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The Best Spy Movies In History

The Best Spy Movies In History

In This Article, We Try To Introduce You To The Best Spy Movies In History; From The Greatest Works Of This Fascinating Genre To Those That Many Of You May Not Have Heard.

The Best Spy Movies, Espionage films, as the name implies, tell us a story of espionage; Now it wants to be realistic so that the arithmetic audience can believe and accept it, or it is based on fantasy adventures and unexpected and unreal events happen in it.

This fascinating genre is an essential part of British cinema, dramatically served by great English directors like Alfred Hitchcock and Carol Reed. Many films have been made around the secret service of this country.

More than anything, espionage films show the activities of government agents who take significant risks and get to the heart of the matter; If they may be exposed and even killed by their enemies. The spy film genre began in the 1940s and during the Nazi era, but the James Bond film series peaked in the 1960s.

During these years, espionage works have always been one of the most popular genres; works combine exciting escapes, tech-savvy apprehensions, and bizarre areas into their action and science fiction stories.

In these films, we see heroes that we fall in love with, and we see villains that we hate. Of course, we should not forget that there are traces of politics and political issues in most films of this genre.

As mentioned above, the James Bond movie series is the most famous and well-known series in the espionage genre, but other works have gained much fame and success. In this article, we want to introduce you to the best spy movies.

 The best spy movies

Alexa Penauga and Drill Sabara in Spy Kids

40- Spy Kids movie

Spy Kids Movies

    • Director: Robert Rodriguez
    • Author: Robert Rodriguez
    • Cast: Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, and Alan Cumming
    • Release Date: March 30, 2001
    • Average Spy Kids  scores on  IMDB:  5.5

The first part of the Spy Kids series, which is also one of the best spy movies in history, showed a new style of this genre and was able to earn a lot of money at the box office. In addition, many critics welcomed the adventure and comedy film and gave it excellent reviews. The film was nominated for Best Fantasy Film at the 28th Saturn Awards but ultimately left to The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship.

This work became so popular and successful that it was followed by Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams in 2002, Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (Spy Kids 3). : Lost Game) was released in 2003, and Spy Kids: All the Time in the World was released in 2011. The story is that two children turn into spies to save their parents from an evil thinking brain. These two children, a quality full of advanced gadgets and a means of transportation that does not belong to this world, very bravely go to the sky, dive under the sea, and experience various adventures around the world; To save parents and even the world.

Gina Carano shooting at Haywire

39- Haywire movie

Unused film

    • Director: Steven Soderbergh
    • Author: Lam Dobbs
    • Cast: Gina Carano, Michael Fassbender and Ivan McGregor
    • Release Date: January 20, 2012
    • Haywire  IMDB  Average Rating:  5.8

The story of the useless film, which is considered one of the best spy films, revolves around Mallory Kane; An undercover detective who is betrayed by his employers and assassinated. Meanwhile, there is a big conspiracy that Mallory Kane has to expose. The great thing about this movie is that Gina Carano (played by Mallory) has mastered various martial arts. This skill has allowed her to perform all the action scenes independently without a stunt performer.

Although the new film received low ratings in ImediBey and did not have much success at the box office, it was praised by many critics and honored in various aspects, but a number of them were played by Carano, a novice at the time. , Crushed. Although they praised Carano for their action and stunt scenes, they believed that the actor did not have much skill or charm in dialogue and speaking. According to them, Haywire is a short and fascinating horror film that immerses the audience in action and terrifying scenes by putting together its different parts.

Clive Owen looks at Julia Roberts in Duplicity

38. Duplicity movie

Hypocritical film

    • Director: Tony Gilroy
    • Author: Tony Gilroy
    • Cast: Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, and Tom Wilkinson
    • Release Date: March 20, 2009
    • Average Duplicity  Scores on  IMDB:  6.2

In most cases, the emotional and romantic elements are inextricably linked to the crime genre; Hypocrisy is a work that revolves around these two heels. Like many other espionage works, the hypocrisy tells the story of two industrial spies who had a romantic relationship in the past. During this mission, they must work together to carry out a complex scam. Both used to work for government agencies, but now they have to be much more professional in their new jobs. Because of their past, they can distract each other in different ways, becoming their strength.

As seen from this film’s score, hypocrisy cannot be considered a great and successful work. The film was not a huge success even at the box office and only returned the money spent. One of the things about this film is that its events are not told in chronological order; Rather, it is constantly moving back and forth, revealing unpredictable motives. For example, a particular dialogue is expressed in different sequences, but its words and phrases are shifted.

Angelina Jolie is targeted with a Colt rifle in Salt

37. Salt movie

Salt movie

    • Director: Philip Nevis
    • Author: Kurt Weimer
    • Cast: Angelina Jolie, Leo Schreiber and Chiwitel Ajiofor
    • Release Date: July 23, 2010
    • Average Salt  Scores on  IMDB:  6.4

In this case, one of the best spy films in history is the first Salt of a CIA agent who is widely respected; Even his boss, Ted Winter. Suddenly a Russian spy comes to their office and provides vital information: The Russian president is to be assassinated on his next trip to New York City; That’s when he wants to attend the funeral of the recently deceased vice president. The name of this killer is also the first Salt. The first one who can not communicate with his wife and is worried about her runs away. Winter can not accept that the first is a spy or a mutual agent, but his behavior and actions gradually increase suspicion.

Now the question arises, who is the first Salt and what is his plan? Initially, the scriptwriter with a positive male character and Tom Cruise hires to play it but eventually made the current changes were. The film was a success at the box office and garnered rave reviews; critics praised Julie’s action and acting scenes. But they were critical of the writing and scriptwriting for the work’s original idea. Interestingly, this film had two different versions, Versions that also created different endings for the story.

