11 best spy movies that will give you a license to thrill
Ever wondered what the best spy movies to watch are? You know, when you just want something a bit more thrilling, nail-biting and high-stakes? Well, with the chilly long nights rolling in, we have been wondering the same, too, because as fun as light-hearted comedy movies can be, sometimes we need something a little bit more exhilarating to transport us to a realm where some stop at absolutely nothing (even the threat of the own lives) to help save the world from unspeakable evil.
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Most importantly, we have seen plenty of movies in recent years with an empowered female lead at its helm, which has always made for an inspirational watch (Think Charlize Theron in Atomic Blonde). And while many of these spy movies have served as an excellent way for us to escape our problems IRL, many of them have been so phenomenally executed that they have seen major award-season success, such as Jessica Chastain's Zero Dark Thirty. But if you still cannot pry yourself away from those laugh-out-loud comedies that kept you entertained during the summer, you can get the best of both worlds with hilarious, rib-tickling movies such as The Spy Who Dumped Me and Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.
Honestly, the choice is endless, so without further ado, go undercover with our list of the best spy movies to watch…
Lionsgate EntertainmentThe Spy Who Dumped Me (2018)
Mila Kunis takes on the role of Audrey Stockman, who, after being dumped by her boyfriend (Justin Theroux), discovers that he is a spy when he later turns up on her doorstep with the threat of deadly assassins out for him. The discovery sees her and her BFF Morgan (Kate McKinnon) entangled in an international conspiracy in which they find themselves dealing with British secret agents while trying to save the world.
©DisneySpy Kids (2001)
Have you ever wondered where all these spies learn their espionage skills from? Well, I guess their families start them young, which is evident in 2001's Spy Kids. Twelve years after secretly international spies Gregoria and Ingrid fall in love during a mission, they have a family of their own in the form of Carmen, 12, and nine-year-old Juni. But when the parents go missing, it's up to the kids to show their worth in the family business and help find them.
Larry HorricksSpy (2015)
Hollywood funnywoman Melissa McCarthy takes on the role of desk-bound CIA analyst Susan Cooper, who transforms into a field agent when she unwittingly volunteers to infiltrate an arms deal to stop a global catastrophe. Of course, as you can imagine, plenty of laughs are expected with this one.
Jonathan PrimeAtomic Blonde (2017)
With her choppy, fringed platinum blonde bob, Oscar-winner Charlize Theron is effortless as an MI6 agent, Lorraine Broughton, who is sent on a mission to obtain a stolen list of exceptional secret agents before the collapse of the wall in Berlin. James McAvoy and Sofia Boutella star in this easy-to-please, butt-kicking spy drama.
© 2002 Universal Studios - All Rights ReservedThe Bourne Identity (2002)
Matt Damon stars as the titular Jason Bourne, who is awakened from a near-death experience while being looked after by strangers. However, with complete memory loss of who he is and how he got there, he sets out on a journey to discover his identity, unaware that he is at the centre of a huge CIA conspiracy. This movie, which is based on Robert Ludlum's 1980 novel of the same name, is a must-watch.
Ghosted (2023)
Ana de Armas' stunning Sadie leaves Cole (Chris Evans) head over heels following their first visit. When he later tracks her down to ask her on a second date after she doesn't return his message, he realises she is an international spy and becomes entangled in an international adventure to save the world alongside her.
Credit: Paramount PicturesMission: Impossible — Fallout (2018)
Christopher McQuarrie-directed Mission: Impossible — Fallout sees Tom Cruise doing what he does best. And that is doing all of those impressive stunts himself. In this instalment of the remarkable spy film, Ethan Hunt and his IMF (International Monetary Fund) team pull out all the stops to foil a terrorist group's plans to detonate three plutonium cores for a simultaneous nuclear attack on different cities.
NBC Puma/NBCPassport siteBlacKkKlansman (2018)
Yes, it may not be a traditional spy movie, but this movie, which is based on Ron Stallworth's 2014 memoir of the same name, sees Ron (John David Washington) and Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver) go undercover to infiltrate their town's chapter of the Ku Klux Klan in seventies Colorado. This Spike Lee-directed movie went down a treat during award season in 2018, earning six Oscar noms while scooping up the gong for Best Adapted Screenplay.
© New Line CinemaAustin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
Yeah, Baby! Austin Powers was the first icon from the genre who showed us that the world of spies didn't have to be so dark and terrifying. In fact, if Austin had it his way, it would be a barrel of laughs, witty one-liners and fun times with his bevvy of fembots... despite his arch nemesis Dr. Evil returning from space to terrorise Earth with his evil schemes.
© 2012 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All rights reserved.Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Zero Dark Thirty does one thing that many other spy movies fail to do, and that is to show that the world of espionage isn't actually glamorous at all. Jessica Chastain is brilliant as the lead CIA analyst Maya, who, along with her team, is on a nail-biting and critical, nearly-decade-long mission to hunt down the infamous terrorist leader responsible for the tragic 11 September attacks in the US.
Archive PhotosFrom Russia With Love (1964)
As one of the most iconic spy films in the world, Sean Connery's second outing as the popular 007 agent in From Russia With Love has continued to delight Bond fans worldwide since its release in 1963. In the movie, James Bond goes on the hunt for a Lektor cryptographic device before SPECTRE, a secret crime organisation, acquires it to wreak havoc in the world.
