The Definitive Ranking of Every Sunglasses Moment in 90s Movies

The 90s gave us a lot of things: dial-up internet, Furbies, and an inexplicable obsession with frosted tips. But perhaps its greatest gift was the sheer volume of iconic sunglasses moments in film.

We're not talking about subtle product placement here. We're talking about sunglasses so central to a character's identity that removing them would fundamentally change the movie. So let's rank them.

The Top Tier: Absolute Legends

1. Neo in The Matrix (1999)
Those tiny, oval frames didn't just accessorize—they became a symbol of awakening from the simulation. Morpheus handed Neo those glasses and essentially said, "Here, now you're cool." And he was right.

2. Men in Black (1997)
The Ray-Ban Predator 2s worn by Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones turned government agents into style icons. The fact that they used them to erase memories only added to the mystique.

3. Terminator 2 (1991)
Arnold's Gargoyles weren't just sunglasses—they were a statement. "I'm a cyborg assassin, but I still have time for UV protection."

The Strong Contenders

4. Tyler Durden in Fight Club (1999)
Brad Pitt's red-tinted shades were as chaotic as the character himself. Impractical? Yes. Unforgettable? Also yes.

5. Morpheus in The Matrix
Those pince-nez clip-ons had no business being that hard. Morpheus looked like a philosophy professor who could also kill you.

6. Sarah Connor in Terminator 2
Linda Hamilton's aviators while loading weapons in the desert? That's the energy we're all trying to channel.

The Honorable Mentions

We'd be remiss not to mention: Tony Montana's aviators in the 90s re-runs of Scarface, every single character in Point Break, and whatever Jim Carrey was wearing in Ace Ventura.

The Takeaway

90s movies understood something that modern films often forget: sunglasses aren't just accessories. They're character development. They're mood. They're a vibe.

And if you want to channel some of that energy yourself, well, you know where to find us.