The best spy and secret agent movies of all time invite audiences into a world of intrigue, danger, and action. When people think of the spy movie, their minds undoubtedly go to James Bond. While Ian Fleming’s 007 undoubtedly helped to raise popularity in the genre and inspired many imitators, the spy movie was around long before Bond appeared on the screen. Likewise, the genre has branched out considerably since then. The greatest spy movies show just how many great and versatile movies have been a part of the genre.
There is something about the spy genre that has always fascinated audiences. Along with the long-running James Bond franchise, these types of stories have popped up everywhere from Alfred Hitchcock thrillers to zany comedies. With so many different avenues to take the genre, there doesn’t seem to be any sign of the secret agent movie going away anytime soon. But there are always more entries in the genre that fans can check out or revisit.
25 Spy Game (2001)
-
Available to rent on Apple TV
When CIA agent Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt) is arrested in China for espionage, his mentor Nathan Muir (Robert Redford) gets pulled from the edge of a long-awaited retirement as he sets out to free his old friend. Spy Game delves into the partnership between these two men, going back to the Vietnam War and stretching into the modern spy world. Director Tony Scott’s high-energy filmmaking mixed with an intelligent script makes for a great “race against the clock” movie. Seeing two generations of Hollywood leading men of this caliber sharing the screen is very exciting, and their partnership is used wonderfully, making for a great mentor-student relationship.
24 Tenet (2021)
Adding a time travel element to a spy thriller is an interesting approach that fits with Christopher Nolan’s style perfectly. John David Washington stars as an unnamed agent who is tasked with stopping a dangerous arms dealer from using time travel to ignite world chaos. The rules of the world are more than a little confusing and it might take the viewers more than one watch to understand it all. However, Nolan’s talents for putting on exciting set pieces with a practical filmmaking approach is easy to see. Tenet was a bit divisive with its controversial release plan but it was a big-budget spy movie that suggested Christopher Nolan doesn’t need the James Bond franchise to make his mark on the genre.
23 Spy (2015)
-
Available to rent on Apple TV
Adding comedy into the spy genre without becoming an all-out parody is difficult but pulled off wonderfully in Spy. Melissa McCarthy stars as a desk worker at a spy agency who is forced to go into the field when her friend and fellow agent (Jude Law) goes missing. The movie makes its spy world and stakes authentic while filling them with hilarious and absurd characters that deliver on the laughs. McCarthy is her usual funny self but might surprise some people with her action chops. By contrast, the funniest performance of the movie goes to Jason Statham who plays against his action-hero type as an overly confident but completely bumbling secret agent.
22 Ronin (1998)
21
Ronin is one of the most unappreciated spy movies in the genre, but its cult following is undeniable. Robert De Niro plays ex-U.S. intelligence agent Sam, a man who joins a ragtag band of mercenaries to recover a mysterious case from international bad guys. The movie blends two key elements of spy movies, the spectacular action sequences and the paranoid feel that no one can be trusted. There are a lot of shady characters and backstabbing at hand, but when it comes to Ronin‘s reputation it’s likely best known for one of the greatest movie car chases of all time.
20 Enemy Of The State (1998)
While Will Smith’s Oscar controversy still makes it awkward for some fans to revisit his old movies, Enemy of the State is one somewhat overlooked movie in his filmography worthy of another chance. Smith plays a family man and lawyer who finds himself targeted by a rogue spy operation that believes he is in possession of a sensitive videotape. Another spy thriller from Tony Scott, it is another kinetic and fast-paced ride that examined how little privacy people have in the modern spy era. It is refreshing seeing Smith as a less capable hero and Gene Hackman semi-recreates his character from the spy classic The Conversation as an old-school intelligence officer helping Smith.
