase containing half a million dollars. Assuming the dead man's identity in an effort to track down his killers, the sheriff gets drawn into a complex FBI sting operation masterminded by hot-headed agent Greg Meeker (Samuel L. Jackson), who is attempting to take down international gun runners Gorman Lennox (Mickey Rourke) and Lane Bodine (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio).
- 28
Deep Cover
Laurence Fishburne, Jeff Goldblum, Victoria DillardDavid Jason (Jeff Goldblum) is the biggest drug dealer in Los Angeles, and Russell Stevens (Larry Fishburne) is an undercover cop who wants to bring him down. Posing as a dealer, Stevens begins to earn the trust of the L.A. drug underworld, eventually making his way to Jason himself. But along the way he has to take his cover to depths he never thought he would have to see, including selling drugs and going to great lengths to eliminate potential competitors for Jason's drug cartel.More Deep Cover- #229 of 461 onThe Best Black Movies Ever Made, Ranked
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- #89 of 98 onThe Best Movies of 1992
- 29Rajinikanth, Khushboo, JayasudhaPandian is a 1992 action Tamil language movie directed by the Tamil director SP. Muthuraman. It stars Rajinikanth, Kushboo, Janagaraj and Jayasudha in the lead roles. It was released on October 25, 1992 as one among Deepavali release. Its music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja. The film was a remake of the Kannada film Bombay Dada starring Tiger Prabhakar, Vani Vishwanath, Vajramuni and Lakshmi. Prabhakar, the director and hero of the Kannada film, portrayed the negative role in the Tamil version. The film was dubbed in Hindi in 1998 as "Kanoon Ka Khiladi." The film received predominantly negative reviews and performed average at the box office. It got a huge competition from Kamalhaasan's "Devar Magan" and managed to run 100 days.
- 30Salman Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Vinod KhannaNishchaiy is an Indian Bollywood film directed by Esmayeel Shroff, released on 17 July 1992. The film stars Vinod Khanna, Salman Khan and Karisma Kapoor in pivotal roles.