More High Octane Action Movies
“Put the bunny back in the box” is one of the most iconic lines in action cinema history, and it was delivered with aplomb by Nicolas Cage in Con Air way back in 1997. Cage was one of the biggest action stars of the ’90s, with the Simon West directed movie easily being the best of the lot.
Cage plays Cameron Poe, a newly paroled prisoner who is being transported on a plane that holds some of America’s nastiest criminals, played by an array of Hollywood talent including John Malkovich, Ving Rhames and Steve Buscemi. John Cusack plays the agent trying to help Poe guide the plane to safety and reunite him with his wife and daughter, with the bunny intact of course. Here’s a look at some high-octane action movies like Con Air to watch if you like this classic.
Broken Arrow (1996)
One year before the release of Con Air, we were treated to Broken Arrow, a throwback action movie about terrorists who steal nuclear warheads from the U.S. military. It starred John Travolta and Christian Slater and was one of the best action movies of the ’90s.
John Woo helmed the movie and showcased his array of action sequences in this classic crowd-pleaser. Travolta is on top form as the bad guy who wants to steal the nuclear warheads. The legendary Hans Zimmer score adds to the tension, and it’s a fun watch from start to finish.
Air Force One (1997)
“Get off my plane.” Every classic action movie needs an iconic line, and this one is one of the best of all time, delivered in style by Harrison Ford as the most badass U.S. president to ever feature in a Hollywood movie.
Air Force One came out the same year as Con Air and is every bit as good as that movie. It’s also similar in that the majority of the run time takes place on a plane. In this instance, Ford’s President Marshall’s headquarters in the sky is hijacked by Communist radicals led by a superb Gary Oldman. POTUS must fight to rescue the hostages on board and save the day!
Face/Off (1997)
Nicolas Cage was back in action in Face/Off alongside John Travolta who re-united with Broken Arrow director John Woo for this superb action flick. “I’d Like to take his face….OFF” is one of many classic lines in the movie that entertained audiences back in the ’90s.
There has been talk of a sequel to Face/Off for many years, with Nicolas Cage interested in returning in some capacity. Technically, he played two characters, so who knows which one he would play in the sequel. Cage is experiencing a career renaissance at the moment, so there is a high likelihood a Face/Off 2 will happen.
The Rock (1996)
Nicolas Cage completes his trilogy of ’90s action classics, with Michael Bay’s high-octane action hit, The Rock. Cage is paired with the iconic Hollywood superstar, Sean Connery, who plays an ex-con who must help Cage’s mild-mannered chemist prevent a nerve gas attack from Alcatraz against San Francisco.
This movie is a nice reminder that Michael Bay actually used to be a good director before he succumbed to ridiculous explosions and terrible Transformers movies. It’s a fun watch with a decent story behind it.
The Fugitive (1993)
Arguably Harrison Ford’s best movie is The Fugitive, as he plays Dr. Richard Kimble, who is wrongly accused of murdering his wife. He must find the real killer as he goes on the run and is tracked by a seasoned U.S. Marshal played by Tommy Lee Jones, who won the best supporting actor Oscar for this role.
The movie was so popular, it spawned a sequel of sorts when Jones reprised his role as Samuel Gerard in U.S. Marshals in 1997 alongside a new fugitive played by Wesley Snipes. There was also a television series released in 2020 starring Kiefer Sutherland and Boyd Holbrook.
Speed (1994)
“Pop quiz hot shot.” Who played the villain in Speed? It was Dennis Hopper of course. The legendary actor played Howard Payne who plants a bomb on a bus in Speed. It’s down to Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock to keep the bus going above 50mph or it’ll explode. You don’t get more high concept than that.
It’s one of the best action movies of the ’90s, and it spawned a very disappointing sequel in 1997 called Speed 2: Cruise Control, but Keanu Reeves was smart enough to give it a swerve, paving the way for Jason Patrick to play Sandra Bullock’s new boyfriend who must stop the boat from colliding with an oil tanker. Unfortunately, the movie missed the point of these films. It’s called Speed and boats don’t really go that fast.
Die Hard (1989)
“Yippee Kay Yay.” Die Hard is the greatest action movie of all time, and without it, none of the movies on this list would exist. Bruce Willis plays John McClane, a hardened New York cop who travels to Los Angeles to see his estranged wife over the Christmas holidays. (Yes, it is a Christmas movie.)
Turns out, a terrorist called Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) has taken control of the Nakatomi building where a Christmas Eve party is taking place, and it’s up to McClane to save the day.
Enemy of the State (1998)
One of the most underrated movies of the ’90s sees Will Smith star alongside Gene Hackman in a plot that sees a lawyer targeted by a corrupt politician when he accidentally receives key evidence to a politically motivated crime.
Tony Scott directed the movie and brought his unique visual style to the table, cementing his place as one of the best action directors of all time.
Gone In Sixty Seconds (2000)
Nicolas Cage didn’t stop making action movies when the ’90s ended and continued his great run of form with the frantic action movie Gone in Sixty Seconds in 2000. An up-and-coming actress called Angelina Jolie joined him in a story centred around a retired master car thief who must steal fifty cars with his crew in one night to save his brother’s life.
This movie arrived one year before The Fast and the Furious and was a hit at the box office, proving that action movies and cars are a match made in heaven. Great movie!
Mission: Impossible (1996)
Tom Cruise has starred in seven Mission Impossible movies since 1996, with another one on the way in 2025. It’s one of the best action franchises of all time, and with each sequel, they just get bigger, better and bolder, with Cruise taking part in some rather outlandish stunts.
The first film is a really tense thriller that sets up the saga and features an all-star cast including Jon Voight, Ving Rhames and Henry Czerny (who returned in Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning after 26 years away from the series).
There we have it, our list of 10 movies like Con Air. Did any of your favourites make the list? Let us know in the comments below.