Thrillers took major precedent in cinema throughout the 1990s. Movies like Cape Fear, The Silence of the Lambs, Se7en, and Basic Instinct soared both critically and commercially. This wave carried over into the 2000s when the genre split off into many sub-genres.
However, the 1990s saw a much more simple approach to thrillers. Action thrillers reined supreme, and psychological thrillers were creeping their way in slowly but surely. Underneath this, lies a selection of movies that managed to slip under the radar, feasibly too ahead of the curve for their own good. So, here’s our pick of 5 hidden gem thrillers from the 1990s.
5. Trespass (1992)
There is perhaps a level of snobbery behind the reason Trespass was severely overlooked upon its release in 1992. At this time, rap music was facing harsh scrutiny in the media for its potentially harmful impact on young people due to its often violent and misogynistic lyrical content. Yet, at the same time, many rappers were venturing into acting. Trespass featured both Ice Cube and Ice-T in starring roles, two rappers who were at the centre of the talks around “gangsta rap”.
Walter Hill‘s action thriller follows firemen Vince (Bill Paxton) and Don (William Sadler), who get their hands on a map that leads to a wealth of stolen gold in an abandoned factory in East St. Louis. However, what they don’t realise is that the building is the turf of a ruthless gang led by King James (Ice-T). When Vince witnesses a gangland slaying, Don and himself become engulfed in a cat and mouse chase. However, they refuse to leave without their gold. Despite failing to earn back its budget of $14 million, Trespass has since been regarded as one of the most slick and fun action thrillers of the 90s. As the likes of Ice Cube and Ice-T became more prominent in cinema, and the “gangsta rap” conversation simmered down, many moviegoers eventually came to appreciate this swiftly executed, contained action thriller.
4. Mortal Thoughts (1991)
Mortal Thoughts is a compelling and thought-provoking psychological thriller that explored the nuances of friendship, betrayal, and the hazy boundaries between right and wrong. In the movie, Demi Moore plays Cynthia, a woman who finds herself entangled in a murder inquiry when her friend and confidante is discovered dead. Alan Rudolph‘s thriller was quite possibly too complex for its audience at the time, weaving its narrative in a non-linear format a year before the iconic Quentin Tarantino popularized this stylistic method with Reservoir Dogs.
Over time, Mortal Thoughts has had a resurgence in popularity despite earning a very meagre $18,784,957 at the box office. Demi Moore’s meteoric rise to fame in the 1990s, when she starred in blockbuster films like Ghost, A Few Good Men, and G.I. Jane is partly responsible for this resurgence of interest. Because of this, Mortal Thoughts has become well-known for both its gripping story, daring cinematic delivery, and its addition to Moore’s prestigious filmography.
3. The Hand That Rocked the Cradle (1992)
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, a 1992 release that skilfully combines psychological suspense with themes of motherhood and duplicity, is one of the most under-appreciated thrillers of the 1990s. The film charts the eerie story of Peyton Flanders (Rebecca De Mornay), a young woman who meets Claire and Matt after suffering a personal catastrophe. Assuming the role of their family nanny, Peyton seems idealistic right from the start. However, behind her deceptively harmless front lies a nefarious goal as she earns the family’s trust and launches a chain of unnerving events which start to unveil cracks in their once idyllic existence.
The Hand That Rocked the Cradle was produced a modest budget of $11.9 million and enjoyed an astounding box office gross of approximately $140 million. However, it was eclipsed by other well-known female-led thrillers of the era, such The Silence of the Lambs. But given the ongoing popularity of talks about mental health, domesticity, and female empowerment among modern audiences, its examination of female rivalry, identity, and the challenges of parenting is remarkably pertinent today, making it one of the most underrated thrillers of the last few decades.
2. Judgement Night (1993)
Directed by Stephen Hopkins, Judgement Night is an overlooked thriller from 1993 starring Emilio Estevez, Cuba Gooding Jr., Stephen Dorff, Jeremy Piven, and Denis Leary. The movie focuses on four friends from the suburbs who venture into the city of Chicago to watch a boxing match. However, their fun-filled outing quickly takes a sinister turn when they take a wrong turn and end up in a desolate part of town. From here, their night turns nightmarish when they witness a brutal murder at the hands of some local gangsters. With Fallon (Leary), the psychotic leader of the criminals, determined to leave no loose ends, the group of friends are chased across the run-down streets in a relentless game of cat and mouse.
At the time of it release, Judgement Night seemed poised for box office triumph, with Kevin Jarre penning the script. At the time, Jarre was one of the hottest writers working in Hollywood, coming off the back of succesful movies like Rambo: First Blood Part II, Glory, and Tombstone. However, he was soon replaced and the movie got a complete rewrite, aiming to be a hip urban thriller with youth appeal. This is reflected in the film’s casting: comedian Denis Leary was fresh off the success of his MTV series, and Erik Schrody was a member of one of the biggest rap groups of the era – House of Pain.
Despite this play to attract a larger audience, Judgement Night only grossed $12,526,677 at the box office against a $21 million budget. Yet, in the years following its release, the film has emerged as one of the best underground thrillers of the 90s. This was aided by it young cast who all went on to be global stars, therefore, making moviegoers trace back through their portfolios and discover this tense thriller.
1. Breakdown (1997)
Breakdown is a 1997 released action thriller directed by Jonathan Mostow. This taut and fast-paced hidden gem follows Jeff and Amy Taylor (Kurt Russell and Kathleen Quinlan), a couple relocating to California who are thrust into a deep and dark conspiracy when their car breaks down. When Amy catches a ride with a truck driver to go and get help, she never returns and the truck driver denies the event ever happening. As he searches for answers, Jeff discovers that no one in this dusty outback town is willing to help and they may in fact all be in on a larger operation. From here, he sets out on his own mission to track her down.
Breakdown was a medium-budget thrill ride that put director Jonathan Mostow on the map, eventually going on to direct U-571, and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. However, at the time of Breakdown‘s release, he didn’t yet have quite have enough pull and Russell was attempting to bounce back from the critical and commercial failure of Escape from L.A. The movie opened to mostly positive reviews but a rather lukewarm box office reception. However, Breakdown got a second wind when it hit VHS and came to be appreciated for the tense and mind-bending thriller that it is, pushing viewers to think a little harder than they typically do with an action movie.
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