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Spy Movie Review: This Nikhil Siddhartha film is a thriller riddled with loopholes

Nihkhil siddhartha takes on the role of raw agent in this garry bh directorial. the thriller tried to combine too many stories, which was its downfall, says our review..

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• Spy released in theatres on June 29.
• The Telugu film features a cameo by Rana Daggubati.
• Jisshu Sengupta plays a key role in the film.

Release Date: 29 Jun, 2023

Telugu actor Nikhil Siddhartha's Spy comes on the back of several hits for the actor. This movie, directed by debutant Garry BH, revolves around the story of Jay (Nikhil) who plays a RAW agent.

This is Garry BH's first directorial, but he has worked earlier as editor on successful films like Ghazi and HIT. Given that most of those films followed the thriller and action genre, it wasn't surprising that he chose this genre to make his debut in.

When the film begins, the audience is made to believe that Jay will go on a hunt for his brother's killers, but as the story unfolds we find that Subhas Chandra Bose's classified files missing, talk of the Battle of Kohima and a terrorist who is playing hide-and-seek with RAW. Too many ideas have been thrust into the story with no coherent or connected storyline leaving the movie disjointed and the audience a little confused to say the least. A thriller needs to have a tight storyline and a racy timeline. In the case of Spy, that's sorely missing. While plenty of action has been packed in, it doesn't keep you hooked. Garry BH's weak script lets down the actors and the audience.

Nikhil Siddhartha has given his best as Jay, especially in the action scenes, but it is Abhinav Gomatam who steals the show. He is absolutely funny and breaks the monotony of the script and is unpredictable with his one-liners. Iswarya Menon has an OK role but she and Sanya Thakur seem more like eye candy. Jisshu Sengupta could have been given a much stronger role in this movie and introduced much earlier in the film - this would have made it more engaging.

The sole romantic song in the film could have been avoided, though the BGM by Sricharan is good. Cinematography by Mark David was also a standout, but the editing, surprisingly, was poor.

At 2 hours 15 mins, Spy is a thriller that tries to be a desi Jason Bourne but sorely misses.

It's 2.5 on 5 stars for Spy. Published By: Latha Srinivasan Published On: Jun 29, 2023 --- ENDS ---

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• Is Nikhil Siddhartha's 'Spy' a hit or miss? Audience reviews unveiled

Is Nikhil Siddhartha's 'Spy' a hit or miss? Audience reviews unveiled

Bose Medha Vache sequences aithe mass 💥🥵 Thriller movies nachevallaki feast e movie #SpyMovie #Spy pic.twitter.com/eOtGABB5BI — Raja (@RajaViswa_9999) June 29, 2023

I Loved This Movie @actor_Nikhil Anna ❣️ 1st Half average 👍 But 2nd Half 🔥🙏🥵 BGM 👌💥 Visuals 🔥💥 Songs 👍 Bose Medha Vachay sequences Aithay mental mass Anthay 💥🥵 Don't Miss This Movie 🙌🔥💥 My Rating 3/5 #SPYMovie pic.twitter.com/2Hkpzs2mgZ — Chitti Kanna (@Fan4Tarak) June 29, 2023

#SPY Decent 1st half comedy is good thrilling elements r okayish Action scenes r good nikhil as Jay was good overall manchi point tho 2nd half loki vellabothunaru thop anipiledhu but decent vundhi waiting for 2nd half #NikhilSiddhartha #spymovie #EeNagaranikiEmaindi pic.twitter.com/oMTR8OwgaZ — MEMES_CHESTHUNTA (@PulakithSai) June 29, 2023

BGM 👌💥 Visuals 🔥💥 Songs 👍 Bose Medha Vachay sequences Aithay mental mass Anthay 💥🥵 Don't Miss This Movie 🙌🔥💥 #SPYMovie #SPY @actor_Nikhil pic.twitter.com/CyHXccQhb5 — SURY🅰️🅰️🪓 (@SurendraK1447) June 29, 2023

#SPYMovie Director built the story arount the point of subhash chandrabose mystery First half may test your patience but abhinav made the first balanced and coming to second the heart of the film Finally Rana + elevation for indian freedom fighters made the climax powerfull pic.twitter.com/kdDPkXEIt3 — Movie Buff (@UnitedTwood2108) June 29, 2023

What a Movie 🤯🔥 Content, Screenplay, BGM Top Notch 🔥 Excellent Performance from @actor_Nikhil #SPYMovie #SPYReview #SPYMovieReview #NikhilSiddhartha pic.twitter.com/08y9y1h0w5 — Anil Salaar (@Rebel4137531709) June 29, 2023

Magnificent first half and everyone are loving this so much.. Scene yo scene chala bagundi. ready for the best next half #SpyMovie #Spy pic.twitter.com/IHwaWGckCD — rocky (@rocky_rockssss) June 29, 2023

#SPYMovieFirst half completed Actor nikhil acting superbb 💥 Bomma blockbuster 💥💥 #SPYMovie pic.twitter.com/BcOA8VFVKA — venky (@venkayya_naidu) June 29, 2023

#SPYMovie Avg 2.5 - 2.75 @actor_Nikhil at his best 4/5 Post Production and editing(Main) dhebbeaindhi... @RanaDaggubati Cameo 🔥🔥🔥 Overall one time watchable 👍 https://t.co/haVbD7GkDu — AYYAPPA REDDY (@lucky59000) June 29, 2023

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After back-to-back hits Karthikeya 2 and 18 Pages, Nikhil Siddhartha’s first ‘pan-India’ movie Spy released in theatres on Thursday. Renowned editor Garry BH, who worked on successful movies like Evadu, Kshanam, Hit, Ghazi Attack and others, makes his directorial debut with this film. Spy, released in multiple languages, generated huge interest across the country with the promotional material and for attempting a story revolving around Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

The story of Spy is wafer thin. A mission led by Subhash (Aryan Rajesh), a RAW agent, to kill terrorist and India’s arch enemy Khadir Khan (Nithin Mehta) fails and Subhash gets killed. Subhash’s brother Jay (Nikhil), also a RAW agent, is called in by the department to track Khadir, kill him and unravel the mystery behind Subhash’s death. Abhinav Gomatham, debutant Iswarya Menon, Ravi Varma, Sanya Thakur play other agents who work with Nikhil. Makrand Deshpande plays RAW chief Shastri. Jisshu Sengupta plays scientist, mastermind terrorist Abdur Rahman. How this story has a connection to Netaji is to be understood after watching the movie.