John Philip Love and Marissa Mel look at each other in the car in Danger: Diabolik

36. Danger: Diabolik

Danger film: Diabolical

    • Director: Mario Bava
    • Authors: Dino Majori, Brian Digas, Tudor Gates, and Mario Bava
    • Cast: John Philip Love, Marisa Mel, and Michael Piccoli
    • Release Date: January 24, 1968
    • Danger: Diabolik  IMDB  Average Rating:  6.5

Danger: Diabolik is one of the best spy movies based on a series of Italian comic books called Diabolik. As expected, the story of this film revolves around a criminal named Diabolic who wants to commit massive thefts for his fiancé. Meanwhile, an inspector named Ginko chases after him and tries to arrest him. To reach Diabolic, the inspector threatens a gangster named Ralph Walmont to find and stop the criminal. As expected by the creators, the film was able to do well at the box office and was a huge success.

On the other hand, at first, it did not receive much critical acclaim. But that is likely to change over time, with some positive aspects of the work being considered. The film Danger: Diabolic later received not only the title of a cult work but was also selected by Empire Magazine as one of the top 500 works in history. Since today’s makers saw the potential in the Diabolic series, they decided to produce a trilogy, the first part of which will be released later this year; The film was scheduled to be released in 2020 but was delayed due to coronary heart disease.

Jennifer Lawrence stands next to a mirror in Red Sparrow

35. Red Sparrow movie

Red Sparrow movie

    • Director: Francis Lawrence
    • Author: Justin Height
    • Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, and Matthias Khunartz
    • Release date: March 2, 2018
    • Average Red Sparrow  scores on  IMDB:  6.6

A young Russian intelligence officer is sent to deceive a high-ranking CIA agent who has the most sensitive and influential influence on Russian intelligence. Two young officers face each other in an atmosphere filled with business and work issues, deception, and unavoidable passion, an atmosphere that threatens their lives and the lives of others. It is one of the best spy movies, an adaptation whose story is based on a novel of the same name. Despite its relatively good box office success, the film did not receive many positive reviews from critics.

Although critics praised Jennifer Lawrence’s acting, they criticized the film for relying more on graphic violence and the like than anything else. They believed that the film and its creators had shown their style rather than presenting a different material. The Red Sparrow tried to be a terrifying and clever spy but failed, and Jennifer Lawrence played a superficial role despite all her skills. It was Lawrence’s excellent play that made this work spectacular and covered up its flaws.

Charlize Theron with a cigarette in the interrogation room in the movie Atmic Blnde

34- Atomic Blonde movie

Atomic Blonde Movie

    • Director: David Leach
    • Author: Kurt Johnstad
    • Cast: Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, and John Goodman
    • Release Date: July 28, 2017
    • Average Scores of Atomic Blonde on  IMDB:   6.7

The graphic novel The Coldest City, written by Anthony Johnston, was published in 2012; A story that revolved around a spy. In 1989, the Spy was tasked with finding a list of bilateral agents who were to be smuggled west on the day of the fall of the Berlin Wall. This Spy was so beautiful, attractive, skilled, and, of course, savage that he was considered a precious jewel among the Supreme Intelligence Service.

In his impossible missions, he did everything and used every skill to survive and continue his work. During this critical mission, he works with the station boss to find his way through this deadly adventure and eliminate the spies against him. The film was a massive success at the box office and was well-received by critics. Many who have watched this work compare it to the John Wick movie series. Atomic Blonde, one of the best spy movies in history, became so popular and successful that the creators decided to make a sequel.

Ronan's head with a gun in Hanna

33- Hanna movie

Hannah movie

    • Director: Joe Wright
    • Author: Seth Lacheed and David Farr
    • Cast: Roche Ronan, Eric Bana, and Tom Hollander
    • Release Date: April 8, 2011
    • Hanna   Average IMDB Score:  6.8

Hannah is a young girl living in northern Finland under her father; A former CIA agent. Hannah’s father intends to train him as a great killer with various pieces of training. Cate Blanchett plays a high-ranking CIA agent who wants to track down and kill the father and daughter. Hannah has unique strength, endurance, and soldier skills; Traits he inherited from his father. He does not live like other teenagers, and all his difficulties, upbringing, and education are supposed to end in one result.

The turning point of his youth and adulthood is an important event. Hannah is sent to the outside world by her father to go on a mission. He secretly roams Europe and tries to escape the ruthless Marissa Wiegler’s agents, someone who has his secrets. As Hannah approaches her ultimate goal, she discovers impressive things about herself and raises questions about humanity. Most critics welcomed and loved the film.

Philip Seymour Hoffman sits in a car with Willem Dafoe in A Most Wanted Man

32. A Most Wanted Man

The film The Most Wanted Man

    • Director: Anton Carbin
    • Author: Andrew Bowl
    • Cast: Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright, and Philip Simon Hoffman
    • Release Date: September 5, 2014
    • Average Most A Wanted Man  Scores on  IMDB:  6.8

The Most Wanted Man is another of the best spy movies based on the 2008 novel of the same name by John Lucas. It was Hoffman’s last work, which ended before his death and went to the cinemas. The story of this film revolves around a half-Chechen and half-Russian immigrant who has been tortured and appears in the Islamic community of Hamburg.

He claims that his father left him a forbidden fortune, and now he intends to get it. This claim makes the German and US security agencies very interested in this issue. As time goes on and the danger increases, there is a competition to establish the true identity of this wanted man. Now, is this man an oppressed victim or a destructive extremist? The Most Wanted Man is a contemporary and thought-provoking story of sedition, love, rivalry, and politics that creates a lot of tension in its audience until the last moment; pressure lasts until the last minute and stops the heart from moving.

