Top 3 Intense Thrillers Starring Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise is one of the most unforgettable actors alive today and has left a huge mark on cinema.
Here are his top thrillers, arranged by chronological order.
The Firm (1993)
At 31, Tom Cruise starred in The Firm, a 90s legal thriller based on John Grisham’s novel. Cruise plays Mitch McDeere, a driven Harvard Law grad eager to escape his working-class roots. He lands a dream job at a small, thriving Memphis firm, only to discover it’s mired in corruption and murder. When the FBI approaches him, Mitch must decide whether to stay loyal or risk everything to expose the truth.
I love The Firm because it feels nostalgic to watch—1993 feels so distant from 2025—but it doesn’t come across as cheesy. The plot still feels modern, and it brings that warm, fuzzy sense of nostalgia. No cheese, just thrills.
Collateral (2004)
In his only role as a hitman, Tom Cruise stars as Vincent, a cold-blooded contract killer. Reel Views notes, “Collateral is a classic example of how casting against type can sometimes result in remarkable success,” with Cruise playing a grungy, soulless sociopath instead of his usual charming lead.
With an 86% Tomatometer from 239 reviews, Collateral is even better than that in my opinion, and it’s amazing to see Tom Cruise play this kind of character.
Minority Report (2002)
Based on Philip K. Dick’s short story, Minority Report is set in 2054, where advanced technology predicts crimes before they happen, eliminating crime in D.C. for six years. The movie feels all the more interesting and real to watch in the context of our current AI revolution.
Watch this one for sci-fi thriller that is going make you think a lot about what the future has in store.
Some might argue that Jack Reacher (2012) and Eyes Wide Shut (1999) deserve a spot on this list. While Eyes Wide Shut is an incredible film, it’s a bit obscure, and the new Jack Reacher TV series has somewhat overshadowed Tom Cruise’s portrayal in the movie. Legend (1985) was also not put on this list as it is more fantasy/adventure, though it does have thrilling elements.
