1. Hard Boiled (1992)
Not just the greatest action film of the 90s, Hard Boiled is the greatest action movie ever made. If anybody hasn't seen it, go and watch it immediately and then come back and finish reading. I don't want to spoil it for you. Cast as the most bad-ass clarinet enthusiast in the world, Chow Yun-fat's Inspector 'Tequila' Yuen must team up with Tony Leung's undercover cop (named....Tony) to eliminate the local gangsters that killed his partner. While the plot may seem derivative, the action most certainly is not. The opening scene sets the tone for the rest of the movie as a simple arrest attempt in a local tea house escalates into a frenetic gunfight with a high body count and no shortage of highly-stylized action, including the awesomely inventive use of a bannister. From there, the action somehow manages to become even more spectacular. Tequila's single-handed assault on a warehouse full of interchangeable henchmen is expertly choreographed and enhanced by John Woo's ability to shoot action, all sweeping camera moves and use of slow motion to highlight the impeccable stunt-work. Not to mention plenty of diving through the air while firing two guns. However, the real highlight of the movie is the extended climax set in a hospital taken over by the mob, which is arguably the greatest action scene of all time. Nobody seems to use a door; rooms are entered either by crashing through walls or diving through windows. Featuring an incredible three minute take that sees Tequila and Tony shoot their way through two floors of henchman, made even more impressive considering the production crew had only twenty seconds to reset the scene as the characters wait in the elevator. John Woo's last Hong Kong-based movie before he decamped to Hollywood (with decidedly mixed results) is a truly a fitting send-off. Featuring all of the director's visual trademarks, spectacular shootouts and a ridiculously high body count all for a budget of $4.5m, Hard Boiled is a masterpiece of action cinema. And quite frankly, any movie that sees the lead character rappel from the windows of an exploding hospital while carrying a newborn baby is awesome in my book.