The film begins with interesting shots of RAW secret operations files from before independence. Soon we get routine, hero centric nonsense, with hardly any progress in the story. An episode of romance between Jay and Vaishnavi feels utterly forced and devoid of any chemistry between them. However, the action sequence in Kashmir looks excellent.

The story then is somehow connected to Netaji, his fight to free India, and his mysterious death. “India’s best kept secret” gets thrown at us frequently, with lot of beating around the bush, not really getting to the point. Rana Daggubati’s cameo trumps up the same dialoguebaazi about patriotism and Netaji’s inspirational leadership again, without really making a solid direct connection with the story. When the actual Netaji connection finally comes out, it is too lame and feels utterly contrived.

Nikhil tries hard to impress in this tough avatar. But the character and writing is so under developed, he is not even a half spy anywhere in the movie. Aryan Rajesh appears in a blink and miss character. Sadly, his photo gets more screen time than his actual scenes. Gomatham’s one liners work at few places, but mostly feel out of place for a secret agent. Iswarya Menon has to brush up her acting skills. Jisshu Sengupta was okay in his role. Nithin Varma as Khader Khan looked interesting for some time.

Spy is a failure mostly due to bad writing and lack of seriousness in presenting the story. The idea to go behind Netaji’s life and mysterious death had all the elements for a blockbuster. With Nikhil’s recent successes and the film’s big budget , Spy could have been a notable entry in the filmography of all involved. But the movie fails on all counts due to lack of clarity and seriousness.

Spy is an avoidable film.

Spy movie cast: Nikhil Siddhartha, Iswarya Menon, Jisshu Sengupta, Makrand Deshpande, Abhinav Gomatham Spy movie director: Garry BH Spy movie rating: 1 star

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Best Hindi Spy Movies on OTT: Pathaan, Raazi, Ek Tha Tiger & More

By Shruti Kotiya

An ever-rising genre, Hindi spy movies have become a fan-favorite in recent years. Bollywood, too, has been delivering back-to-back blockbusters like Pathaan, Raazi, and Ek Tha Tiger.

The twists and turns, along with strong performances, are what makes such films a must-watch. So here’s a list of some of the best Hindi spy movies that are available to stream on OTT platforms:

Siddharth Anand directed Pathaan was a blockbuster hit worldwide and released on January 25, 2023. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan , Deepika Padukone, and John Abraham alongside Dimple Kapadia and Ashutosh Rana.  Yash Raj Films produced this superhit movie.

The premise of Pathaan revolves around an exiled RAW agent. He works with ISI agent Rubina Mohsin to take down Jim, a former RAW agent, who plans to attack India with a deadly virus. The film was the fourth installment in the YRF Spy Universe and was also the first to witness the crossover with Salman Khan’s Tiger making a cameo appearance.

Pathaan is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video .

A spy thriller film directed by Meghna Gulzar. Vineet Jain, Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar, and Apoorva Mehta produced Raazi under the banners of Junglee Pictures and Dharma Productions. It stars Alia Bhatt in the lead role along with Vicky Kaushal, Rajit Kapur, Shishir Sharma, and Jaideep Ahlawat. 

The film is an adaptation of Harinder Sikka’s 2008 novel titled Calling Sehmat. The book provides a true account of an Indian Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) agent who, upon her father’s request, marries into a family of military officers in Pakistan. Her father then asks her to send information to India before the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

Raazi released on May 11, 2018, and you can watch it on Amazon Prime Video.

Ek Tha Tiger

The Kabir Khan directorial Ek Tha Tiger was the first film that brought Aditya Chopras’ YRF Spy Universe to life. The film stars Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif in the lead roles, and Yash Raj Films released it on August 15, 2022.

The film sets its premise around a RAW agent who is sent to Dublin to observe an Indian scientist suspected of sharing nuclear secrets with the ISI. There, he meets and falls for his caretaker, Zoya, a girl with a dark secret.

Ek Tha Tiger is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video .

Neeraj Pandey wrote and directed this action spy thriller. Baby stars Akshay Kumar in the lead role. It also stars Anupam Kher, Rana Daggubati, Danny Denzongpa, Taapsee Pannu, Kay Kay Menon, Mikaal Zulfiqar, Madhurima Tuli, and Rasheed Naz.

The film sets its premise around an elite team of the Indian Intelligence system. They perpetually strive to eliminate terrorists and their plots. During one of these events, an officer leads a team to destroy a potentially lethal operation. The film released on January 23, 2015. It marked the second collaboration between Akshay Kumar and Neeraj Pandey after Special 26 (2013).

T-Series, Cape of Good Films, and Friday Filmworks produced Baby. It is available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar .

Madras Cafe

A Shoojit Sircar directorial, Madras Cafe stars John Abraham, Nargis Fakhri, and Raashi Khanna in lead roles. JA Entertainment and Rising Sun Films produced it.

The film sets its premise in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This was the time of the Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan civil war and the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The film features an Indian Army special officer whom the intelligence agency RAW appoints to head covert operations after the Indian peace-keeping force’s withdrawal.

Madras Cafe released on August 23, 2013, and it is available on Netflix .

A MARVEL fanatic who loves to discover new movies and series to binge on. Shruti likes to spend her time consuming new content, spoiling her rescued cat, dancing to Taylor Swift, reading, obsessing over Harry Styles.

