1. Ronin: 1998
1994 BMW M5, Mercedes 6.9, Audi S8
These are probably the best car chases to come out of Hollywood in the last 20 years. They’re fast and raw with some killer camera work. Plus the cars they use are stellar choices. I mean really, an Audi S8, BMW M5 and Mercedes Benz 6.9, these are the big guns of the worlds Super-Sedans.
2. Short Time: 1990
1980 Dodge Diplomat
Short Time came out in 1990 and stars Dabney Coleman as a cop who just found out that due to a medical condition he’s going to die in a short time… get it… Short Time. Anyway, in order for his family to collect his pension he needs to die in the line of duty. The movie is not that well known, but the chase scene is actually a lot of fun to watch, so sit back, relax and enjoy the next 8:11.
3. Tomorrow Never Dies: 1997
1997 BMW 750i
Take one BMW 750i, add a bit of James Bond and a really cool remote control doohickey and you’ve got a great bit of automotive carnage.
4. The Fifth Element: 1998
Futuristic Taxi Cab
The Fifth Element is an action-comedy, techno thriller directed by Luc Besson. I have to say that the man has one vivid imagination. The car chase scene takes place between a futuristic Taxi driven by Bruce Willis and a few futuristic police cars. Just envision a Chevy Caprice and Ford Crown Victoria 230 years in the future and you’ll get the idea.
5. The Rock: 1996
Hummer, Ferrari 355
Nicolas Cage and Sean Connery star in this return to Alcatraz flick, that pits an H1 Hummer against a Ferrari 355 Spyder as they rip through the streets of San Francisco. One thing that always amazes me about 90’s car chases, is that the cars sustain absolutely no damage. How is this possible? It’s kinda’ like the General Lee from the Dukes of Hazzard. That big tomato jumped over everything in Hazzard County and never got one dent… it’s simply mystifying.
6. Striking Distance: 1993
1980’s Chevy Caprice / 1980’s Ford Crown Victoria
Once again we’ve got Bruce Willis as a cop trying to catch the bad guys. This time however, he’s got his old man in the car who’s also a cop and shows amazing composure throughout the entire chase seen. He must really be confident in his Son’s driving ability to be so damned relaxed. I’d be screaming like a four year old boy if I was in that thing.
7. Terminator 2: Judgement Day: 1991
Grumman Box Van / Helicopter
Here we have James Cameron shooting another one of his multi-ba-billion dollar blockbusters. We’ve got Arnold on a Harley Road King, little Eddie Furlong on a Kawasaki dirt bike and Robert Patrick rolling heavy in a Peterbilt. Combine all these elements together and you’ve got the makings of a great car chase.
8. Lethal Weapon 3: 1992
1987 Ford F-250 / 1984 Kawasaki Police 1000
This was Mel Gibson when he was still famous – you know before he decided to hate the Jews. Back then he was also a fan of chasing cars on foot, although I’m not exactly sure why. In this scene, aside from utilizing his Puma’s, he also uses a subway car and motorcycle. Hey, at least he’s branching out.
9. Die Hard With a Vengeance: 1995
Mercedes 560 SEL / Dodge Ram 1500
Wow! Bruce Willis was just everywhere in the 90’s wasn’t he? He’s been in 3 chases so far. In Die Hard With a Vengeance he’s actually running from the baddies in a stolen (well, he stole it) Mercedes Benz, while being chased by a big ole’ Dodge pick-up truck through Central Park. The conclusion is somewhat predictable, but that doesn’t stop it from being a great car chase.
10. Freejack: 1992
Chevy S-10 Pick-up / Armored personal carrier
This chase made the list simply because I think Mick Jagger is hilarious when he acts. Emilio Estevez plays a race car driver who was brought into the future so that his body could be used as a surrogate for someone else. Problem is, he’s not quite done with it, so he’s on the run with Microphone Mick hot on his trail.