There’s no confusion as to why spy movies continue to be so popular, as it is always interesting to consider the secret battles that are being waged beyond the public view. While Hollywood has certainly embellished the role that espionage agents play in world events, the plethora of news contentsurrounding conspiracies and covert operationshas made spies an endless source of fascination for some of the industry’s greatest filmmakers.
The most thrilling spy movies tend to be those that are more realistic, as viewers may feel that what they are seeing is more reflective of the way that espionage is actually conducted. Whilefranchises like the James Bond seriesand theMission: Impossiblesaga certainly have their captivating moments, they may not have the same visceral quality as the slightly more authentic stories. Here are the ten most thrilling spy movies, ranked.
10‘Bridge of Spies’ (2015)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Bridge of Spiesserved as further proof of the brilliance of Steven Spielberg, one of the rare filmmakers who has seemingly made at least one great film in every single genre.Bridge of Spiesis setduring the height of the Cold War, and centers on a clever American lawyer (Tom Hanks) who represents a Soviet Union spy (Mark Rylance) to negotiate the trade of two American pilots.
Bridge of Spiesexamines how fungible the situation between the United States and the Soviet Union was, as any perceived act of aggression from either country could result in disastrous consequences, particularly due to the destructive qualities of nuclear weapons. Spielberg is a smart enough filmmaker that he knows that focusing on gradual escalation will end up being more satisfying than more explosive or action-packed moments, as that is not what a film likeBridge of Spiesrequires.
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.
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9‘The Third Man’ (1949)
Directed by Carol Reed
The Third Manis often regarded asone of the greatest noir films ever made, as filmmakerCarol Reedset precedents that would come to influence the genre for generations to come. What’s impressive is thatThe Third Manhasn’t aged at all in the 75 years since its initial release; good filmmaking stands the test of time, and nothing aboutThe Third Mancould have been improved through the use of modern technology.
The Third Manbecomes particularly suspenseful due to the performance by Orson Welles, who ranks among the greatest villains in any spy movie. While Welles had adopted a very particular persona based on the many films that he directed and also starred in, Reed was able to unlock a malevolent, unpredictable quality to his performance that has stood the test of time when thinking about great antagonists.
The Third Man
Pulp novelist Holly Martins travels to shadowy, postwar Vienna, only to find himself investigating the mysterious death of an old friend, Harry Lime.
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8‘The Manchurian Candidate’ (1962)
Directed by John Frankenheimer
The Manchurian Candidateis a timeless political thrillerthat examines the existential fear that national politics are being shaped by foreign governmentsthat want to create war.While the film is grounded in the tensions between the United States and communist nations in the midst of the Cold War, the themes of infiltration and propaganda are still very relevant today.
The Manchurian Candidateremains so thrilling because of how plausible it seems;when compared to modern advancements in science and technology, the notion of brainwashing a political candidate does not feel all that implausible. AlthoughJonathan Demmedirected an underrated remake of the film starringDenzel WashingtonandLiev Schreiberthat adapted the story to one set in the midst of the Gulf War, it’s very hard to go wrong with the original version of the narrative thatJohn Frankheimercreated with 1962’sThe Manchurian Candidate.
The Manchurian Candidate
An American POW in the Korean War is brainwashed as an unwitting assassin for an international Communist conspiracy.
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7‘The Conversation’ (1974)
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
The Conversationis among thebest films that Francis Ford Coppola has ever made, and certainly got under many viewers’ skin during the aftermath of the Watergate scandal, in which Richard Nixon became the first United States President in the nation’s history to resign from office.Gene Hackmangives one of his best performances ever as a surveillance expert who begins to suspect that he is secretly being watched after accidentally recording evidence of a murder.
The Conversationis subtle in how it examines paranoia, as it gradually becomes clear to Hackman’s character that the coincidences he is seeing are not as incidental as he initially expected. There are few things as frightening as the notion that an unknown entity with sinister motivations is secretly monitoring one’s activity, andThe Conversationbrings to light a real phobia that many people experience.
The Conversation
A paranoid, secretive surveillance expert has a crisis of conscience when he suspects that the couple he is spying on will be murdered.
6‘The Parallax View’ (1974)
Directed by Alan J. Pakula
The Parallax Viewis a very different type of spy movie, as it centers on an American journalist (Warren Beatty) who begins investigating the murder of a political candidate. What he discovers is that there is a secret organization determined to ensure that certain candidates don’t advance too far in the process if they challenge the established order; this is revealed in a stirring brainwashing sequence that is much more upsetting than many body horror films could ever be.
