Spy movies are fun and entertaining, but many of them are alsocinematic masterpieces with great acting.The genre has been a staple since the golden age of Hollywood, and is being kept alive by some real-life-inspired stories, beloved franchises, and even comedies and parodies. Every bit of the genre included keeps it alive and thriving.
People love spy movies because characters in them often get to play different types of roles in their line of work. Covert operations and hidden plots are just some of the reasons the spy movie genre is so alluring;it’s thrill-chasing, dangerous, slick, and badass, with a poignant story under the surface. Some of the best spy flicks of all time have also been made in the last 25 years. From the start of the 2000s, movies have become more innovative, CGI is better, and bigger teams work on creating a lasting impact with the final product. The best spy movies of this period are surely a staple in many people’s homes.
10’Spy Game' (2001)
Directed by Tony Scott
The fast-paced editing ofSpy Gamegives its runtime a chaotic feel, or at least that’s the impression after watching it the first time around. After watching it several times,the movie comes together, showing the exciting spy thriller it intends to be. WhileSpy Game’s rewatchability factor plays a big part in why it’s good, its biggest advantage isRobert Redfordin the lead. Redford does one of his best roles in this movie;Roger Ebertsaidhe, “Admired Redford for the way he created a performance that sometimes consisted only of quick shots of his facial expressions.”
With subtle acting conveying a larger story at play, Redford plays a nearly-retired CIA boss, Nathan Muir. He’s summoned to work because his former protégé, Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt), has been arrested in China for espionage.The viewers are introduced to Muir and Bishop through a series of Muir’s memories, seeing how the two men learned and drew inspiration from each other.Spy Gameis a great representative ofTony Scott’s directorial career that should never be outshined by his brother,Ridley Scott.
Watch on Netflix
9’Syriana' (2005)
Directed by Stephen Gaghan
Stephen Gaghandedicated his life to writingSyriana, literally. During research backed up by former agentRobert Baer’s bookSee No Evil,Gaghan was kidnapped in Beirutand taken to meet a Shiite cleric of the highest order. Hetransferred that experience into the movie, withGeorge Clooney’s character experiencing a similar situation. Gaghan’s purpose withSyrianawas to write about all the ways in which the global oil industry plays a part in everyday affairs.
Syrianahas several intertwining stories merging into one, withMatt Damonportraying an energy analyst in Geneva, George Clooney playing a fictionalized version of the real-life spy Robert Baer - Bob Barnes, andJeffrey Wrightstarring as a law associate, Bennett Holiday. The story followsthe merger of two oil companies and the consequences surrounding that event. With modern spy stories relating to the oil business, drug trafficking, and very often the gun trade,Syrianareflects on those stories through a powerful and tense thriller that uncovers so many real-life events that take place daily.
Watch on Amazon Prime
8’The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' (2015)
Directed by Guy Ritchie
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.could be considered simply an homage to the spy genre, but it’s more than just a stylish and entertaining take.Henry Cavillportrays Napoleon Solo, an exceptional (if not a bit smug) CIA spy tasked with extracting the daughter of a nuclear scientist, Gaby Teller (Alicia Vikander). Joining him on a collaborative mission is the brutish KGB spy Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer), in whichthey have to stop Gaby’s father from making a nuclear missilefor a pair of criminals known as the Vinciguerras.
Guy RitchiemadeThe Man from U.N.C.L.E.based on the MGM hit series of the same name from the 1960s; he made sure to follow and depict the aesthetic of the times,immersing the viewers into the Cold War erastyle. It’s also reminiscent of the olderJames Bondfeatures, giving the movie even more beauty and flair, while the story is typically Ritchie-esque, with a mixture of clever comedy and action. Henry Cavill usually shines when he and Guy Ritchie join forces, andThe Man from U.N.C.L.E.is a great example of how charming of a leading man he can really be.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
7’Kingsman: The Secret Service' (2014)
Directed by Matthew Vaughn
Guy Ritchie’s frequent collaboratorMatthew VaughncreatedKingsmanas a comic book first; hedevised the idea for it with comic book artistMark Millarand Dave Gibbons, who wroteKick Ass(which Vaughn also adapted for the silver screen). When the two decided to write theKingsmanmovie,Vaughn went all out with production, casting, and storytelling. His way of depicting the Kingsman intelligence service flows through art deco esthetics mixed with vintage fashion and modern, state-of-the-art tech.
