The 1990s were about looking forward. It was a time where we got some brilliant science fiction that pushed the boundaries of the genre like 12 Monkeys, The City of Lost Children, Cube, Demolition Man, Dark City, and many, many more. However, with that sci-fi boom during the decade, we also got some not-so-great movies.
But not everything that's "bad" is something you should avoid. There are tons of bad movies out there that are a blast to check out. Whether you missed them during their first run (and their subsequent endless replays on basic cable) or just never knew they existed, GameSpot found seven movies from that time period that may not have been "great," but they sure are great to watch.
From the first adaptation of the 2000 AD character Judge Dredd to America's adaptation of a beloved kaiju, you'll want to take the time to check all these movies out. Additionally, we know where to watch them too. Check them all out below. And while you're at it, take a look at the best action movies of the '90s and really delve into a fantastic decade for entertaining films.
Judge Dredd (1995)
Karl Urban's Dredd was one of the best indie comic book movies. However, 17 years prior, Judge Dredd already made his big screen debut in the states. Sylvester Stallone starred as the titular judge, which was directed by Danny Cannon (Gotham). Dredd is charged with a murder he did not commit, and of course, he has to clear his name. It's insanely paint-by-numbers for an action movie, but what makes it so much fun is how the film incorporates elements from the 2000 AD comic--and many of the movie's aesthetics match the comic better than Urban's film. And like every '90s movie, the main character has a "comedic" partner--Judge Dredd features Rob Schneider as Fergie, the wacky sidekick we first meet inside a robot apparently made of spaghetti. There's just way too much humor in this movie, but it's worth checking out again.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Fubo TV, AMC+, Roku Channel, Tubi
Godzilla (1998)
Remember when Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, Stargate) made a Godzilla movie and everyone involved in it completely missed the point of the character? It happened, and it's a weird movie in the best way possible. In the movie, an iguana transforms into a giant monster after getting exposed to radiation, and then it heads to New York City to smash things and/or people. But who will stop this beast? Well, a reporter, cameraman, and an insurance agent will. It's the perfect team. The movie isn't good by any means, but it is a lot of fun, even if it clearly has no handle on the character. Plus, because of this movie, we got a 7-minute long Puff Daddy music video.
Where to watch: Netflix
Escape From L.A. (1996)
The 1996 followup to Escape from New York was… well… roughly the same movie as the first but on a different coast. This time, the President's daughter is "stuck" on a prison island--which used to be Los Angeles. Snake Plissken is forced to go there and get her--the detonation device for world-ending technology--back. If you like seeing people surfing the LA River, Bruce Campbell playing a plastic surgeon, and just Steve Buscemi in general, this is a blast to watch. It's especially a good watch if you never saw Escape from New York because then everything feels so fresh and new.
Where to watch: Starz
Suburban Commando (1991)
During the late-80s and early-90s, there was a push to make wrestler Hulk Hogan into a star. This kicked off with 1989's No Holds Barred, which was aimed more at adults than kids. Hogan's second starring role was the family-friendly Suburban Commando. Hogan played a Flash Gordon-type hero named Shep Ramsey who travels through space, being a good guy. However, his ship breaks and he gets stuck on Earth, while bounty hunters--one played by The Undertaker--search for him. The movie contains a lot of cliche moments we all love. It's a lot of silly "fish out of water" moments where Shep's character is confused by someone on Earth and people on Earth say something like, "Hey, it's the '90s." Plus, it's Hogan trying his best not to say "brother" over and over.
Where to watch: Rent/Buy through various streaming services
Small Soldiers (1998)
Director Joe Dante is a legend. He's made some amazing movies throughout his career like The Howling, The 'Burbs, Gremlins, Explorer, Innerspace, and more. However, one of his films is a bit bizarre, and that's Small Soldiers. It has a cool concept: a toy company makes toys that can move and think on their own, and humans have to stop them. It has a great cast: Kirsten Dunst, Denis Leary, and Phil Harman and features the voice work of Tommy Lee Jones, Frank Langella, Bruce Dern, and Michael McKean. But even with all of these great things, Small Soldiers is tonally off and all over the place. It's technically not a "very bad" movie, but it is very, very cheesy at times. Honestly, it would have been a lot better--or weirder--as a rated R movie.
Where to watch: Pluto TV
Multiplicity (1996)
Has this ever happened to you? You have a lot of chores around the house. You have to clean, make dinner, build that addition, mow the lawn, tend to the garden, and work on the car? There's got to be a better way! Well, that's kinda the plot to Harold Ramis's Multiplicity. Michael Keaton is a construction worker who gets cloned a bunch so he can get things done. But he has to hide all of this from his wife and coworkers, so things get very wacky. Oh, at one point, he makes a clone that's dumb, so all the clones have to babysit the dumb clone. It's not a great movie, but it is a satisfying and fun watch.
Where to watch: Starz
Virtuosity (1995)
Remember during the '80s and '90s when filmmakers thought we'd all be living in some sort of VR simulation? Well, it's 2020, and they were all wrong--or were they? In 1995, Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe starred in Virtuosity, a CG-filled story about an ex-cop who has to take down a computer program come to life--and that program is made up of the personalities of serial killers. The CG holds up just as well as milk under a heat lamp over the course of a week, but it is one ridiculously entertaining action movie. It's always a blast to jump back 30 years to see what filmmakers thought the future would be like.
Where to watch: Paramount+
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