Benedict Cumberbatch talking to Rachel Updates in The Courier

31- The Courier movie

Courier movie

    • Director: Dominic Cook
    • Author: Tom O’Connor
    • Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Marab Ninides, and Rachel Brosnahan
    • Release Date: March 19, 2021
    • Average The Courier  Scores on  IMDB:  7.1

In the 1960s, Greville Wayne was a British businessman hired by the Secret Service to send messages to the organization’s undercover agent, Oleg Pankowski. The story of this film also took place during the Cold War, and Greville Wayne and his Russian source are trying to end the Cuban Missile Crisis by doing so. As the story goes, the script is based on an actual event and not a fictional story.

Although the courier film did not succeed at the box office, it was well-received by critics. According to critics, this work was able to show the audience an old spy-centered adventure with a new and, of course, exciting style; With a real story twist and Benedict Cumberbatch’s fantastic play at the center of the story. In addition to describing various aspects of the work, critics also called it clever.

Melissa McCarthy with a motorcycle and a small gun in the movie Spy

30. Spy movie

Spy movie

    • Director: Paul Figg
    • Author: Paul Figg
    • Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, and Rose Bayern
    • Release Date: June 5, 2015
    • Average Spy  Scores on  IMDB:  7

In all espionage films, the person who plays the Spy always has a series of specific and identical appearance factors. But this work, by choosing Melissa McCarthy as the foremost Spy, discarded all these clichés and showed that non-compliance with these factors and criteria is not a reason for the actor’s ugliness and badness. Similarly, the spy film shows a different undercover detective named Susan Cooper who wants to track down a portable nuclear device; A device stolen by enemies. In addition to this, he intends to prove himself as a capable and, of course, skilled Spy.

The film was widely acclaimed worldwide, both by the critics and the audience at the box office. The Spy was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Musical or Comedy and Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy. Figg’s directing style and screenplay, playing McCarthy and Bayern, as well as Statham’s performance in a comedy role, thrilled everyone. The Spy may seem like a low-level, watery work, but it shows a new style of spy work to audiences interested in the genre.

Kevin Costner and Ginny Hackman in No Way Out

29- No Way Out movie

There is no way to film

    • Director: Roger Donaldson
    • Author: Roger Donaldson
    • Cast: Kevin Costner, Ginny Hackman, and Sean Young
    • Release Date: August 14, 1987
    • Average No Way Out  scores on  IMDB:  7.1

It is one of the best espionage films in history, combining different elements. In addition to the Spy and terrifying genre, it also falls into political and neo-noir genres. The screenplay is based on a novel by Kenneth Fairing published in 1946 called The Big Clock; The book was previously adapted once in 1948 as The Big Clock and again in 1976 as Police Python 357. Tom Farrell is a naval officer stationed at the Pentagon and must report and be accountable to Secretary of Defense David Price in this story.

He begins a relationship with Susan Atoll and has no idea that Susan is Bryce’s mistress. When Susan’s lifeless body is discovered, Tom is commissioned to solve the murder case. It is said that Susan’s killer is a spy from the KGB! He soon becomes one of the suspects; Because a Polaroid photo of him was found, which was Susan’s house. Now he has only a few years to find the killer; Before the computer can reconstruct the image.

Brad Pitt smoking in the movie Allied

28. Allied movie

Allied film

    • Director: Robert Zamkis
    • Author: Steven Knight
    • Cast: Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, and Lizzie Kaplan
    • Release Date: November 23, 2016
    • Average Allied  Scores on  IMDB:  7.1

The Allies are at the height of World War II; In the stressful year of 1942. The film tells a Canadian intelligence officer and a French resistance force who appear as a couple during a mission in Casablanca. During this mission, the two fall in love with each other. Now the critical question is, between duty and love, who survives and who loses his life?

The exciting thing about this film is that the costume design of the characters was based on different situations and their way of thinking. Among other strengths, this costume design attracted a lot of critics’ attention and admiration. But the subject that critics had trouble with was the script, which believed that there was no chemistry or emotion between the two actors. As expected, the Allies were not so victorious at the box office and were somewhat defeated. Unfortunately, this film did not win any awards in any festival or section, and it was mainly nominated for awards for its extraordinary costume design.

Toby Jones and Colin Firth studying in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

27- Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy movie

Spy Soldier Tailor

    • Director: Thomas Alfredson
    • Author: Jean Le Correa
    • Cast: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, and Tom Hardy
    • Release Date: September 16, 2011
    • Average Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy  scores on  IMDB:  7.1

The story is set in one of the best spy films of the early 1970s during the Cold War; When the head of the British intelligence service, Control, resigned after his mission in Budapest, Hungary, went wrong. It soon became apparent that Control believed that one of the four senior figures in the service was a Russian agent and a spy. The Hungarian operation was an attempt by the controller to find out the identity of this Spy. After taking Control, George Smiley was forced to retire.

But a senior government official asks him to investigate a story told to him by a rogue agent named Ricky Tarr; That there is a spy in the organization. Smiley found that the failure of the Hungarian operation and the continued success of the witchcraft operation (the apparent source of information from the Soviet Union) confirm this; So he decided to do his best to find this Spy. Not only was the film a box office success, but it was also critically acclaimed. These spy films earned the Best British Cinema Award at the British Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Robert De Niro with Jean Reno and Sean Bean in Ronin

26- Ronin movie

Ronin movie

    • Director: John Frankenheimer
    • Author: J. January. Zic
    • Cast: Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, and Natasha McLaughlin
    • Release Date: September 25, 1998
    • Ronin  Average on  IMDB:  7.3

Ronin is a Japanese word used for a masterless samurai. But in this case, one of the best spy movies in history, Ronin, is a despised person specializing in various fields. Their services are available to everyone, and they do everything for money. Deirdre hires a few runners to form a team. She intends to use these runes to take an essential bag from a man and return it; This man wants to sell it to the Russians. As soon as the mission was complete, one of the group members immediately moved the bag, and it seemed that he was working for his pocket to make more profit and money.