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12 Best Indian Spy Thriller Movies That Will Blow Your Minds

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Espionage has become quite a popular movie genre in India in recent years. Often layered with patriotic and political drama, Indian spy thriller movies are making a mark in the business of movie-making. The intense plots, mind-blowing action, and the intelligence with which all of it is portrayed and presented are what makes these films so popular with the audience. With a huge number of brilliant spy thrillers on the platter, it is difficult to pick the best. But still, let’s have a look at some of the best Indian spy thriller movies that you need to watch if you haven’t already.

Also read: 15 Best Indian Gangster Movies That Are Simply Brilliant

This 2015 Neeraj Pandey movie is a treat to watch. Devoid of the melodrama that Bollywood is infamous for, this movie has the perfect balance of entertainment and thrill. It is about a group of intelligence officers working towards a mission aimed at stopping a potentially dangerous terrorist operation.

2. Naam Shabana

While Naam Shabana is a spin-off of the widely popular movie Baby, in more ways than the other it is better than Baby. The story follows the journey of Shabana focusing on how she became a spy. Taapsee Pannu, talented as she is, gives one of the best performances of her career in this movie.

3. Agent Vinod

Years before Sriram Raghavan directed the masterpiece Andhadun, he gave us Agent Vinod. Yes, this movie is filled with all the cliched Bollywood tropes such as irrelevant (but awesome) songs but still, it is a well-made spy thriller. Agent Vinod finds himself in the midst of a huge conspiracy while investigating the death of his colleague.

4. 16 December

Back in 2002 when this movie was released, it created a buzz, and ever since it has garnered cult status for itself. The movie follows a group of Revenue officers who work together to stop a nuclear attack on the capital city. “Dulhan ki bidayi ka waqt badalna hai”, say no more.

This Kabir Khan movie deserved more praise than it received. It is partly based on the book Mumbai Avengers which talks about the aftermath of the 26/11 attacks. In pursuit of the suspects of the said terrorist attacks, spies Daniyal and Nawaz face more hurdles than they expected.

6. Romeo Akbar Walter

From being a bank cashier to a spy, Romeo and his mission will give you the thrill that you are looking for. Set against the backdrop of the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War, this movie is a good spy thriller film.

Sujoy Ghosh’s masterpiece, Kahaani is a thriller unlike any other. A pregnant woman comes to Kolkata in order to find her missing husband. Soon she becomes the target of assassins. A spy thriller had never been this awe-inducing, interesting, frightening, and well-executed.

8. Vishwaroopam

What starts as a normal plot with a woman hiring an investigator to spy on her husband, soon turns into a rollercoaster ride that will give you chills. This action-packed Kamal Haasan espionage movie is a must-watch.

A group of RAW officers goes to Pakistan in order to capture Goldman Iqbal, the most wanted criminal mastermind. This movie is filled with some jaw-dropping revelations and twists and excellent performances. It is a must-watch.

10. Ek Tha Tiger

This blockbuster movie is as entertaining as it is thrilling. Yes, it is a typical Bollywood film with a romantic plot. But the romance is between two spies, one from India and the other from Pakistan. I mean, how does that work? Watch this Kabir Khan piece to know.

11. Madras Cafe

Remember the Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War? This movie is set in those times. An agent is sent to Sri Lanka soon after the peace-keeping forces are commanded to withdraw from Sri Lanka. This movie is the screen presentation of espionage at its best.

Best for the last, eh? Alia Bhatt stars in this movie as an undercover agent named Sehmat who gets married into an influential family in Pakistan and passes over information to the home country. Unlike other movies involving the two countries, this movie is more realistic and does not present either of the two parties as evil. It is more about duty than pseudo-nationalism. That is what makes this movie so wonderful.

With this, we have come to the end of the list of the best Indian spy thrillers. Which of these espionage films is your favourite and why? Do let us know in the comments section.

I like writing poetry, love reading books, appreciate good stuff on the screen, and simply adore being on stage. Basically, I'm a shadow intoxicated by dreams, darkness, and other indulgences.

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It takes a moment, or even a while, before the Bollywood spy drama “Khufiya” gets going. The first 70 minutes of this 157-minute Hindi-language thriller, about a conspiracy to both survey and protect suspected Indian or Pakistani spies, mostly introduces who everyone is and how they relate to each other. Once established, these characters settle into their prescribed roles. Still, you might be wondering how quickly 70 minutes or so can move and if what follows necessarily warrants such a long buildup. Yes, mostly.

“Khufiya” doesn’t stray far from the stock tropes of post- Graham Greene and post-John le Carré espionage fiction, and its characters don't have so much depth that they transcend their genre. Rather, director Vishal Bhardwaj (“ Rangoon ,” “Omkara”), who adapted Amar Bhushan ’s novel with co-writer Rohan Narula , hints at interpersonal connections and inner lives that are either conveniently repressed or unexpectedly prioritized by various Indian spies and their expansive network of informants, allies, and fellow double agents.

A plot in two halves begins after a groan-worthy pun and then a violent death by cutlery. In 2004, the enigmatic Pakistani ambassador Saqlain Mirza ( Shataf Figar ) sticks a fork in the neck of Heena Rehman (Azmeri Haque), a volunteer spy for the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) of India’s foreign intelligence agency. Heena dies right after her features are rhapsodized by an unidentified voiceover narrator, who points out a birthmark on Heena’s throat, which leads to one of the creakiest dramatic transitions you’ll hear this year: “In fact, there was another mole in our lives.” The ensuing story also seems to have been made with easily distracted dads in mind.

In 2001, Heena offered to help the narrator, workaholic RAW agent Krishna Mehra (Tabu). In 2004, Mehra leads a mission to uncover the mole that warned Mirza about Heena. Indian bureaucrat Ravi Mohan ( Ali Fazal ) is suspected of selling classified documents, and his bubbly housewife, Charu ( Wamiqa Gabbi ), is presumed to be his courier. Mehra observes the Mohans, both inside and out of their apartment. She seemingly loses a lot of time watching Charu, who doesn’t do much outside of running errands and occasionally dancing as if nobody’s watching.

