The Best Spy Movies on Netflix

The best thing about spy movies is the fact that they come in a variety of genres. From action comedies to suspenseful thrillers, viewers get to enjoy a plethora of espionage movies in and out of theaters.

Mission: Impossible

While action star, Tom Cruise, has been in several popular spy films over the decades, he is most known for his role as Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible series. It all started with the 1996 film, which became a huge commercial success and spawned six films, with the seventh and eighth on the way. While Cruise was already a bonafide star before this film and has starred in numerous spy films throughout his career, his role in the original Mission: Impossible remains one of his most iconic roles.

The Bourne Identity

Another actor with an iconic spy movie role is Matt Damon in the Jason Bourne film series. The Bourne Identity kicked off the franchise in 2002 and featured Damon as a man suffering from amnesia who sets off on a journey to regain his memory. However, he is faced with assassins who wish to kill him. The first of many fast-paced action thrillers, The Bourne Identity was a huge commercial success and received critical praise, alongside Damon’s performance.

Johnny English Reborn

This spy action comedy film is one of the less intense ones on the list. Serving as the sequel to the original Johnny English film, but capable of standing alone, Johnny English Reborn is a fun watch for all. Released in 2011, this parody of James Bond stars Rowan Atkinson as the titular character, so of course, there are several laugh-out-loud moments in the film. Atkinson plays a clumsy British agent who takes on a thrilling mission, so this makes for a great watch for those who long for action sequences with a laugh on the side.

Salt

Angelina Jolie also has a healthy catalog of spy films. With films like Mr. & Mrs. Smith alongside Brad Pitt, The Tourist with Johnny Depp, and Wanted as some films she has acted in, Jolie’s knack for action films is on full display. However, she exhibits immense range in 2010’s Salt. Starring as CIA agent, Evelyn Salt, who is falsely accused of planning to assassinate Russia’s president, she must embark on a dangerous journey to prove her innocence. Jolie takes her acting up a notch with her acclaimed performance in this film. With a brilliant supporting cast featuring Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jolie’s fans are sure to enjoy Salt.

Safe House

Starring two Hollywood leading men, Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds, Safe House is a thrilling story of loyalty. The two actors were praised for their captivating performances, and while the film wasn’t the biggest hit, it was a huge success. Shot in Cape Town, South Africa, Safe House offers enough action and excitement to keep viewers highly entertained and provides an excellent soundtrack for the ride.

Central Intelligence

Sometimes, viewers just want a spy movie without the mind-boggling plot twists and suspenseful scenes. That’s where Central Intelligence comes to play: a buddy cop action comedy featuring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Kevin Hart that uses humor to touch on some important issues. The unusual pairing of the two opposite leads makes for some hilarious television. As the two prevent impending destruction, there are a lot of crude jokes, violent moments, and charming relationships along the way.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

In 2005, when Mr. & Mrs. Smith was released, all everyone could talk about was the onscreen coupling of lead stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt — and for good reason. The pair delivered brilliant performances and successfully earned the film more than 480 million dollars at the box office. The film follows a married couple who discovers they are both contract assassins working for different agencies and have been assigned to kill each other. The drama, action, and romance that ensue due to this discovery elevate this film to be very captivating. The film includes many genres, with hilarious moments, romantic scenes, and heavy action sequences.

Duplicity

Another romance crime comedy, but without the action-packed scenes, Duplicity focuses on two secret agents (working for opposing companies) who try to put aside their differences to work together privately to earn a big score. Led by very believable performances from Clive Owen and Julia Roberts, Duplicity offers a fresh film with enough surprising twists to keep viewers hooked. The onscreen relationship between the two leads is also quite fun to watch, as they are both so into each other, yet fiercely loyal to the job. While it’s not winning any awards for the best plot, it is definitely a charming movie with a lot of beautiful scenery, as the film was shot in numerous locations, including the Bahamas, New York City, London, and Rome.

Body of Lies

Body of Lies showcases intense and convincing performances by Leonardo DiCaprio and Russel Crowe. It’s a very serious film about tensions between nations and follows a CIA agent in Jordan who is hunting a powerful terrorist and hatches a dangerous plan with the help of his boss. The stakes become increasingly high as the introduction of the head of Jordan’s security brings about a lot of strain. The film is worth watching because of the strong acting from the main and supporting characters, and it offers some much-needed action thriller moments you’d hope to expect.

Internal Affairs

This 2002 Hong Kong action thriller received extremely positive reviews. The movie follows an undercover cop who is on a mission to expose a mole on the force. The only problem is that neither the cop nor the mole knows who they are looking for, and thus, an interesting and dangerous game ensues. The success of this film spawned two sequels and an American remake by Martin Scorsese titled, The Departed, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.