Gradually revealed The complex network between these members; everyone was cheating on each other, and these activities slowly showed their deadly consequences. Ronin is best known for his actual car chase in Paris and Nice. Many critics praised the action scenes, acting, and technical aspects of this work; This was while the script was a bit heartbreaking for the critics and provoked their criticism.

Will Smith using public telephone in Enemy of the State

25. Enemy of the State

Enemy of the Nation movie

    • Director: Tony Scott
    • Author: David Marconi
    • Cast: Will Smith, Ginny Hackman, and John Witt
    • Release Date: November 20, 1998
    • Average Scores of Enemy of the State on  IMDB:   7.3

The excellent actors in The Enemy of the Nation have made it one of the best spy movies in history. This work tells the story of a group of National Security Agency agents. They are plotting to assassinate and cover up a member of Congress. But after a while, the tape related to the murder is given to an unknown lawyer, and everything falls apart.

The Enemy of the Nation was widely acclaimed by critics and was a massive success at the box office. Many critics loved and admired the writing and directing style and the charm between Smith and Hawken. In light of the events of 9/11, the Patriot Bill, and the revelations made by Edward Snowden in connection with the Agency’s oversight program called Prism; It can say that this outstanding film was ahead of its time and pointed out many things that were going to happen in the future. Critics have described it as a terrifying and entertaining film. It should note that in 2016, it states that a serial version of the world and the story of this movie will probably make; But no new news has been released yet.

Robert Redford and Brad Pitt in Spy Game

24- Spy Game movie

Game Spy Movie

    • Director: Tony Scott
    • Author: Michael Frost Beckner and David Arata
    • Cast: Robert Redford, Brad Pitt, and Katherine McCormack
    • Release Date: November 21, 2001
    • Average Spy Game  scores on  IMDB:  7.1

Spy Game, another of the best spy movies, tells the story of a CIA agent and his assistant. Nathan Muir, who is about to retire, finds out that his student Tom Bishop has been arrested for espionage in China. Muir, who is no stranger to the conspiracies of high-ranking CIA officials, uses all his efforts and resources to get Bishop out of the situation and free him. This old CIA agent recalls how he recruited and trained this young rookie as he began his mission to rescue and free Bishop; At the time, he was a sergeant in Vietnam who hired Bishop. They experienced various events together and even met a woman whose friendship was in danger during this time.

The film was not very successful at the box office. But it received relatively good ratings from critics. Critics have argued that the film, while thrilling and entertaining, does not do much for the audience; however, it is fascinating to watch Brad Pitt and Robert Redford together.

Chris Pert in military uniform in Zero Dark Thirty

23- Zero Dark Thirty movie

Movie thirty minutes after midnight

    • Director: Catherine Bigelow
    • Author: Mark Bull
    • Cast: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clark, and Joel Edgerton
    • Release Date: December 19, 2012
    • Average Zero Dark Thirty  Scores on  IMDB:  7.4

Maya is a CIA agent whose first experience was interrogating prisoners; Following al-Qaeda’s attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001. He disagreed with the intense pressure on prisoners but believed that the truth could only obtain through such tactics. He spent several years alone searching for different clues because he was trying to find the residence of Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda.

It was finally in 2011 that his efforts seemed to be paying off. Meanwhile, a US Navy Special Forces team was tasked with either killing or arresting bin Laden. But in the meantime, only Maya is sure of the place she found for bin Laden. The film was critically acclaimed, and the box office brought in a lot of revenue for the filmmakers. In addition to being on the list of 95 critics of the best films of 2012, 30 minutes after midnight, the film was nominated for awards in various categories and festivals; The Academy Award for Best Soundtrack and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama was among the prizes.

Robert Redford on the streets of the city in Three Days of the Condor

۲۲- فیلم Three Days of the Condor

Three days vulture movie

    • Director: Sydney Pollack
    • Author: Lorenzo Sample Jr. and David Reifel
    • Cast: Robert Redford, Phi Danawi, and Cliff Robertson
    • Release Date: September 24, 1975
    • Average scores of Three Days of the Condor on  IMDB:   7.4

The good-natured CIA researcher, receiving money for reading the book, found that all his colleagues had been killed one day after returning from lunch. Now Condor has to figure out who did it. More importantly, he must reach the killer before the killer gets him and settle the account. This work is also one of those films that combine Spy and terrifying elements with political issues. The book Six Days of the Condor, published in 1974 by James Grady, was the primary inspiration for this film.

Thanks to Sydney Pollack’s directing style and the fantastic acting of the cast, the terrifying and paranoid scenes captivate and keep the audience entertained. The Variety site reviewer has rated this work as mediocre; he believed that this work should have provided more material and content with such a budget. But in any case, many thought that the screening of this film, shortly after the Watergate story, made its story much more believable.

Tom Hanks in the Interrogation Room in Bridge of Spies

21. Bridge of Spies movie

The Bridge of Spies

    • Director: Steven Spielberg
    • Authors: Matt Charman, Ethan Coen, and Joel Coen
    • Cast: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, and Amy Ryan
    • Release Date: October 16, 2015
    • Average Bridge of Spies  scores on  IMDB:  7.6

The Cold War is underway, and the film tells the story of a lawyer named James B. Quotes Donavan; Someone who will negotiate the release of Francis Gary Powers. Francis Gary Powers was a US Air Force pilot whose U-2 spy plane was shot down in the Soviet Union in 1960. In exchange for Gary Powers, Danone announced in court that he was willing to extradite Rudolf Abel (a convicted spy for the US-owned KGB). The film’s name refers to Paul Glinike, who connects Berlin and Potsdam; Where the exchange of spies or prisoners took place.

The Spies Bridge was critically acclaimed for its praise of Hanks and Rylance. They also loved Spielberg’s direction, Thomas Newman’s music, and the value of production. In addition to the critics, ordinary audiences became very interested in the film and made a lot of money for its creators. Mark Rylance won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the play. Of course, this was one of the production team’s awards; Of the 67 awards nominated and 19 received.