Mehra takes shifts watching the Mohans, working with fellow spies like Michael ( Shashi Bhushan ) and his wife Geeta ( Priyanka Setia ). Mehra still winds up staring at Charu and her husband so often and so intently that it winds up alienating both her teenage son Vikram ( Meet Vohra ), an aspiring stage actor, and her stolid but otherwise unremarkable husband Shashank ( Atul Kulkarni ).

Time passes, but not much happens for about 70 minutes. After that, Mehra’s assignment changes focus and inevitably becomes more personal. Without revealing too much, let’s just say that Mehra and Charu’s relationship takes on greater significance during the back half of “Khufiya,” which adds retrospective weight and successive importance to her and Charu’s actions. A new surveillance operation begins, emphasizing previously incidental side characters, like Ravi’s mom, Lalita ( Navnindra Behl ), and her spiritual adviser, Yaara ji ( Rahul Ram ).

Your reaction to “Khufiya” depends largely on how much significance you put on the developments and twists that build a transition from one half of the plot to the next. This brief but crucial middle section of the movie adds greater emphasis to the character-driven nature of this drama, a shift that Bhardwaj’s fans will probably already be anticipating. We only know so much about these characters and how they relate to each other because they could break out of their routines at any time. Violence and betrayals are jarring and sudsy here because everybody acts out supporting roles on the shadowy stage of statecraft. It’s the little people who can and eventually do surprise you anyway.

Bhardwaj hints at his movie’s lightly worn intelligence in an early scene, where Vikram performs a brief soliloquy as Brutus in “ Julius Caesar .” That ostentatious flirting with symbolic meaning doesn’t happen often in “Khufiya” since key relationships, like the bond between Mehra and Heena, are carefully and deliberately elided. There are more heavy personal implications to the various characters’ alliances and betrayals during the movie’s back half, but never so many that the movie stops being exactly the kind of movie it always presented itself as.

“Khufiya” isn’t a deconstruction of the spy thriller, but it does blatantly re-orient viewers to what’s often missing or downplayed in stories about spies, many of whom are presented as solitary little wheels who work for big organizations that could stop needing them at a moment’s notice. Not taking things personally comes with the territory. Bhardwaj and his collaborators show respect for that guiding spirit of professionalism by only suggesting what various characters either aren’t saying or aren’t ready to admit to themselves.

On Netflix now.  

Simon Abrams

Simon Abrams is a native New Yorker and freelance film critic whose work has been featured in  The New York Times ,  Vanity Fair ,  The Village Voice,  and elsewhere.

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Film Credits

Khufiya (2023)

Ashish Vidhyarthi

Wamiqa Gabbi

Azmeri Haque Badhon

• Vishal Bhardwaj

Writer (based on the novel by)

• Amar Bhushan
• Rohan Narula

Cinematographer

• Farhad Ahmed Dehlvi
• Sreekar Prasad

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• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Krishna Mehra is an operative at Indian spy agency known as R&AW. She is assigned to track down the mole selling India's defense secrets, while all along grappling with her dual identity as ... Read all Krishna Mehra is an operative at Indian spy agency known as R&AW. She is assigned to track down the mole selling India's defense secrets, while all along grappling with her dual identity as a spy and a lover. Krishna Mehra is an operative at Indian spy agency known as R&AW. She is assigned to track down the mole selling India's defense secrets, while all along grappling with her dual identity as a spy and a lover.

• Vishal Bhardwaj
• Amar Bhushan
• Rohan Narula
• Wamiqa Gabbi
• 89 User reviews
• 26 Critic reviews
• 3 nominations

• Krishna Mehra

• Charu Mohan

• Heena Rehman
• (as Azmeri Haque)
• Lalita Mohan

• Shashank Mehra

• Dr. David White

• Brig. Saqlain Mirza

• Home Secretary

• Paa'ji
• Yaara Jogiya

• Rachel McClane
• Kunal Mohan

• Vikram Mehra
• (as Meet Vohra)
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia There was a shelved movie,Triguna Pictures shelved film "Khufiya"(1975). Starring Jeetendra,Vidya Sinha,Alka,Ajit,Bindu,Music by Kalyanji Anandji,Produced by R.K. Fims sound recordist Allaudddin.Directed by Jyoti Swaroop.

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• Runtime 2 hours 37 minutes
• Dolby Atmos

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The 25 best spy movies of all time, ranked

It's not all shaken martinis and gimmicky gadgets.

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When you think of spy movies, your mind likely envisions Daniel Craig in a tux or Tom Cruise hurling himself off something very high and dangerous. But the best espionage films run the gamut from moody procedurals to wrenching character studies, some of which interrogate the outright unglamorous lives of those secret agent types who choose covert surveillance and duty-bound betrayal over individual happiness. Don’t worry, though, even the most studious spies eventually have to engage in some action. 

Without dilly-dallying, here is Entertainment Weekly’s ranking of the 25 best spy movies ever made, and where to watch them.

25. Mission: Impossible (1996)

Tom Cruise has turned Ethan Hunt into his own personal, age-defying performance art project, relishing the chance to give stunt performers as much time off as possible. Here, his IMF lieutenant is thrust into leadership (after a twist that pissed off fans of the original TV series to no end), gathering a squad to locate an undercover agent list before Vanessa Redgrave’s baddie can get her hands on it. Along the way, director Brian De Palma keeps things moving with signature visual aplomb. A helicopter-train duel sets the tone for even more ludicrous Mission: Impossible stunts to come, and the plot is merely a pretense to get from one crowd-popping spectacle to the next. 

Where to watch Mission: Impossible : Paramount+

24. Pascali’s Island (1988)

For some (albeit, fictional) spies, the job is one of danger, seduction, and improbable gunplay. But for others, it’s just a job, one more beset by boredom and disillusionment than exploding fountain pens and helicopter pursuits. For a lonely depiction of low-level espionage work, seek out James Dearden’s Pascali’s Island , in which Ben Kingsley plays a forgotten spy on a Greek island in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire.  

