Point Break (1991) ****

Point Break (1991), more than 30 years on, remains a tremendously entertaining action crime thriller. Having been made so early in the ‘90s, it carries over the gonzo style of ‘80s actioners, resulting in a pop culture touchstone featuring immensely quotable dialogue.

Kathryn Bigelow's testosterone-fueled bromance has it all—breakneck stunts, amped-up shootouts, killer waves, hunky heartthrobs, melodramatic overacting, and, of course, coked-out Gary Busey. The cinematography, editing, and score are all top notch. It drags a bit at times, some of the characters could have used some more work, and it might be big and dumb, but it's ridiculously rewatchable and a touch more philosophical than your run-of-the-mill action-fest. 

As with the 2014 RoboCop remake, I (still) have virtually no desire to watch the 2015 remake of Point Break, except perhaps out of morbid curiosity. Some films are lightning in a bottle and don't need to be updated.

Kathryn Bigelow Feature Films Ranked