Spy movies are fun and entertaining, but many of them are also cinematic 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

Image via Universal Pictures

The fast-paced editing of Spy Game gives 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. While Spy Game‘s rewatchability factor plays a big part in why it’s good, its biggest advantage is Robert Redford in the lead. Redford does one of his best roles in this movie; Roger Ebert said he, “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 Game is a great representative of Tony Scott‘s directorial career that should never be outshined by his brother, Ridley Scott.

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Spy Game

R
Action
Crime
Thriller

Release DateNovember 18, 2001
Runtime126 minutes
DirectorTony Scott
WritersMichael Frost Beckner, David Arata

9‘Syriana’ (2005)

Directed by Stephen Gaghan

 Stephen Gaghan dedicated his life to writing Syriana, literally. During research backed up by former agent Robert Baer‘s book See No Evil, Gaghan was kidnapped in Beirut and taken to meet a Shiite cleric of the highest order. He transferred that experience into the movie, with George Clooney‘s character experiencing a similar situation. Gaghan’s purpose with Syriana was to write about all the ways in which the global oil industry plays a part in everyday affairs.

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Syriana has several intertwining stories merging into one, with Matt Damon portraying an energy analyst in Geneva, George Clooney playing a fictionalized version of the real-life spy Robert Baer – Bob Barnes, and Jeffrey Wright starring as a law associate, Bennett Holiday. The story follows the 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, Syriana reflects on those stories through a powerful and tense thriller that uncovers so many real-life events that take place daily.

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Syriana

R
Drama
Thriller

Release DateNovember 23, 2005
Runtime128 Minutes
DirectorStephen Gaghan
WritersStephen Gaghan, Robert Baer

8‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’ (2015)

Directed by Guy Ritchie

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

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 Cavill portrays 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 which they have to stop Gaby’s father from making a nuclear missile for a pair of criminals known as the Vinciguerras.

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Guy Ritchie made The 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 era style. It’s also reminiscent of the older James Bond features, 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, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is a great example of how charming of a leading man he can really be.

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The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

PG-13
Action
Adventure
Comedy

Release DateAugust 14, 2015
Runtime116 Minutes
DirectorGuy Ritchie
WritersLionel Wigram, Guy Ritchie

7‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’ (2014)

Directed by Matthew Vaughn

Image via 20th Century Studios

Guy Ritchie’s frequent collaborator Matthew Vaughn created Kingsman as a comic book first; he devised the idea for it with comic book artist Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, who wrote Kick Ass (which Vaughn also adapted for the silver screen). When the two decided to write the Kingsman movie, 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 in Kingsman: The Secret Service have 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. Kingsman combines brilliant humor with flawless action choreography and a larger-than-life world-saving storyline.

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Kingsman: The Secret Service

R
Action
Adventure
Thriller

Release DateFebruary 13, 2015
Runtime2h 10m
DirectorMatthew Vaughn
WritersMatthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman
Sequel(s)Kingsman: The Golden Circle, The King’s Man

6‘Bridge of Spies’ (2015)

Directed by Steven Spielberg

 Steven Spielberg‘s historically backed spy drama Bridge of Spies was 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 and appointed 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 Spies was proclaimed one of the best movies of 2015 by the RogerEbert.com critic Brian Tallerico.

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Bridge of Spies

PG-13
Thriller
Documentary
Drama

Release DateOctober 16, 2015
Runtime142 Minutes
DirectorSteven Spielberg
WritersJoel Coen, Matt Charman, Ethan Coen

5‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ (2018)

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie

Image via Paramount Pictures

Mission: Impossible is a well-known and loved franchise that made Tom Cruise the 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 the Mission: Impossible movies a little more badassery as spy action thrillers. Among the seven movies (eight if counting the upcoming M:I – The Final Reckoning), Mission: Impossible – Fallout is widely considered the best and most complete feature that combines incredible stunts with state-of-the-art espionage and thrilling plot twists.

M:I – Fallout follows 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. Fallout is 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.

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Mission: Impossible – Fallout

pg-13
Action
Thriller

Release DateJuly 25, 2018
Runtime148 Minutes
DirectorChristopher McQuarrie
WritersChristopher McQuarrie
Prequel(s)Mission: Impossible, Mission: Impossible 2, Mission: Impossible III, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation

4‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ (2011)

Directed by Tomas Alfredson

Image via StudioCanal

An array of brilliant British actors elevates the daring slow-burn thriller Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy to new heights. With Gary Oldman in the lead, it’s hard to have a bad movie, and fans of the spy series Slow Horses can consider his role in this movie preparation for becoming the lead of the outcast group of MI5 spies in the series. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy was based on a John le Carré novel and was a miniseries in 1979 before director Tomas Alfredson took 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 Spy was a critical success and is often considered one of the best spy movies with slick and brutal storytelling.

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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

R
Thriller

Release DateSeptember 16, 2011
Runtime127
DirectorTomas Alfredson

3‘The Lives of Others’ (2006)

Directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

Image via Buena Vista International

The widely acclaimed German spy drama The Lives of Others is among the best movies ever made, specifically thanks to director Florian 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 Others was awarded the Best Foreign Language Movie Oscar and BAFTA.

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The Lives of Others

R
Drama
Thriller

Release DateMarch 23, 2006
Runtime137 Minutes
DirectorFlorian Henckel von Donnersmarck
WritersFlorian Henckel von Donnersmarck

2‘The Bourne Ultimatum’ (2007)

Directed by Paul Greengrass

Image via Universal Pictures

Another franchise feature, The Bourne Ultimatum, is the concluding movie in the initial Jason Bourne trilogy starring Matt Damon. It’s also widely acclaimed as the best Bourne film, surpassing its predecessors, Identity and Supremacy. Matt Damon stars as Jason Bourne, an intelligent, precise, and highly-skilled international spy; this character was based on Robert 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 Ultimatum sees 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 Ultimatum is one of the most thrilling spy thrillers ever made, and a great representation of the spy genre that’s gritty and shines brightly at the same time.

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The Bourne Ultimatum

PG-13
Action
Mystery
Thriller

Release DateAugust 3, 2007
Runtime115 minutes
DirectorPaul Greengrass
WritersTony Gilroy, George Nolfi, Scott Z. Burns
Prequel(s)The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy

1‘Casino Royale’ (2006)

Directed by Martin Campbell

Image via Eon Productions

A spy movie list couldn’t be complete without a James Bond feature, and Casino Royale stands tall among the best spy movies of the past quarter-century. The Daniel Craig era of James Bond movies brought the most dramatic and elaborate stories on the silver screens, and it all started with Casino Royale. The movie holds 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.

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Casino Royale is 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 makes Casino Royale all 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 agent Bond falls madly in love with, Vesper Lynd (Eva Green).