James Stewart and Brenda De Banzi in The Man Who Knew Too Much

20. The Man Who Knew Too Much

The film of a man who knew a lot

    • Director: Alfred Hitchcock
    • Author: Charles Michael Hess
    • Cast: James Stewart, Doris Day, and Brenda De Barney
    • Release Date: May 16, 1956
    • Average rating of The Man Who Knew Too Much on  IMDB:   7.4

As mentioned in the introduction, the great Alfred Hitchcock did an excellent service to this cinematic genre and made one of the best spy films. It is the second film that Hitchcock made with this title; It was not until 1934 that he used the title, But it was a work that had a completely different script and story. When asked in an interview why Hitchcock made two films with a completely different story but the same name, he replied: “Let’s say a talented amateur makes the first version and the second version is the creation of a professional.”

The film won an Academy Award for Best Soundtrack. People at the box office welcomed the film and put a lot of money into the pockets of its creators. On the other hand, the critics greatly appreciated this work and liked the actors’ performance more than anything; On the other hand, they also mentioned how exciting this work is and how it can entertain its audience. In 2004, the original soundtrack of this work select as one of the best soundtracks of the last 100 years.

Eric Bana and Jeffrey Rush in Munich

19- Munich movie

Munich Film

    • Director: Steven Spielberg
    • Author: Tony Kouchner and Eric Roth
    • Cast: Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, and Kieran Hinds
    • Release Date: September 28, 2007
    • Munich  IMDB  Average Rating:  7.5

It is one of the best espionage films based on the 1984 novel Vengeance by George Jonas; A report on Operation Wrath of God. The operation was a covert retaliation by the Israeli government against the Palestine Liberation Organization after the Munich massacre at the 1972 Summer Olympics. Unfortunately, this work did not do very well at the box office and was sold to one of Steven Spielberg’s weakest works in the discussion. Although Munich was nominated for five Academy Awards that year, it failed to receive any of them. In 2017, Munich was ranked 16th in the New York Times list of the best films made in the 21st century.

Although the film did not fully achieve its goals, its political and terrifying elements still created an intriguing atmosphere worth watching. Describing the film, one critic said that Munich could open the audience’s eyes; The work, which asks difficult questions, has well-developed characters and brings a lot of excitement and fear to its audience.

Matt Damon is giving money to Franca Putnte in The Bourne Identity

18. The Bourne Identity movie

Bourne Identity Movie

  • Director: Doug Lyman
  • By Tony Gilroy and William Blake Heron
  • Cast: Matt Damon, Franca Puente, and Brian Cox
  • Release Date: June 14, 2002
  • Average rating of The Bourne Identity on  IMDB:   7.9

When the body of a mysterious man is found in the sea, it becomes clear that he is still alive and has forgotten everything about his life; Including his identity. Eventually, he remembers the little details in life and soon realizes that his name is Jason Bourne. What Jason doesn’t like are the fake guns and passports that belong to him. Now Bourne and his new friend Marie Helena Krotz are moving from country to country to find her new identity. But one person in the story is not happy to see Jason Bourne alive and well and is trying to find him.

Jason Bourne’s identity is based on the same name, written in 1980 by Robert Ludlum. This film is the first part of Jason Bourne’s popular series, after which other details were made, which depict different parts of the character’s adventure. Bourne’s identity made a lot of money from the box office and was widely acclaimed by world-renowned critics.

Robert Donat with Madeline Carroll in The 39 Steps

17- The 39 Steps movie

39 steps movie

    • Director: Alfred Hitchcock
    • Author: Charles Bennett and Ian Hee
    • Cast: Robert Donat, Medellin Carroll and Lucy Mannheim
    • Release Date: August 2, 1935
    • The 39 Steps  average rating on  IMDB:  7.6

The Thirty-Nine Steps was an adventure novel published by John Bucken in 1915, based on which Alfred Hitchcock made one of the best spy films. Richard Honey is a Canadian visitor to London. He meets Annabelle Smith at the end of the play “Mr. Memory,” held in the music hall, someone running away from secret agents. Richard agrees to shelter her at home, but the woman is suddenly killed during the night. Hani runs away for fear of being accused of killing Annabelle and tries to break the spy ring.

The film has been widely regarded as a classic since its inception. The film was so well received that many artists called it a masterpiece. “It is no exaggeration to say that all contemporary and entertaining Ferrari works begin with 39 Steps,” said Robert Town. At the time, The Man Who Knew Too Much was the only work that could stand up to 39 steps and be compared to it.

Alec Baldwin's youth in The Hunt for Red October

16- The Hunt for Red October movie

Hunting film for Red October

  • Director: John McTiernan
  • Author: John Milius and Larry Ferguson
  • Cast: Sean Connery, Scott Glenn, and James Earl Jones
  • Release Date: March 2, 1990
  • The IMDB  average score of The Hunt for Red October:  7.6

Hunting for Red October, one of the best spy movies, again portrayed Sean Connery in a different work as a spy character. The screenplay is based on a book by Tom Clancy of the same name. It is the first part of the movie series about the main character, Jack Ryan. The story takes place at the end of the Cold War, in which the captain of the Soviet Navy tries to defeat the United States with his agents and the newest and most advanced naval submarine.

A CIA agent well deduces his motives and presents his hypothesis to the US military. These same incidents cause the US and Soviet navies to confront each other and their conflict to spiral out of control. The film was well-received by ordinary viewers at the box office and was well-received by critics. They read the film very cleverly and charmingly and praised the cast. In the same year of its release, the film won three awards from various festivals, including an Oscar, for its sound and editing.

