Summary

• Tom Cruise's extensive filmography includes some of Hollywood's most iconic movies, showcasing his versatility as an actor and his ability to tackle different genres and roles.
• Many of Cruise's movies are considered classics and rank among the best films ever made, thanks to their quality and Cruise's strong on-screen presence.
• Cruise's talent as both a dramatic and physically skilled actor is evident in movies like Rain Man, A Few Good Men, and the Mission: Impossible franchise, where he delivers powerful performances and defies the laws of physics in thrilling action sequences.

Known for his prolific filmography, Tom Cruise is one of the most recognizable actors worldwide, and his best movies include some of the most iconic that Hollywood has ever produced. Cruise has done it all, from teen sex comedies to neo-noir thrillers to high-octane action flicks, and many of his movies have been cemented as classics. Given the nature of the actor's screen presence and the commercial success of many of his projects, he has deservedly gone on to become one of Hollywood's highest-paid actors.

Although known primarily for his huge blockbusters in the Mission: Impossible and Top Gun franchises, Cruise initially got his start in the slow-burn dramas Endless Love and Taps before breaking out with the more comedic Risky Business. Whereas some actors enjoyed massive success early in their careers before fading into obscurity, Cruise's star power has endured throughout many decades. Whether because of his acting chops or the movies' overall quality, many of the projects in Cruise's extensive body of work rank among some of the best films ever made.

Related: 1 Failed Tom Cruise Movie Franchise Proves His Star Power Better Than Top Gun & Mission Impossible

10 Interview With The Vampire (1994)

Tom Cruise plays Lestat de Lioncourt

Tom Cruise is primarily known for heroic roles, but Interview with the Vampire sees him play a villainous character, and despite the controversy over his casting, he absolutely nails the part. Based on the novel by Anne Rice, the movie focuses on an 18th-century vampire who tells his story to a modern-day reporter in order to make peace with his past. Cruise portrays Lestat, another, once-charming vampire who finds himself regretting his near-immortality after turning an innocent girl into one of their kind. The adaptation takes a uniquely sobering approach to vampirism, and its cinematography and set design are among the most convincing and immersive ever seen in a film.

Related: Interview With The Vampire's Controversial Tom Cruise Casting Explained By Director

9 Risky Business (1983)

Tom Cruise plays Joel Goodsen

Starring Tom Cruise when he was a relative newcomer, Risky Business sees the actor play an over-achieving high school student who is left home alone while his parents go on vacation. Risky Business made Cruise a star with one iconic scene where he jams out to the song "Old Time Rock and Roll." The lasting appeal of this moment speaks to its quality and impact as well as Cruise's suddenly clear magnetism. Risky Business is notable for its screenplay by Paul Brickman, who also directed the movie, as it perfectly showcases the challenges of a popular teenager whose parents and teachers constantly push him to be the best.

8 The Color Of Money (1986)

Tom Cruise plays Vincent Lauria

Directed by Martin Scorsese and adapted from the Walter Tevis novel of the same name, The Color of Money is a late sequel to the 1961 film The Hustler. Paul Newman reprises his role as Fast Eddie, a pool hustler who recruits Cruise's character, Vincent, to help him swindle other players. The Color of Money is about greed and how it changes people, and the effects of Vincent and Fast Eddie's intense rivalry on their personal lives is a strong reinforcement of the theme. Released shortly after his blockbuster success with Top Gun, this is a cool, entertaining movie and an early showcase of Cruise's talent as a dramatic actor.

7 A Few Good Men (1992)

Tom Cruise plays Lt. Daniel Kaffee

A Few Good Men is a legal drama that stars Tom Cruise as a military lawyer defending two U.S. Marines charged with murder. One of the best movies based on a stage play, it marks the screenwriting debut of Aaron Sorkin, adapting his own work, and showcases some of the best dialogue ever written. At the movie's center is the theme of valor in the face of uncertainty, as Cruise's character bravely fights the case despite the seemingly infinite odds stacked against him. Cruise brings a certain intensity to his role, and his ability to rile up Jack Nicholson's Col. Jessep in the film's iconic courtroom scene also speaks volumes.

6 Rain Man (1983)

Tom Cruise plays Charlie Babbitt

Rain Man follows a heartwarming story about the power of family over financial worth and features a surprisingly nuanced take on the complex nature of brothers. Tom Cruise plays Charlie, a charming schemer obsessed with money who attempts to manipulate his way into his autistic older brother's good graces upon discovering their father cut him out of his will. A film about solidarity, comion, and love, Rain Man successfully gets its messages across in a way that's heartfelt and believable.

Related: 10 Tom Cruise Movies That Still Need Sequels Made

5 Magnolia (1999)

Tom Cruise plays Frank T. J. Mackey

Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, Magnolia tells a series of seemingly unrelated stories that follow the same themes of loss and regret. While the subject matter makes for challenging viewing, its reprieve comes in the form of its ability to make its drama compelling. Tom Cruise's usual charm and intensity are in full effect in the movie, but his heart-breaking scene with his father (played by Jason Robards) on his deathbed is one of the strongest performances the actor has ever delivered, and out of all the movie's different characters and storylines, his best reinforces the film's themes.

4 Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

Tom Cruise plays IMF agent Ethan Hunt

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One delivers tons of action, as is expected from the franchise. Mission: Impossible is famous for its stunts, and this installment is no different as it sees Tom Cruise's character — and the actor himself — again defying the laws of physics to accomplish his latest world-saving operation. This time, his character, IMF agent Ethan Hunt, works with his team of operatives to stop the influence of a powerful rogue AI. Despite the movie ending on a cliffhanger, it offers enough thrills to make it one of the best movie sequels ever made.

3 Edge Of Tomorrow (2014)

Tom Cruise plays Major William Cage

Based on a manga, Edge of Tomorrow sees Tom Cruise as Major William Cage, a public relations officer with minimal combat experience who is forced by his superiors to aid in fighting an alien-occupied Europe in a dystopian future. Moreover, Cage dies and reboots repeatedly throughout the movie after discovering he's caught in a time loop. One of the best sci-fi movies of the 2010s, Edge of Tomorrow offers a unique take on its source material with its intense action and sharp humor.

2 Collateral (2004)

Tom Cruise plays Vincent

Michael Mann's Collateral is a neo-noir thriller that sees a burned-out taxi driver pick up a mysterious man who turns out to be a hired killer. As one of Michael Mann's most memorable characters, Cruise delivers an exceptional performance in the role of the hitman, Vincent, with his usual charisma making the assassin all the more threatening. He also has excellent chemistry with Jamie Foxx, who plays the driver, Max; together, they almost make viewers forget that they're actors during some of their more intense scenes in the movie. Collateral also features Mann's signature moody, atmospheric depiction of Los Angeles, which effectively draws viewers into the film's unique neo-noir world.

1 Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Tom Cruise plays t. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell

Another one of the best sequels of all time, Top Gun: Maverick sees Tom Cruise's Pete "Maverick" Mitchell return to the titular school to train the next generation of graduates while also dealing with some of his longstanding demons. This is a movie that's just as much about family and trust as it is about exhilarating dogfights, which makes it a surprisingly deep and thoughtful blockbuster. Top Gun: Maverick cemented Cruise's status as one of Hollywood's biggest stars as its heartfelt story and creative action scenes helped the sequel gross over $1 billion.