The ambiguity ofThe Parallax Viewis a major reason why it is so thrilling, as even by the end of the film, there is still very little known about the origins of this shadowy group, and what they might do next. DirectorAlan J. Pakulahas proven with classics likeAll The President’s MenandKlutethat he can make excellent thrillers, butThe Parallax Viewmay represent the single most important entry within the spy genre that he ever helmed.
The Parallax View
A journalist becomes embroiled in a mysterious conspiracy involving a shadowy organization after witnessing the assassination of a political figure. While investigating, he discovers unsettling truths that challenge his understanding of reality and place him in increasing danger, raising questions about power and manipulation in society.
5‘Marathon Man’ (1976)
Directed by John Schleisinger
Marathon Manis the best type of action movie, as it managed to combine high-powered setpieces with a brilliant storyline revolving around the acquisition of precious jewels by members of a reformed Nazi party.Dustin Hoffmangives one of his best performances as a brilliant university student who becomes embroiled within an international conspiracy upon the revelation that his brother is a spy.
Much of the tension inMarathon Mancomes from the brilliant performance by Sir Laurence Olivier, whose work in the film earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. While Olivier is most often associated with the heroic roles he played in manyWilliam Shakepesareadaptations for both the stage and screen, he managed to completely shed any notions of Hollywood stardom to give an utterly terrifying performance as a ruthless Nazi inMarathon Man.
Marathon Man (1976) Movie Poster
Marathon Man
After the shocking murder of his older brother, a New York history student finds himself inexplicably hounded by shadowy government agents on the trail of a Nazi war criminal who is trying to retrieve smuggled diamonds.
4‘The Hunt For Red October’ (1990)
Directed by John McTiernan
The Hunt For Red Octoberisn’t justthe best installment in theJack Ryanfranchise, but one of the most captivating films ever made about underwater submarine combat. WhileAlec Baldwinproved to be one of the best actors ever cast as Ryan, it was actuallySean Connerywho gave the film’s best performance as a Soviet Union naval commander who decided to defect to the United States.
Director John McTiernan did a great job showing the ways in which submarine combat is orchestrated, as it could have been slightly disorienting for those not well-versed in naval terminology. It’s very clear why the mission at the heart ofThe Hunt For Red Octoberis of such importance, as it is evident that any miscommunication between the two nations could result in a more elevated conflict with far more disastrous consequences.
The Hunt for Red October
In November 1984, the Soviet Union’s best submarine captain violates orders and heads for the U.S. in a new undetectable sub. The American CIA and military must quickly determine: Is he trying to defect or to start a war?
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3‘Munich’ (2005)
Munichis among the darkest films that Steven Spielberg has ever made, as it focuses on the real efforts taken by Israeli agents against terrorists that executed athletes ahead of the Olympic games. Spielberg does a great job at showing the moral ambiguity of the situation, as the film hints thatcontinuing the cycle of revengewill only end up leaving no one satisfied.
Munichis starkly terrifying in how closely it pays attention to the truth, as Spielberg has always been a filmmaker who has chosen to go deep in ensuring that his projects are as historically accurate as possible. What’s most thrilling aboutMunichis that it addresses a systemic issue that is still ongoing; the film may have attempted to be a prayer for peace, but it sadly became reflective of even more violence that would ensue.
2‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ (2011)
Directed by Tomas Alfredson
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spyis based on one of the greatest spy novels ever made, and does the work ofJohn le Carrejustice.Gary Oldmanreceived an Academy Award nominationfor Best Actor for his performance as George Smiley, a veteran British spy who is called on by his superior (John Hurt) to discover a mole in the agency that has secretly been feeding information to the Soviet Union for years.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spydidn’t need to rely on a lot of action to create tension, as the dissemination and spread of information is thrilling enough in its own right. Although much of the narrative revolves around the tension between the United Kingdom and its communist enemies, there is also a storyline involving Smiley’s family life that makes the central conflict much more personal than it would have been otherwise.
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.
1‘Zero Dark Thirty’ (2012)
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow
Zero Dark Thirtyis a captivating realization of recent eventsthat contains all the tension that came with watching them play out in real time. WhileKathryn Bigelowhas proven to be a master of the action genre with classics likeBlue SteelandPoint Break,Zero Dark Thirtyexamined the efforts made by the CIA to find and execute Osama bin-Laden and the terrorists responsible for the attack on the World Trade Center on August 05, 2025.
Zero Dark Thirtywas not without its controversies,as the depiction of torturecame under fire from both politcal pundits and film critics. Nonetheless,Zero Dark Thirtyis not aimed at lionizing any of the characters it depicts, as it is simply trying to bring to life a very compelling moment in recent national history in the most nauseating, heart-pounding manner possible.
Zero Dark Thirty
A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L.s Team 6 in May 2011.