All the agents inKingsman: The Secret Servicehave codenames as the Knights of the Round Table; the focus is on Galahad aka Harry Hart (Colin Firth) who takes on a new recruit, a stubborn and rebellious Eggsy (Taron Egerton). Eggsy is meant to replace Lancelot, a former agent,on a mission to stop the mogul and eco-terrorist Richmond Valentine(Samuel L. Jackson) from destroying the human race.Kingsmancombines brilliant humor with flawless actionchoreography and a larger-than-life world-saving storyline.
Kingsman: The Secret Service
A spy organization recruits a promising street kid into the agency’s training program, while a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.
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6’Bridge of Spies' (2015)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg’s historically backed spy dramaBridge of Spieswas co-written by the Coen brothers and expertly presented as a Cold War story, an espionage thriller, and a humanity check by Spielberg himself. The craft is apparent in Spielberg’s handling of the story of real-life lawyer Jim Donovan (Tom Hanks) and his espionage-accused client Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance). Donovan was called up from his regular job andappointed to Abel, who was arrested for espionage for the USSR. Donovan considers Abel worthy of defense, so he goes all out to help him avoid the death penalty.
But, Donovan defending Abel is just one part of the equation. He gets dragged into more escalating events between the two countries, becoming integral in a series of events that prevent untimely deaths of Russian and US spies. Spielberg manages to tug at the emotional strings of viewers with superb settings and direction, all while making the movie tense and atmospheric.Bridge of Spieswas proclaimed one of the best movies of 2015by the RogerEbert.com critic Brian Tallerico.
Bridge of Spies
Directed by Steven Spielberg, Bridge of Spies follows American lawyer James Donovan, who is recruited by the CIA to negotiate the release of a U.S. Air Force pilot who was shot down over the Soviet Union. Tom Hanks stars in the 2015 historical drama based on the true story.
5’Mission: Impossible - Fallout' (2018)
Directed by Christopher McQuarrie
Mission: Impossibleis a well-known and loved franchise that madeTom Cruisethe action star he’s known to be today.Cruise’s physical prowess and wild courage allow him to venture into doing his own stunts,which often results in injuries. This gives theMission: Impossiblemovies a little more badassery as spy action thrillers. Among the seven movies (eight if counting the upcomingM:I - The Final Reckoning),Mission: Impossible - Falloutis widely considered the best and most complete feature that combinesincredible stuntswith state-of-the-art espionage and thrilling plot twists.
M:I - Falloutfollows Ethan Hunt and the members of his secret espionage agency, IMF, as they chase a terrorist-for-hire group called the Apostles. A never-before-seen enemy known as John Lark hires them to detonate three plutonium cores.The IMF must uncover Lark’s identity and prevent the Apostles from triggering a disaster. Meanwhile, Ethan is shadowed by a CIA appointed agent, August Walker (Henry Cavill), and their personalities, ideologies, and ways of waging war clash from the moment they join forces.Falloutis a truly superb thriller with exceptional pacing and action, but it connects directly to the previous movie,Rogue Nation, which won’t be an enjoyment factor for some viewers.
Mission: Impossible - Fallout
Ethan Hunt and his IMF team, along with some familiar allies, race against time after a mission gone wrong.
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4’Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' (2011)
Directed by Tomas Alfredson
An array of brilliant British actors elevates the daring slow-burn thrillerTinker Tailor Soldier Spyto new heights. WithGary Oldmanin the lead, it’s hard to have a bad movie, and fans of the spy seriesSlow Horsescan consider his role in this movie preparation for becoming the lead of the outcast group of MI5 spies in the series.Tinker Tailor Soldier Spywasbased on a John le Carré novel and was a miniseries in 1979before directorTomas Alfredsontook the director’s chair in 2011.