Dutifully filing reports to his uncommunicative and far-off superiors, Pascali regards his pay as proof that his work is imperative. But the arrival of Charles Dance ’s mysterious Englishman sends Pascali into a tailspin of doubt about his purpose (and his friendship with a beautiful Austrian artist played by Helen Mirren ). Soon, it becomes clear that his earnest attempts at spycraft may have set a political disaster in motion. Kingsley is achingly vulnerable as the loyal little man whose devotion to an indifferent government costs him the only intimacy he’s ever known. 

Where to watch Pascali’s Island : Tubi

23. True Lies (1994)

It’s easy to chide Hollywood spy movie franchises like Mission: Impossible for excess, but they’ve got nothing on James Cameron’s ludicrously entertaining, over-the-top comic action flick. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as a super spy improbably pulling off a double life and as an ordinary guy with his unknowing wife ( Jamie Lee Curtis ), True Lies bulges with heightened, well, everything. 

After missing yet another family event (to be fair, he was thwarting a nuclear threat by the dreaded “Crimson Jihad”), Arnold’s Harry Tasker struggles to reconcile his wife’s disillusionment with their marriage and prevent a terrorist plot against various major U.S. cities. With fine comic (and physical) turns from Curtis and Tom Arnold, True Lies is — in action craftsman Cameron’s hands — a bombastic hoot. 

Where to watch True Lies : Hulu

22. Bridge of Spies (2015)

Leave it to Steven Spielberg to find the bright side of espionage, as all-American icon Tom Hanks courageously leads a landmark Cold War prisoner exchange story co-written by the Coen Brothers. It’s not all rosy, of course, as Hanks’ crusading attorney continually asserts the constitutional rights of Mark Rylance ’s captured Russian spy, something that Red Scare America regards as tantamount to treason. 

Rylance won an Oscar as mild-mannered minor agent Rudolf Abel, while Hanks (as real-life lawyer James B. Donovan) endures mounting suspicion for maintaining supposedly sacred American principles, facing career setbacks and death threats from his own countrymen. But it’s in the meticulously recreated Checkpoint Charlie swap (involving downed U.S. spy plane pilot Gary Powers) that Spielberg shows off what a master filmmaker can do with a suspense sequence. 

Where to watch Bridge of Spies : AppleTV+

21. Munich (2005)

Steven Spielberg proved he could also tap into the dark, violent side of spy movies 10 years before Bridge of Spies . See: His gripping account of the real-life assassinations by Mossad after the 1972 Olympics terrorist attack in Munich that murdered 11 Israeli athletes. Eric Bana and Daniel Craig embark on a global search for the Palestinians responsible for the massacre, all the while battling assassins and their own tortured consciences. Both enemies prove to be equally dangerous, while Spielberg portrays the men as dutiful but conflicted instruments of national vengeance. 

Putting lauded director Spielberg at the service of such a politically and historically loaded incident is a recipe for controversy, something Munich reaped from all sides. While garnering Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Director, the film was assailed for being too soft on both ends of the Israel/Palestine conflict — and for turning the thorny subject matter into a more palatable morality tale about the nature of violence. Still, Munich ’s many suspense and action set pieces drive the story along with undeniable tension. 

Where to watch Munich : Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

20. Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

After six films spanning 27 years, the Mission: Impossible franchise continued with this nearly three-hour-long installment. ( Part 2 is scheduled for summer 2025 .) Once more, Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt is not so much a super spy as a superhero, while the now 61-year-old actor once again pushes the limits of what a (fictional or, in Cruise’s stunt person-averse case, actual) human being can withstand.

Since long-running spy series are often signposts of our fears, Dead Reckoning ’s antagonist is a pernicious AI threatening the world’s military and financial systems. Director Christopher McQuarrie — with nearly $300 million and a fanatically dedicated lead actor — pulls out every stop imaginable as the crew races across the globe (like when Hunt rides his motorcycle off a towering cliff and then parachutes onto a speeding train). There’s a circular trajectory to Mission: Impossible ’s brand of high-flying spy intrigue, given the filmmakers cited North by Northwest (also a major inspiration for the James Bond films) as influential to this franchise’s thrills. Regardless, Dead Reckoning is the apotheosis of the big-budget spy blockbuster. 

Where to watch Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part 1 : Paramount+

19. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

Matt Damon is the perfect actor to play Jason Bourne, an all-American soldier twisted into a pre-programmed, merciless killer by his own government. Damon’s handsome blankness as the tortured Bourne, first seen floating amnesiac in the Mediterranean in 2002’s The Bourne Identity , grounds the spy franchise’s impeccably choreographed action with a leavening somberness. This first sequel is arguably the series’ pinnacle, crafting a thrilling quest for revenge and redemption. 

After Paul Greengrass and his hand-held cameras took the directing reins from Doug Liman, The Bourne Supremacy asserted that happy endings are rarely in a spy’s cards. (Fans of the first film, or those familiar with the “women in refrigerators” cliche, might be upset at how a major character is dispatched to kick off this sequel.) With Jason Bourne framed for a mysterious bombing and theft in Germany, it’s up to Damon’s still memory-deprived agent to hop the globe, utilizing the impressive muscle memory of every dirty espionage trick he was taught by a rogue CIA super-assassin program to seek out the truth. 

The supporting cast remains stellar ( Joan Allen , Brian Cox , Julia Stiles , Karl Urban ), as Bourne navigates ingenious spy gambits, daring last-minute escapes, and some truly brutal fight scenes to reach his goal. The reveal of his true purpose only underscores the ugly toll of this international gamesmanship. 

Where to watch The Bourne Supremacy : Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

18. The Ipcress File (1965)

During the initial wave of James Bond mania, Michael Caine played a different sort of spy in 1965’s The Ipcress File — but that was by design. Intended as a more ironic and downbeat alternative to the then-burgeoning Bond franchise, this spy thriller (from the novel by Len Deighton) sees Caine as a dapper, lightly insubordinate, glasses-wearing British agent who uncovers clues to a conspiracy against the world’s scientists. This Caine is something of a foodie, and the film was produced by Bond’s Harry Saltzman and scored by frequent Bond composer John Barry, but that’s where Harry Palmer’s similarities to 007 end. 