Tony Liang and Joan Chen under the rain and umbrella in Lost, Caution

15. Lust, Caution

Lust movie, caution

  • Director: Ang Lee
  • Author: Eileen Chang and Ang Lee
  • Cast: Tony Liang, Tong Wei, and Joan Chen
  • Release Date: September 28, 2007
  • Average Lust, Caution  scores on  IMDB:  7.5

Lust, another of the best spy movies in history, takes place in Hong Kong in 1938 and Shanghai in 1942; At the time, it was occupied by the Royal Japanese Army and led by an unnamed government led by Wang Jing Wei. The story begins when a group of students from the University of Hong Kong plots to assassinate one of this unruly government’s high-ranking special agents and employees. They deceive this agent by using one of the beautiful young girls in their group and drag him to the trap.

In general, most audiences agree that the film is based on real-life events in Chinese history. Ang Lee won the Golden Lion for the second time at the Venice Film Festival; He had previously received a Brokeback Mountain film. The film was well-received by critics. They described the work as intense, emotional, and beautifully filmed. The New York Daily News named Prosperity the fifth, and the Los Angeles Times called it the sixth highest-grossing film of 2007.

Tom Hoffman watches Caris van Houten at the train station in Black Book

14. Black Book movie

Black Book Movie

    • Director: Paul Verhoeven
    • Author: Gerard Stoutman and Paul Verhoeven
    • Cast: Caris van Houten, Sebastian Koch and Tom Hoffman
    • Release Date: September 14, 2006
    • Average Black Book  scores on  IMDB:  7.7

The Black Book is indeed a terrifying and warlike work, but it is also one of the best spy films. It is said that some of the events and characters in the film were real. The story is about a young Jewish woman who lives in the Netherlands and becomes a spy for the resistance during World War II; after his encounter with the Nazis, he experienced a great tragedy. The film was well-received by the people and critics of the Netherlands and even won three Golden Calves Awards. He was welcomed in other parts of the world and was nominated for many awards, but he could not beat them.

It is interesting to note that the Black Book has been three times more expensive than any other non-English work in history. In addition, it is the best-selling Dutch work, which had the highest sales in 2006, especially in the Netherlands. In 2008, the people of this country named it the best Dutch work in history. One critic described it as “a severe combination of violence, moral relativism, and other issues,”; A melodrama that does not shy away from entertaining its audience.

Tom Cruise with Rebecca Ferguson and Henry Coyle in Mission: Impossible - Fallout

13- Mission: Impossible – Fallout

Mission Movie: Impossible – Fallout

The Impossible series can include many of the best spy movies, and like the James Bond series, it has done an excellent service to the genre. For example, in addition to Fallout, some of the best in this series include Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, and the first part of the series, the movie. Mission: Impossible and so on. The story of each episode of the film revolves around a character named Ethan Hunt, who is one of the agents of the Impossible Operations Force.

In each episode of the series, we see different adventures and various characters, and it is Ethan Hunt is familiar with all attacks. Ordinary audiences and many critics alike have well received the series. It has also won the title of the 16th best-selling film in history. Mission Movie Series: Impossible has increased its total revenue to $ 3.5 billion with its seventh episode. Interestingly, this series is often referred to as one of the best action franchises in history. Currently, two more parts of this series are in production.

Audrey Hepburn and Carrie Grant walk by the water in Charade

12- Charade movie

Riddle movie

    • Director: Stanley Dunn
    • Author: Peter Stone
    • Cast: Carrie Grant, Audrey Hepburn, and Walter Matao
    • Release Date: December 5, 1963
    • Average Charade  Scores on  IMDB:  7.9

Again in this work, which is one of the best espionage films in history, we see a combination of espionage, comedy, mystery, and romantic elements; In this way, it falls into three genres: suspense/horror, romantic, and comedy. At a glance, you can feel the brilliance of the script; Especially the unique charm and humor between the two main actors. After watching this work, the critics welcomed it and praised its various aspects.

One of the interesting points is that this film is described as “the best Hitchcock film that Hitchcock did not make,”; So much so that it gives the audience a sense of Hitchcock. A man is thrown off a train, and when the police finally find his wife, it becomes clear that he knows nothing about the man; He does not even know his name. After these incidents, four men chase this woman. Because they insist that this woman has a lot of money; They consider this money their right. If this woman does not give them this amount of money, she will be killed by them.

Frank Sinatra and Lawrence Harvey in The Manchurian Candidate

11- The Manchurian Candidate movie

Manchurian Candidate Film

    • Director: John Frankenheimer
    • Author: George Axel Road
    • Cast: Frank Sinatra, Lawrence Harvey, and Janet Lee
    • Release Date: October 24, 1962
    • Average rating of The Manchurian Candidate on  IMDB:   7.9

A different thing that John Frankenheimer did for this terrifying and espionage work was that he included elements of the political, psychological, and, of course, neo-noir genres into his film; A film that revolves around the Cold War and the sleeping agents. The Manchurian Candidate Screenplay is based on a novel of the same name published in 1959 by Richard Condon. The main story revolves around a Korean soldier named Raymond Shaw, a member of a prominent political family. The communists brainwashed Shaw after arresting him. He later returned to everyday life and citizenship in the United States.

But now, he had become an unwilling killer to carry out an international communist conspiracy. Raymond Shaw was tasked with overthrowing the US government and overthrowing them.

The film was released at the height of US-Soviet hostility as well as the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Manchurian nominee was critically acclaimed and was nominated for two Academy Awards. The film featured a classic combination of terrifying political and humorous storytelling that could strangely predict future events.

Brad Pitt is dressed in red in Burn After Reading

10- Burn After Reading movie

Sing and burn movies

    • Directed by Joel Cohen and Ethan Coen
    • Author: Joel Cohen and Ethan Coen
    • Cast: George Clooney, Francis McDormand, and John Malkovich
    • Release Date: September 12, 2008
    • Average Burn After Reading  scores on  IMDB:  7

It is a German black comedy that distinguishes Sing and Burns from other best spy movies. The film tells the story of a CIA analyst who recently lost his job. On the other side of the story, two slow-witted club employees find the memories of this former CIA employee by chance. Those who confuse these memories with confidential government documents try to profit from what they see. But these same efforts cause this unfortunate person to experience tragic events. The film had a good and positive performance at the box office and earned a lot of money. On the other hand, most of the critics were satisfied with watching this film and liked different aspects of it.

