14 '90s Movies That Don't Really Hold Up

Look, we've all got a lot of nostalgia for '90s movies, but there's no denying that some of them don't stand the test of time. That might be because of dated special effects, storytelling choices that are no longer so politically correct -- or just the fact that they were never actually that good in the first palce. In honor of "Rush Hour's" 20th anniversary, here are a few '90s movies that don't stand the test of time.

'Dances With Wolves' (1990)

We all look at Kevin Costner's career in a much different light in the aftermath of duds like "Waterworld" and "The Postman." That's one knock against this historical epic, but a bigger one is that its premise seems dated and even somewhat offensive in hindsight.

'Scent of a Woman' (1992)

"Scent of a Woman" will always be remembered as the movie that finally earned Al Pacino his overdue Best Actor Oscar. Were it not for that, we imagine this movie would have been completely forgotten by time. Pacino's performance certainly... stands out, but it's hardly the stuff of cinematic legend like his work in "The Godfather" or "Serpico." And the movie doesn't actually have much else going for it.

'The Three Musketeers' (1993)

This film was hardly the first nor the last attempt at adapting Alexandre Dumas' iconic novel to film. But it's definitely among the most bland. It overly simplifies a timeless story, and we're still trying to figure out why anyone thought it was a good idea to cast Charlie Sheen as a Musketeer. If you want a swashbuckling '90s action movie that actually (mostly) holds up, try "The Mask of Zorro" instead.

'The Mask' (1994)

"The Mask" capped off a wildly successful year for Jim Carrey in 1994. But unlike fellow Carrey-driven comedies "Dumb and Dumber" and "Ace Ventura," it doesn't entirely hold up over time. The once revolutionary special effects no longer hold the same appeal.

'Hackers' (1995)

Back in the mid-'90s, studio heads were obsessed with making movies about that newfangled Internet thing the kids were always going on about. The results usually turned out something like "Hackers," a movie about anarchic computer geeks made by people who had clearly never touched a computer in their lives. This movie holds up better as an unintentional comedy than it does a crime thriller.

'Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie' (1995)

This big-screen spinoff of the TV series hit at just the right time, with Power Rangers mania in full swing. Said mania was enough to blind most kids to the fact that it was a pretty lousy movie. Even the "upgraded" production values work against the movie nowadays. Those ugly pleather costumes make this spinoff look like it was adapted by a teenage Zack Snyder.

'Dragonheart' (1996)

If there's one thing we miss about the '90s, it's that Sean Connery still made movies back then. That being said, Connery's robust voice isn't enough to help "Dragonheart" stand the test of time. This is a fantasy movie that banks heavily on the quality of its special effects. And needless to say, what was revolutionary back in 1996 is painful to watch two decades later.

'Space Jam' (1996)

'90s kids have a hard time coming to terms with the fact that "Space Jam" isn't nearly as good as they remember. Sure, it'll always have one of the greatest soundtracks of all time, but there's not a lot else about this movie that actually holds up. Least of all Michael Jordan's wooden acting or that uncomfortable gulf between the film's live-action cast and its cartoon roster.

'Twister' (1996)

We know -- we loved this movie when it first came out, too. But here's another case where a movie that seemed like a technical marvel back in the day really shows its age two-plus decades later. "Twister" at least has the strong tag-team duo of Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton to fall back upon, but that doesn't change the fact that this disaster movie doesn't pack the same punch it did back in 1996. Flying cow notwithstanding.

'Spice World' (1997)

Even at the time, "Spice World" was one of those movies where only hardcore fans needed to apply. And now that the Spice Girls fad is dead and buried, there's really no reason to go back and revisit this comedy. "A Hard Day's Night" it isn't.

'Shakespeare in Love' (1998)

How this farcical romance during the age of Shakespeare beat "Saving Private Ryan" for Best Picture is still something that hurts our brains.

'Rush Hour' (1998)

"Rush Hour" was absolutely critical in terms of exposing Hong Kong superstar Jackie Chan to a wider American audience. We're glad it succeeded, but there's also a lot about this buddy cop movie that doesn't hold up so well with age. It's overly formulaic, and some of the racial humor is a little cringe-y by today's standards.

'You've Got Mail' (1998)

Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan were a proven combination in the '90s, but "You've Got Mail" holds up the worst out of their numerous romantic comedies. In this era of online dating, the idea of two business rivals striking up an online romance via e-mail seems positively trite. At times the movie plays more like an extended commercial for AOL than it does a true romantic comedy.

'The Boondock Saints' (1999)

Even at the time, critics weren't too fond of this violent action movie, but that didn't stop it from developing a strong cult following among teenagers who hadn't yet discovered the works of John Woo and Quentin Tarantino. Eventually, even the most hardcore devotees realize that there are much better action movies to latch onto. Apart from Willem Dafoe's manic performance, there's not much about this one that holds up.