Cocky, cockney, and constantly beset by everyday duties, this (along with Alfie the following year) is the birth of Michael Caine the everyman superstar. Dragooned into the service after a criminal past, Caine’s Palmer disdains oppressive authority and regulation, even while proving himself a most capable sleuth and, when need be, efficiently violent. All the Cold War staples (brainwashing, torture, top secret microfilm) are in play as Palmer (whom Caine portrayed in four additional films) doggedly proves his mettle against foes foreign and domestic. 

Where to watch The Ipcress File : Not available to steam

17. Julia (1977)

The life of writer Lillian Hellman may seem like an odd inspiration for a suspenseful spy story, but this crackling drama delivers the goods. Following the playwright’s ( Jane Fonda ) career and relationship with detective novelist Dashiell Hammett (Jason Robards), Fred Zinneman’s film truly comes alive in the second half, when Hellman goes to wartime Europe in search of her childhood friend Julia (a striking Vanessa Redgrave ) whose own intellectual journey has turned her into an anti-fascist crusader. 

With the liberal but sheltered Hellman (herself later accused of “un-American activities”) making a dangerous voyage to Nazi Germany to supply Julia’s WWII resistance colleagues with funds, Zinneman pulls off one of the most tense and expertly performed sequences in spy movie history. After a horrifying scene in which fascists hurl academics over balconies, we watch as Julia walks Lillian through a terse exchange, with the duo’s loving reunion taking the form of a high-wire act of perilous espionage. 

Where to watch Julia : Google Play (to rent)

16. Ronin (1998)

Of course, spy movies aren’t just about sad, shadowy men poring over microphones and microfiche. Sometimes it’s about sad, shadowy men shooting it out over scenic French roadways in speeding cars, double-crosses, and foot chases. This thriller from director John Frankenheimer sees an aging and battle-worn action star in Robert De Niro encounter all of the above. 

De Niro plays a mercenary recruited to an international team by a mysterious Irish woman (Natascha McElhone) to track down and retrieve a specific metal attache case. Ronin never gets around to telling us what’s in the hotly-contested suitcase, and that’s the point — for all the assembled foot soldiers on every side, there’s always a suitcase. Frankenheimer deploys his twists (and a couple of all-time best car chases) like a devious puppet master, and De Niro, in one of his last great performances, keeps his character’s true nature expertly under wraps until the film’s final swerve. 

Where to watch Ronin : Max

15. Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

Like Munich , Kathryn Bigelow ’s Oscar-nominated, fact-based tale of terrorism and the revenge reaped as many accolades as it did (often contradictory) criticism. American intelligence agencies’ hunt for Osama bin Laden is portrayed as a global manhunt, with Jessica Chastain ’s dogged CIA analyst chasing down sparse and scattered leads — even when they come from the euphemistically termed “enhanced interrogation techniques” used on suspects at black sites. 

Bigelow turns Chastain’s obsession into a crackling detective story, complete with enough real-world intelligence-gathering gadgetry to put James Bond to shame. As the hunt gains momentum, a post-9/11 America’s descent into (graphically depicted) torture remains an open moral question, with the stoic Chastain maintaining her singular pursuit of justice. Above all, Zero Dark Thirty is a riveting recreation of one of the most intense intelligence operations of all time, while its lack of cut-and-dry ethical stances speaks to the darkest side of the espionage game — and human nature. 

Where to watch Zero Dark Thirty : Starz

14. The 39 Steps (1935)

If, as cinema contends, there are vast, intertwining networks of devious agents around us at all times, it’s only natural that some of the best spy movies involve regular folks finding out things they’re not supposed to. Such is the case in Alfred Hitchcock ’s template-setting spy drama The 39 Steps , which sees two very different people face constant (and entertaining) peril in a pre-WWII English countryside teeming with spies lurking in unexpected places.

An innocent man (Robert Donat) drags an even more innocent bystander (Madeleine Carroll) into his escape from a network of spies after some top-secret information falls into his hands. The two naturally fall for each other (their enforced intimacy was pretty racy for the time), but not without Hitchcock putting them into some deliciously sticky situations, leading to a still-sensational finale at the London Palladium. 

Where to watch The 39 Steps : Tubi

13. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

George Lazenby ’s sole outing as 007 — which came between Sean Connery ’s fifth and sixth films — goes above and beyond to distinguish itself as an utterly unique entry in Britain’s premier espionage franchise, injecting a welcome helping of grit and heart into the proceedings. It’s the first (and, for most of the character’s history, the only) Bond movie to add genuine emotional vulnerability to its central superspy, allowing him to fall in love with the romantic lead rather than cast her aside as another one-night stand. 

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service sees Bond called to protect Contessa Teresa "Tracy" di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg), the daughter of a prominent criminal overlord who helps him track down Ernst Blofeld (Telly Savalas) and SPECTRE’s biological warfare operation in the Swiss Alps. As his affection for the countess blossoms, we’re treated to a more complicated, well-rounded vision of the agent, which makes sense given that the relationship was possibly inspired by Ian Fleming’s real-life tragic romance during WWII. Additionally, the snowy action sequences — including chaotic downhill skiing and slippery car chases on ice — are among the very best in Bond history.

Where to watch On Her Majesty's Secret Service : Max

12. The Quiet American (2002)

A genre giant gets a deceptively muted adaptation in this Vietnam-set drama based on Graham Greene’s novel (who, like Frederick Forsyth and John le Carré, is a veteran of the intelligence service MI6). The film — while nominally a love triangle — gradually reveals itself as another instance of empathy and espionage colliding.