With the film Sing and Burn, the Coen brothers were able to create an excellent and clever comedy/horror; With brilliant scripts and memorable characters. The two brothers are so skilled at their job that they can make the audience laugh, even with a simple subject such as the correct placement of Vladimir Putin. They selected some of the cinema’s best and most expensive actors and played terrifying roles such as the Looney Tunes animation.

Margaret Lockwood with Paul Lucas in The Lady Vanishes

9- The Lady Vanishes movie

The lady movie disappears

    • Director: Alfred Hitchcock
    • Author: Sydney Gilliat and Frank Lavender
    • Cast: Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, and Paul Lucas
    • Release Date: October 7, 1938
    • Average rating of The Lady Vanishes on  IMDB:   7.8

As expected, another work is on the list of the best spy films made by Alfred Hitchcock. The film is based on a book by Ethel Lina White called The Wheel Spins. The work revolves around a beautiful English tourist who travels across Europe and discovers that all his senior travelers have disappeared. After a bit of searching and questioning, it becomes clear that other travelers have never seen such a woman. Likewise, the young woman accompanies a young musicologist to search the train for clues; In this way, they can find this older woman. Although Hitchcock’s previous three works performed poorly at the box office, Ms.’s film disappears; she was able to do well and make a lot of money.

This success led many to believe that Hitchcock could have a bright future in Hollywood. The British Film Institute ranked Lady Disappearing 35th in the list of the best English films of the 20th century. This work is one of Hitchcock’s most famous English films. Interestingly, this film was the only work that earned Hitchcock an award for directing in the New York Film Critics Circle.

Rudolf Klein-Ruge puts a gun to Willie Fritch's head in Spione

8- Spione movie

Spy Movies

    • Director: Fritz Lang
    • Author: Fritz Lang and Thea van Harbo
    • Cast: Rudolf Klein-Ruge, Garda Maurus and Willie Fritch
    • Release Date: March 22, 1928
    • Average Spione  scores on  IMDB:  7.6

For this, one of the best spy movies in history, we have to go to Germany to get acquainted with the terrifying and silent effect. The story of this film is based on a novel of the same name published by Thea van Harbor. The actual character is a criminal thinker who is always and everywhere several steps ahead of the police and the government’s secret service in his espionage operations. Agent 326 enters the story; A brave man who thinks his disguise is like a dirty and bearded tramp, an unknown thinking brain deceiving his subordinates. But Haghi is well aware of the existence of 326 and the appearance he has chosen for himself.

Sonia enters; A Russian lady who serves the right. Haghi calls on Sonia to thwart the efforts of this government official; But do not think at all too close to him. At the same time, Haqi wants to give a Japanese peace treaty to a cunning doctor named Massimoto; Someone whose mistress is in his service. In this work, Fritz Lang combined and displayed various topics such as destiny, fear, power, and paranoia dynamically and attractively.

Ingrid Bergman watching Carrie Grant in Notorious

7- Notorious movie

Infamous movie

  • Director: Alfred Hitchcock
  • Author: Ben Hackett
  • Cast: Carrie Grant, Ingrid Bergman, and Claude Reins
  • Release Date: September 6, 1946
  • Average Notorious  Scores on  IMDB:  8

Alfred Hitchcock topped the list of best spy movies with his infamous film. The film follows the story of a US government official who needs the help of Alicia Haberman.

Alicia is the daughter of a German war criminal who is tasked with infiltrating a Nazi organization. The situation becomes complicated when these two people fall in love with each other; Because Haberman has a mission to deceive the leader of this organization and abuse his previous interest in himself. Critics and researchers consider the infamous film an artistic turning point for Hitchcock, who portrayed a high thematic maturity on his screen.

According to the filmmaker’s biographer, the infamous film was Alfred Hitchcock’s first attempt (until 46) to use his abilities and skills to create a profound love story. Critics also believed that Hecht and Hitchcock made this romantic melodrama with a brilliant and captivating style; An emotional work that gives warmth to its audience with incredible action scenes and great characters. Some critics considered the infamous film to be one of Hitchcock’s most extraordinary and most significant works.

Buster Keaton in The General falls in front of the train with a piece of wood

6- The General movie

Film General

  • Director: Clyde Brockman and Buster Keaton
  • Authors: El Bosberg, Clyde Brockman, Buster Keaton, Charles Henry Smith, and Paul Gerard Smith
  • Cast: Buster Keaton, Marion Mack, and Glenn Cownder
  • Release Date: February 5, 1927
  • Average The General  Scores on  IMDB:  8.1

Johnny loves his train (named General) and Annabelle Lee. When the civil war broke out, Johnny intended to serve, but his request was denied; Because he had more value and application as an engineer. Annabelle thought the main reason was Johnny’s cowardice. The spies take the General Union hostage while Annabelle is in it. Now Johnny has to save both his loves in this story. The General, a silent and comedic work, is one of the best spy films in history. The excellent locomotive chase inspires the story of this film; The true story of what happened during the American Civil War.

The General, an action/adventure/comedy film released at the end of the silent film era, was not well received in its original release; Both from ordinary audiences and critics. This incident also prevented the general from achieving much success at the box office, and he recorded a significant defeat in the case of Buster Keaton. As a result, Keaton lost his independence as a filmmaker and was forced to sign a restrictive contract with Metro Golden Meyer. In 1954, the film became public property in the United States. At the same time, the film was re-evaluated and has since been recognized as one of the greatest and greatest American films in history.

