Christopher Lambert is one of the most iconic actors starring in many underground and B-fantasy movies. For Gen Z and younger audiences, Christopher Lambert’s face will probably remain a mystery. For those born in the 80s and early 90s, he’ll remain a hero. Now let’s revisit some of the “forgotten” and most iconic Christopher Lambert movies that fill our hearts even today, that’s if anyone is still watching random cable channels on TV during the weekends.
10. Beowulf [1999]
Image credits: Beowulf, Paramount Pictures
For some fans of Christopher Lambert, this role is something that he didn’t need for his career. But for other fans like myself, this was a milestone and a really important movie. Beowulf didn’t have any fancy visuals or graphics, but it was one of these movies that left a deep impression on me. First of all, the story was nice and it was well-played and acted. Acrobatics were great, the only problem was the “boss battle” with an evil creature. One extra reason why you should watch it is the incredible sword fights in the movie.
The story of Beowulf leads us into the post-apocalyptic future. The creature Grendel is terrorizing a small village when King Hrothgar intervenes to stop it. Since the monster is too powerful, they’re looking for someone who can stop it. That’s when Beowulf, played by Christopher Lambert, alongside Kyra, who is played by Rhona Mitra, step in. They together want to rid the land of evil and kill the monster once and for all. So you know, Cristopher Lambert vs a monster, what’s not to like?
9. The Hunted [1995]
Image credits: Hunted, Entertainment Film Distributors
This is one of the most memorable ninja martial arts movies from the 1990s. The Haunted was directed by J.F. Lawton, and we follow businessman Paul Racine (Christopher Lambert) who witnessed a murder by a group of ninja assassins known as Hunters. Since he was the only survivor, logically the clan wants his head. He starts his training to have an ultimate showdown with the clan once and for all.
This is one of these movies that you could watch at any given time. It’s got everything: memorable characters with great story arcs, beautiful actresses, and great male performers when it comes to martial arts. Also, the swordfights, costumes, and acting cast are amazing. The movie is fast-paced, and it reminds me of some of Steven Seagal’s types of movies. These types of movies were to us what Fast and Furious is for kids born after the BP oil spill.
8. Why Me? [1990]
Image credits: Why me, Triumph Films
Something that isn’t a fantasy or a sci-fi but is a strange genre for Christopher Lambert is a comedy. This 1990s action crime comedy movie is more family-oriented and silly than anything else. We’re introduced to two thieves, Gus Cardinale (Christopher Lambert) and June Daley (Kim Greist), who thought they were stealing some diamonds, but the story goes downhill from there. They’re unintentionally involved in gangster shootings, which were an everyday happening back in the day.
What this movie did for Christopher was amazing; it made him at least try to be funny. This usually doesn’t go well for most actors such as Arnold or Sylvester who did terrible as funny guys. On the other hand, Christopher, due to his unique enigmatic looks and charisma, managed to pull it off, at least better than the two aforementioned actors.
7. The Sicilian [1987]
Image credits: The Sicilian, 20th Century Fox
The Sicilian is a movie based on the book of the same name written by Mario Puzo. Christopher Lambert plays Salvatore Giuliano, a legendary social criminal who fought against Mussolini. This is more like Godfather 2, where we’re introduced to Sicilian mafia rivalry but with a greater touch of politics and fascistic authorities. The Sicilian is one of those iconic movies where the characters are well-written, and we, as the audience, can sense the struggle that Salvatore is going through.
After the great success of movies like The Legend of Tarzan and Highlander, this is the movie where he really stood out. When you think of it, the most iconic Christopher Lambert movies were in the 1980s and the ’90s, but in the 2000s, his acting career started to decline. Even though some fans may argue this, let’s face it, he’s talented even today, like Steven Seagal or Jean-Claude Van Damme; you’re young only once.
6. Nirvana [1997]
Image credits: Nirvana, Cecchi Gori Distribution
Nirvana is a quite disturbing Italian cyberpunk science fiction movie directed by Gabriele Salvatores. It was so good that it was presented at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival. In the movie, we follow a rock star Jimi, played by Christopher Lambert, who is looking for something truly meaningful in his life. But money, fame, and everything he had didn’t bring him satisfaction. That’s when he is introduced to a video game called Nirvana.