Michael Caine plays a sodden British journalist during the 1950s occupation of what was then known as French Indochina. Losing his much younger Vietnamese lover (Do Thi Hai Yen) to an American undercover operative ( Brendan Fraser , outstanding as the brash embodiment of U.S. anti-communist foreign policy) leads the seen-it-all Caine to finally play the spy game with tragic results. It’s Caine’s movie, as his dissolute reporter’s confused tangle of self-interest and world-weariness sows the seeds of this quietly devastating story. 

Where to watch The Quiet American : Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

11. The Day of the Jackal (1973)

Frederick Forsyth is another all-time great spy writer, and his fictionalized version of the 1962 assassination attempt on French President Charles de Gaulle (from within France’s military) forms the backbone of this icy, meticulous thriller. Like le Carré, Forsyth was an associate of MI6 (as a longtime unpaid informant). The journalist used his investigative skills to craft this story about the fallout from Gaulle granting independence to colonial Algeria, which put him in the merciless crosshairs of a paid killer. 

A little-known actor at the time, Edward Fox is impeccable as “the Jackal,” an assassin hired by the right-wing group OAS to gun down the president. There’s nothing flashy or even passionate about this spy — he’s a surgically sharp instrument, assuming various disguises and dodging the several intelligence services on his quest to fulfill his contract. Michael Lonsdale matches the Jackal as the French cop tasked with thwarting the rumored assassination. When Fox’s Jackal kills, it’s out of pragmatism; when Lonsdale’s detective succeeds, it’s because his methods are similarly dispassionate and tenacious. Thus, the film’s white-knuckle finale boils down to a miniscule misstep, one that reveals how espionage is vulnerable even to a grain of sand. 

Where to watch The Day of the Jackal : Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

10. The Spy Who Came In From the Cold (1965)

Based on the John le Carré novel, Martin Ritt ’s bleak spy thriller also features George Smiley (see No. 3 on this list), although the spymaster’s machinations here better exemplify just how cold-blooded someone in his position must be. Smiley tasks disillusioned MI6 agent Alec Leamas ( Richard Burton ) with defaming an East German intelligence officer during the height of the Cold War. Though he initially seems ripe for defection, Leamas soon discovers (and too late) that this ingeniously deadly espionage game makes mere pawns out of friends and foes alike. 

Thanks to Burton’s affecting performance, Leamas’ downward spiral feels all too real as he’s manipulated by the English and East Germans in equal, heartless measure. The puppetry trickles downward when he romances a naive British communist (a heartbreaking Claire Bloom) and makes her collateral damage in his double-agent balancing act, proving that surveillance leaves little room for sentiment. Even so, these “seedy squalid bastards” (as Leamas calls them) rely on human beings for intel, and the film’s devastating conclusion shows the cost of cutting yourself off from your soul. 

Where to watch The Spy Who Came In From the Cold : Kanopy

9. North by Northwest (1959)

One of the most purely entertaining thrillers of all time, Alfred Hitchcock mines his go-to plot — an innocent man accused — and runs it with some of the most memorable sequences in movie history. Cary Grant was never more suave and effortless than as Roger Thornhill, an unsuspecting ad man mistaken for a government agent by an ever-widening gang of thugs, spies, and an anti-American spymaster (James Mason). Along the way, our wily protagonist meets up with Eva Marie Saint ’s Eve Kendall, whose quick infatuation is only partly due to him being played by Cary Grant. 

For a standard MacGuffin microfilm-and-treason plot (the explanation of which is hilariously drowned out by a convenient airplane engine), the film hooks us from the start and drags us happily from one stunning set piece to another. Eventually, the whole tangled tale hangs (literally) from the impassive visages of the presidents at Mt. Rushmore, setting a template for high-concept, outlandish thrills for decades to come.

Where to watch North by Northwest : Tubi

8. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

For a more baroque tale of undercover operatives and the shadowy forces underwriting them, John Frankenheimer’s The Manchurian Candidate is a sure bet. Frank Sinatra could really act when he wanted to, and his hard-boiled Korean War vet is formidable as he unravels why his former army buddy and rising political candidate (Laurence Harvey) remains a blurry memory to him and his surviving squad mates. 

Crisply choreographed action (Sinatra and Henry Silva have an improbably gripping, early-for-America martial arts battle) and an all-time great villainous turn by Angela Lansbury combine with the film’s zippy, trippy tone for potent doses of Cold War paranoia. It’s a myth that President Kennedy’s assassination the following year caused Sinatra to demand The Manchurian Candidate be pulled from theaters. Still, the story of a lone gunman with seemingly shady motivations continues to prickle audiences adamant that nothing in world politics is ever what it seems on the surface. 

Where to watch The Manchurian Candidate : Tubi

7. Casino Royale (2006)

The neverending James Bond series has so informed and/or warped our ideas of spies, that choosing entries for this list means deciding which eras of over-the-top popcorn silliness comes closest to personal preference. That said, it’s tough to bet against the most recent Bond, Daniel Craig , especially in his first outing, a typically loose adaptation of Ian Fleming ’s 1953 novel Casino Royale .

After the increasingly cartoonish Pierce Brosnan years, the iconic character is reinvented (again) as a brutishly effective MI6 agent who just got his license to kill. Craig’s Bond is defiant to the point of insubordination (no small feat when facing off against Judi Dench ’s imperious boss, M) as he violently pursues clues leading directly to a high-stakes poker game against Mads Mikkelsen ’s criminal mastermind, Le Chiffre. (That the game comes down to a round of “who has the most outrageously impossible hand” is prime James Bond.) 

Meanwhile, this 007 flirts with the requisite femme fatale (a great Eva Green ), banters with enabling CIA pal Felix Leiter (an also great Jeffrey Wright ), and engages in sequences that are so spectacular, they could serve as climaxes of multiple smaller-budgeted thrillers. If this glowering Bond isn’t as suave as some of his predecessors, Craig’s gravitas amidst all the over-the-top action lends him an almost-human presence. Almost. 