Orson Welles stands in the dark in The Third Man

5- The Third Man movie

The Third Man Movie

  • Director: Carol Reed
  • Author: Graham Green
  • Cast: Joseph Cotton, Alida Wally, and Orson Welles
  • Release Date: February 2, 1950
  • The Third Man   Average IMDB Score:  8.1

Holly Martinez, an unemployed novelist, arrived in Vienna after the war; Where it was divided into different parts by the victorious allies, and the lack of diverse resources led to the Prosperity of the black market. He came there at the invitation of a former school friend named Harry Lyme because of Holly’s job offer. But when he got there, he realized that Lyme had recently died in a strange car accident. After talking to Lyme’s friends and colleagues, Martinez soon concluded that some of the stories did not fit together and that the bowl was half-bowl.

In the same way, he decided to find out the truth of the matter and find out what happened to Harry Lime. Among the positive and robust points of the third man, the film is the cinematography of expressionism and its black and white, intense lighting, and the camera technique of “Dutch view,” which has created an exciting and attractive atmosphere. The three are combined with iconic soundtracks, exceptional locations, and extraordinary acting, creating a brilliant style.

Ulrich Mohe listening to audio in The Lives of Others

4- The Lives of Others movie

Videos of other people’s lives

    • Director: Florian Henkel von Donnersmark
    • Author: Florian Henkel von Donnersmark
    • Cast: Ulrich Mohe, Sebastian Koch and Martina Gadak
    • Release Date: February 9, 2007
    • Average rating of The Lives of Others on  IMDB:   8.4

In addition, it received the British Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Award for Best Foreign Language Film and the European Film Academy Award for Best Picture. Previously, of course, the film had won seven awards at the German Film Awards.

The film was screened 17 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and was the first film to revolve around this issue profoundly and prominently; What happened was the end of the German Democratic Republic. This approach was widely welcomed in Germany; Although some criticized the humanization of Whistler’s character. Although the director grew up outside of East Germany and was 16 when the Berlin Wall fell, there was still no doubt about the film’s authenticity, and it was commendable.

Carrie Grant running away from the plane in North by Northwest

3- North by Northwest movie

North film from the northwest

  • Director: Alfred Hitchcock
  • Author: Ernest Lehmann
  • Cast: Carrie Grant, Eva Marie St., and James Mason
  • Release Date: July 1, 1959
  • Average North by Northwest  Scores on  IMDB:  8.3

For the first time in history, we go back to another fascinating work by Alfred Hitchcock. Ernst Lehmann, who wrote the screenplay, intended to write a script for “A Hitchcock film that completes all Hitchcock films.” Madison Street Advertiser Roger Thornhill is thrown into the world of spies when he is mistaken for a man named George Kaplan. On the other hand, Philip Vandam, a foreign spy, tries to eliminate Leonard and his partner. But when Thornhill tries to understand the case and find a rationale for it, he is charged with murder.

When he escapes from the police, he encounters a beautiful blonde woman named Yves Kendall, who helps him escape from the authorities. After a while, it becomes clear that Eve is not the innocent woman she imagined; This incident causes his world to be turned upside down once again. Of course, not everything is as it seems. Hitchcock is often regarded as one of the greatest films of all time.

Ginny Hackman sits in the rubble with a saxophone in The Conversation

2- The Conversation movie

Conversation movie

  • Director: Francis Ford Coppola
  • Author: Francis Ford Coppola
  • Cast: Ginny Hackman, John Cazal, and Alan Garfield
  • Release Date: April 7, 1974
  • The Conversation   Average IMDB Score:  7.8

Conversation, one of the best spy movies, revolves around a surveillance expert who encounters a possible murder in one of his tapes; In the same way, he is in a difficult moral situation and has to make the right choice. In one of his speeches, Coppola said that the film “Blow-up,” the terrifying work of Michelangelo Antonioni, had a significant impact on this project. Screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 1974, the film won the festival’s best award, the Palme d’Or. Although it attracted many positive reviews from critics, Paramount’s mysterious and terrifying work did not produce an exciting performance at the box office.

Critics believed that the work could put Francis Ford Coppola to the best of his ability and offer extraordinary arguments about the role of technology in society that still resonate today. Playing the role of Hackman in the form of Cowell’s character has been described as one of the most emotional and sad characters in cinemas. According to critics, the film belongs to another time and place in terms of story and writing; Because at that time, the level of other terrifying works was much higher.

Sean Connery leans on the car in Goldfinger

1- Goldfinger movie

Golden Claw movie

    • Director:  Guy Hamilton
    • By  Richard Maybom, Paul Dan Based on Ian Fleming’s novel The Golden Claw
    • Cast:  Sean Connery, Honor Blackman, Gareth Forbes
    • Release Date: 1964
    • Goldfinger   Average IMDB Score:  7.7

The first item in the list of best spy movies is Goldfinger, one of the most famous James Bond movies. Although Casino Royal received a higher rating than this work, the Golden Claw is still the best and most well-known work in the series. It was this work that, with its vast budget compared to the previous two episodes and its remarkable success, made the James Bond film series attract everyone’s attention and gain a special place. However, in general, the James Bond film collection can be considered the so-called mother of the espionage genre, and this choice is a religious homage to this collection.

In 1962, the James Bond character entered the world of cinema, through which Connery began his espionage cases. After almost 60 years, the audience has accompanied various actors and followed many emotional adventures. The best works in this series include Casino Royale, Skyfall, Goldfinger, From Russia with Love, starring Sean Connery, and GoldenEye, starring Pierce. Brazilian et al.

Common Questions

1. What are the best spy movies?

The best spy movies are North by Northwest, The Lives of Others, and Burn After Reading. Read the complete list of 40 spy movies in the article on the website.

2. What are the best puzzle spy movies?

Among the mystery spy movies are Spy Game, Bridge of Spies, and Notorious. Read the complete list of 40 spy movies in the article on the website.