This movie, released in 1997, can be seen as a precursor to The Matrix, which came out in 1999. It was one of the first films I watched that explored topics of existence, virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), and falling in love with AI programs. It’s incredible how a movie from almost 30 years ago predicted the world we find ourselves in today. The question remains: Will we, like Jimi, be willing to pay the ultimate price to stay in the virtual world, or are we already living in it?
5. Subway [1985 ]
Image credits: Subway, Gaumont
Subway is a French thriller directed by Luc Besson and it’s one of the most iconic Christopher Lambert movies. This is the movie where he showed his true sexual appeal and his badass looks in a classy way. He plays the role of thief Fred, who runs from the cops into the underground subway tunnels of Paris. The most iconic character that he’ll meet in the movie is definitely Helena, played by the stunningly beautiful and sexy Isabelle Adjani.
This French movie was something that we’d all have at our houses and watch on VHS tapes back in the day. It was one of those films that kids didn’t understand if it wasn’t dubbed, but we’d still watch it due to great action scenes and stunts. Even by today’s standards, this movie could easily satisfy anyone’s expectations due to good acting and greatly written dialogue. If you want to watch it or rewatch it, do it in French with English subtitles.
4. Mortal Kombat [1995]
Image credits: Mortal Kombat, New Line Cinema
What could a kid from the 90s as well as the 80s expect more than a “good” martial arts movie? We know that Mortal Kombat wasn’t the best, but neither were the other MK movies that came after it. In my heart, it still ranks as the first and the best Mortal Kombat movie. The plot stays true to the game when it comes to the Mortal Kombat Tournament between different realms. This is the only one of many Christopher Lambert movies where he plays the God of Thunder (Raiden) that controls lightning. Bridgette Wilson stars in the movie as Sonya Blade, as well as another female Mortal Kombat character, Kitana (Talisa Soto).
For many fans of Christopher Lambert movies, this would go as probably one of the “most average movies,” but for fans of Mortal Kombat, this was a big deal at the time. Anyway, up until today, nobody did a better job at depicting Raiden. Christopher Lambert, with his blue eyes and specific accent, had everything that it takes to portray an ancient mystical protector of Earthrealm.
3. Fortress [1992]
Image credits: Fortress, Miramax Films
This is one of the best dystopian sci-fi movies where we follow the story of John Henry Brennick, portrayed by Christopher Lambert. Fortress explores topics of a dystopian future where it’s forbidden to have more than two kids. John and his wife Karen happen to have two, so they’re sent to a maximum security prison called “Fortress.” The prison is run by a sadistic dictator who uses an advanced AI system to monitor prisoners; conditions for prisoners are inhumane, as you’ve guessed.
Christopher Lambert plays a great role as a strong man who is ready to sacrifice his life and freedom to protect his family. These are the themes and movies that we’re lacking today. It’s also a drama, as Christopher always creates mysterious and dramatic characters and stories due to his specific looks and charisma.
2. Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes [1984]
Image credits: The Legend of Tarzan, Warner. Bros
Probably one of the best adaptations of Tarzan, directed by Hugh Hudson, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes is a 1984 mega-hit that ranked 15th at the box office at the time. It remains incredible even by 90s standards. In this film, Christopher Lambert shows us once again the story of a boy raised by apes. The cinematography and story are great, and both the beauty of the jungle and Victorian England stand the test of time.
There is something special about Christopher Lambert’s movies, and that’s probably his charisma. He possesses an enigmatic and somewhat intimidating presence on his specific face. Moreover, his unique voice sets him apart from others.
1. Highlander [1986]
Image credits: Highlander, 20th Century Fox
The most iconic of all Christopher Lambert movies is Highlander. In this fantasy action-adventure movie, directed by Russell Mulcahy, Christopher plays the role of Connor MacLeod. The plot revolves around a fight between Scotland’s Highlander Clans, with the Fraser Clan at war with the MacLeod Clan. Christopher Lambert appeared in the first three Highlander movies. The movie transitions between 1536 and 1985, revealing the history and origin story of the Highlanders.
Highlander was akin to Marvel or DC at the time, especially for those who grew up in the 80s and 90s, including adults. Unlike today’s superhero movies, these stories were grittier and featured stronger characters. Some would even say that films like Highlander could be described as showcasing “toxic masculinity”. With this movie, we conclude the list of the most iconic Christopher Lambert movies.
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