Though heavy and complex, the movie balances espionage with action and adventure,depicting the high-stakes spy life during the Cold War era in the 1970s. Oldman portrays George Smiley, an agent of the British Intelligence Agency called The Circus; Smiley is forced to retire after his boss, Control (Sir John Hurt), is ousted from his position. When Control dies, Smiley is left to put together the pieces that contain the reason for his death.Tinker Tailor Soldier Spywas a critical success and is often consideredone of the best spy movieswith slick and brutal storytelling.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
In the bleak days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet Agent within MI6.
3’The Lives of Others' (2006)
Directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
The widely acclaimed German spy dramaThe Lives of Othersis among the best movies ever made, specifically thanks to directorFlorian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s skill in depicting a claustrophobic feeling of never being fully alone in a heavily supervised state. Germany was divided into East and West, and the East German regime had a Ministry of State Security with enforcers, also known as the Stasi. Their main objectives were keeping the ruling party secure and maintaining state authority, which can be seen through the character of Stasi officer Gerd Weisler (Ulrich Mühe) in this movie.
When Wiesler gets tasked by the Minister of Culture to spy on the playwright Georg Dreyman,Wiesler realizes it’s because of the Minister’s interest in Dreyman’s girlfriend, actress Christa-Maria Sieland. Wiesler’s disappointment, as well as the continuous observation of the couple, lead him to become a sort of guardian angel for them, becoming attached. The movie’s confined feeling is depicted through Wiesler’s perspective, especially when viewers see him simply sitting in a room with headphones on, pretending to be a part of other people’s lives.The Lives of Otherswas awarded theBest Foreign Language Movie Oscarand BAFTA.
The Lives of Others
In 1984 East Berlin, an agent of the secret police, conducting surveillance on a writer and his lover, finds himself becoming increasingly absorbed by their lives.
2’The Bourne Ultimatum' (2007)
Directed by Paul Greengrass
Anotherfranchise feature,The Bourne Ultimatum,is the concluding movie in the initialJason Bournetrilogy starring Matt Damon. It’s alsowidely acclaimed as the best Bourne film, surpassing its predecessors,IdentityandSupremacy. Matt Damon stars as Jason Bourne, an intelligent, precise, and highly-skilled international spy; this character was based onRobert Ludlum’s hero of the same name. Bourne is brought to life by Damon’s dedication to the character, who makes him a believable action hero who viewers are excited to cheer for.
The Bourne Ultimatumsees Jason Bourne chasing the final trail of his hidden identity, being close to uncovering who he really is. Of course,being chased by the CIA prevents him from achieving his goals of learning about himself. This time, Bourne has flashbacks of his inception into the agency, gets help from unlikely sides, and is chased by the usual suspects;The Bourne Ultimatumis one ofthe most thrilling spy thrillersever made, and a great representation of the spy genre that’s gritty and shines brightly at the same time.
The Bourne Ultimatum
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1’Casino Royale' (2006)
Directed by Martin Campbell
A spy movie list couldn’t be complete without aJames Bondfeature, andCasino Royalestands tall amongthe best spy moviesof the past quarter-century. TheDaniel Craigeraof James Bond movies brought the most dramatic and elaborate stories on the silver screens, and it all started withCasino Royale. The movieholds up brilliantly both as a standalone film and a part of a bigger scheme of storytelling; it’s a masterclass in mixing spy practices, intense and bloody action, and an emotional, high-stakes story about revenge, love, and the ruthless world of being a 00 agent with a license to kill.
Casino Royaleis Daniel Craig’s first James Bond role, and he presents a different type of Bond. Compared to the likes of Connery, Moore, and Brosnan, Craig’s Bond looks tired of the job already, despite just getting the 00 title; this makesCasino Royaleall the more believable and earnest. James Bond is tasked with finding and capturing Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), a genius poker player and private banker.Bond must defeat him in a high-stakes poker game at Casino Royale in Montenegro, but encounters trouble in various forms - from Le Chiffre’s cooperatives to an agentBond falls madly in lovewith, Vesper Lynd (Eva Green).
Casino Royale
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