19 Burn After Reading (2008)
The Coen Brothers comedies are often as memorable as their intense dramas and one of their best is the absurd spy story Burn After Reading. The all-cast cast is led by John Malkovich as a mid-level CIA analyst whose work documents are stolen by a pair of inept gym employees (Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt), setting off a chain event of increasingly paranoid and deadly reactions all based in utter stupidity. The rest of the ensemble includes the likes of George Clooney, Tilda Swinton, and J.K. Simmons in this hilarious take on the genre. Much like The Big Lebowski imagined what would happen is an aimless slacker was pulled into a detective movie, Burn After Reading shows what happens when unimportant idiots end up in an espionage thriller.
18 True Lies (1994)
-
No streaming options available
Though Oscar-winner director James Cameron is not known for the humor of his movies, True Lies injects some much-needed laughs into the spy genre without ever sacrificing the thrills of the story. This film follows world-class secret agent Harry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger) as he tracks down stolen nuclear weapons while keeping his dangerous job hidden from his wife (Jamie Lee Curtis). The two leads make for a surprisingly great comedic duo with Jamie Lee Curtis winning a Golden Globe for her performance. Though not as big of a hit as some of Cameron’s other movies, True Lies grossed nearly $400 million and spawned a recent TV remake.
17 Notorious (1946)
Alfred Hitchcock is a master of suspense so it only makes sense that he would play in the spy genre with some of his movies. Notorious is one of his most popular projects which follows the daughter of a convicted Nazi spy who is recruited by a U.S. agent to infiltrate the Nazi command. Starring Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman, Notorious is a classic throwback Hollywood thriller that will still excite and entertain viewers all these decades later. It also marks one of Hitchcock’s best love stories which helped Notorious get added to the National Film Registry in 2007.
16 Argo (2012)
Winner of the Oscar for Best Picture, Argo is unique among spy films in the fact that it’s based on the true story about the rescue of U.S. hostages in Tehran in 1979. Ben Affleck plays CIA exfiltration specialist Tony Mendez, who leads a team of agents disguised as Canadian filmmakers into the heart of the viper’s nest. Argo takes the true story and manages to pull off a tonally tricky story. It is part comical farce with the putting together of a fake sci-fi movie using Hollywood connections, and it is part intense thriller with the danger of being exposed lurking around every corner.
15 Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery (1997)
-
Available to rent on Apple TV
The original Austin Powers film kicked off a trilogy of films designed to poke fun at the British secret agent motif by offering up the groovy and oddly charming British secret agent, Austin Powers. Mike Myers played dual roles as the titular Austin Powers and his Blofeld parody of a nemesis, Dr. Evil. Clever and full of slapstick, the first Austin Powers movie had fun with paying homage to the spy genre while also pointing out some of its silliest aspects. Mike Myers created two of his most famous characters and the comedy remains beloved enough that there is always talk of an Austin Powers 4 in the future.
14 BlacKkKlansman (2018)
Another spy movie based on a true story seems too outrageous to make up. BlackKklansman stars John David Washington as Ron Stallworth, an African American police officer who, in the 1970s, successfully led an operation to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan. There is something immensely satisfying about seeing this movie make fools of the likes of David Duke and his followers, and there is a lot of humor to achieve that. However, the movie also takes a real and powerful look at racism in America and how it has not changed as much in that time as people like to think. The movie was nominated for Best Picture and won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, the first of Spike Lee’s amazing career.
13 The Conversation (1974)
Though Francis Ford Coppola made classics like The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, there are some fans who regard The Conversation as his greatest masterpiece. Gene Hackman stars as a surveillance expert who is hired to spy on a pair of subjects but overhears something potentially more dangerous than he expected. The movie is a smaller story compared to Coppola’s other movies but it hooks the viewer from the very beginning. Hackman’s layered performance also elevates it until the final moments with an impactful reveal. Though it might not be as revered as some of Coppola’s other iconic movies, it was nominated for three Oscars, including Best Picture.