Where to watch Casino Royale : Amazon Prime Video

6. The Lives of Others (2006)

Many of the best spy movies mine the divide between duty and conscience in an infamously unfeeling business. This wrenchingly intimate German drama sees the late Ulrich Mühe play a dedicated surveillance expert in East Germany tasked with spying on an artist couple, only to become inconveniently touched by their lives. That the film’s story shockingly mirrors a betrayal from Mühe’s own life (his ex-wife allegedly kept tabs on the actor for the Stasi) only makes his performance as the increasingly conflicted snooper more compelling.

The Lives of Others makes a fine double feature with another movie on this list, 1974’s The Conversation (see below). Like Gene Hackman ’s Harry Caul, Mühe’s Hauptmann Wiesler imagines that living in isolation will absolve him of the horrors wrought by his work. As a divided Germany grinds towards reconciliation during the latter part of the film, the race between the surveillance state’s omnipresent brutality and Wiesler’s flicker of humanity forms a decidedly modern tragedy.

Where to watch The Lives of Others : Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

5. Army of Shadows (1969)

Sticking it to the Nazis is always a crowd-pleaser, even as this French Resistance tale combines adventure and moral relativism into a bracing, crushing watch. Following Lino Ventura’s Resistance agent Gerbier as he infiltrates (and repeatedly escapes) the fascists occupying France, director Jean-Pierre Melville crafts a film that’s both a rip-roaring spy thriller and a soul-crushing examination of a good man forced to do terrible things — and the toll it takes on his soul. 

Amidst the movie’s various prison breaks (including one Nazi guard game sadistic enough to anticipate Sophie’s Choice ), Gerbier gathers the titular cadre of allies to carry out his daring missions. But he knows their shadowy work will inevitably put them in positions where unthinkable calls must be made. Released in a France still reeling from President Charles de Gaulle (see The Day of the Jackal above), Army of Shadows was thought to be an unfashionably laudatory depiction of the Resistance’s violent methods. However, as times and attitudes have changed, many now regard the film as a complicated, ugly portrait of how incompatible espionage is with a clean conscience. 

Where to watch Army of Shadows : Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

4. Three Days of the Condor (1975)

Spy movies often play up the action, but there’s a lot of paperwork behind the derring-do. This exceptionally taut thriller from Sydney Pollack shows that even functionaries find themselves in the thick of things, with Robert Redford ’s nominal CIA analyst (he reads spy novels in search of coded plots) accidentally uncovering sensitive information and going on the run. 

Redford’s protagonist, who must hurriedly remember that his codename is “Condor,” is forced to dodge the shadowy forces pursuing him through 1970s New York. (Including a scene-stealing hitman played by the late, great Max von Sydow .) That involves kidnapping a photographer ( Faye Dunaway , also outstanding) in a desperate moment. But the gorgeous duo’s inevitable attraction never distracts from the danger — or the stakes of even the most tangential espionage. 

Where to watch Three Days of the Condor : Amazon Prime Video

3. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

John le Carré is one of the most adapted spy novelists, and it’s easy to see why. A former member of Britain’s MI5 and MI6, he penned exquisitely detailed fiction based on insider knowledge, with one of his finest creations being dogged spymaster George Smiley. Gary Oldman plays the iconic character to Oscar-nominated perfection in this searing spy drama from Tomas Alfredson ( Let the Right One In ).

With the Cold War at its height and British intelligence under siege from Russian moles, Oldman’s unassuming Smiley assembles an underground team of similarly dedicated agents after he’s ousted as head of “The Circus.” The film portrays spy work in all its understated, politicking self-importance, punctuated by shocking violence and narrow escapes. Meanwhile, Oldman and Alfredson make Smiley’s gamesmanship as masterful as it is chillingly subtle, and the cast is crowded with some of Britain’s best actors, including John Hurt, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Toby Jones, Tom Hardy, and Benedict Cumberbatch. 

Where to watch Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy : Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

2. Notorious (1946)

Alfred Hitchcock's greatest spy movie, and one of the greatest spy movies in general, came via this romantic thriller about undercover operatives, Nazis, and a secret cache of potentially world-destabilizing secrets. Teaming Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant at their respective heights of star power, talent, and beauty, Hitchcock crafts a suspenseful story about espionage and the unthinkable sacrifices it demands. 

In the aftermath of WWII, Bergman’s party girl tries to drink away the shame of her father being a Nazi collaborator, leaving her ripe for recruitment by Grant’s government superiors when an enclave of escaped Nazis in Rio de Janeiro starts plotting a comeback. Tasked with pimping the conflicted Bergman out as a bride to a charming fascist (Claude Rains), Grant finds himself in an untenable war between love and duty. Meanwhile, Bergman’s position undercover becomes more and more fraught with danger and compromise. 

Replete with nerve-shredding, suspenseful set pieces — the wine cellar sequence is Hitchcock at his most sadistically brilliant — Notorious , for all its melodramatic beats, explores the horrible moral tension that lurks in even theoretically altruistic espionage. 

Where to watch Notorious : Tubi

1. The Conversation (1974)

Courtesy Everett Collection

Harry Caul is a spy only in the mercenary sense. Gene Hackman’s surveillance expert is a pair of ears for hire, sent to make a seemingly impossible recording of a couple’s hushed conversation amidst a noisy crowd. That Harry succeeds (in a brilliantly conceived scene) marks him as a true master in his grimy field, but that victory is soon overshadowed by his detecting an unsettling secret. 

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola , The Conversation fits into (and exemplifies) the spy genre by interrogating how power and covert surveillance are inextricably linked to moral rot. Harry fancies himself nothing but a technician, having cut himself off from all but the most superficial personal connections after a past disaster related to his work. But taking pride in an invasive and potentially devastating craft is, as Harry discovers with increasing paranoia, destined to boomerang when the observer becomes the observed. Hackman delivers one of his greatest performances here, with Harry’s fumbling conscience laying bare the no-win situation of a professional interloper.

Where to watch The Conversation : PlutoTV

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• Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning director explains why that major character had to die
• The 11 best spy movies to stream on Netflix

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