12 The Imitation Game (2014)
Before Benedict Cumberbatch was Doctor Strange, he earned his first Oscar nomination for playing a real-life hero in The Imitation Game. The movie is a biopic of Alan Turing and the story of how he and his colleagues built a decoder device during World War II that played a huge role in ending the war. The movie is a fascinating entry into the spy genre as it examines a real individual who made real impact with their intelligence work without the need of big action sequences. It also takes a look at the injustices Turing himself faced after playing this pivotal role. Along with Cumberbatch’s performance, the movie was nominated for several Oscars, including Best Picture.
11 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
Given Gary Oldman’s legendary movie career, it is shocking he earned his first Oscar nomination for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, but it is undoubtedly one of his best roles. Author John le Carre is one of the most celebrated writers of the spy genre and this movie is a prime example of his grounded, mature approach. Taking place during the grim paranoia of the Cold War era, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy follows veteran MI6 agent George Smiley as he is brought out of a forced retirement to conduct a vital mole hunt. Oldman gives a perfectly reserved performance as Smiley who is a master observer while remaining inconspicuous. The movie is packed with impressive talents including Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Firth, and Tom Hardy.
10 Goldfinger (1964)
While Dr. No introduced Sean Connery’s James Bond to the world, Goldfinger is seen as the movie that established the formula that made the Bond franchise so popular. The movie follows Bond on a mission to uncover a gold magnate’s plot surrounding the gold deposit of Fort Know. Seeing Bond face off with a colorful villain like Auric Goldfinger and his henchman Oddjob makes for some of the most memorable scenes in the Bond franchise. From the gold-painted body of Goldfinger’s victim to Bond strapped to a table with a laser closing in to the epic theme song by Shirley Bass, Goldfinger laid a lot of groundwork for future Bond movies to take inspiration from.
9 Three Days Of The Condor (1975)
Released at a time when James Bond dominated mainstream spy movies, Three Days of the Condor provides a welcome change in pace. Rather than a suave and confident hero, the movie presents a man scared and unsure, providing the kind of paranoid thriller that inspired Captain America: The Winter Soldier. It follows an average CIA codebreaker, Joe Turner (Robert Redford), as he stumbles upon a massacre in his workplace and soon finds himself targeted by his CIA superiors. This 1975 film is a fast-paced story of survival that is integrated with a hunt for the truth. Redford shines as the vulnerable yet determined hero, cementing him as one of Hollywood’s best leading men.
8 The Lives of Others (2006)
-
Available to rent on Apple TV
Similar to Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation, the German movie The Lives of Others is a more grounded approach to a spy story. Set in East Berlin in 1984, the movie follows a special agent hired to spy on a couple only to be sucked into their lives. While the big action scenes of gunfights and explosions can be fun, The Lives of Others shows the kind of intense story that can be told without such things. It makes for a compelling and riveting thriller. It won Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars and found acclaim on an international level.
7 The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
Quite unexpectedly, the Jason Bourne movies emerged as one of the best spy franchises of the 21st century. After the first Bourne adventure introduced Matt Damon’s amnesiac trained killer, the first sequel takes the franchise in an exciting new direction. The Bourne Supremacy finds Jason Bourne lured out of hiding when he is framed for an assassination. Director Paul Greengrass took over the franchise and infuses it with his own chaotic style that works very well. Damon continues to turn Bourne into an intense new action hero while the fight sequences and car chases are top-notch. The movie was seen as the best step up for the franchise, combining a grounded and gritty spy thriller with intense action sequences.
6 Munich (2005)
-
Available to rent on Apple TV
Another period masterpiece from acclaimed director Steven Spielberg, Munich is based on the Munich Massacre that tragically occurred at the 1972 Summer Olympics and tells the story of Israel’s top-secret retaliation. The movie stars the likes of Eric Bana and Daniel Craig as a team of agents tasked with hunting down those responsible. The violence on display is shocking while also looking at the real toll it takes on the assassins. The movie earned Oscar nominations for Best Director and Best Picture. It is a harrowing and brutal look at the spy world that asks interesting questions about the cost of “an eye for an eye.”