It wouldn't be an overstatement to declare Tom Cruise the undisputed king of the action genre. The actor has starred in some of cinema's most thrilling and iconic action films since the mid-80s: now, nearing sixty, Cruise remains bankable and beloved as ever, and he shows no signs of stopping.
The recent release of Top Gun: Maverick proves that Cruise is still at the top of his game. His films are one-of-a-kind cinematic experiences, blockbusters to the tee. Audiences obviously adore them, but critics have also been kind to his action films, as evidenced by their scores on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
War Of The Worlds (2005) - 75%
Steven Spielberg's massive adaptation of H. G. Wells' classic 1898 novel stars Cruise as a construction worker struggling to keep his children alive after an alien attack. Cruise stars opposite Dakota Fanning (then at the height of her childhood career), Justin Chatwin, and Miranda Otto.
War of Worlds received positive reviews from critics, who appreciated Spielberg's commitment to sheer and unapologetic spectacle. Cruise and Fanning's performance also drew considerable praise, and the film was a box office success, grossing $603 million worldwide.
Tropic Thunder (2008) - 82%
Ben Stiller's 2008 action comedy Tropic Thunder follows a group of spoiler and narcissistic movie stars who find themselves amidst a real war while shooting a Vietnam epic. Stiller co-stars opposite Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr., with Cruise playing the ing role of Les Grossman, the head of the studio behind the film.
Buried under a pile of makeup and delivering what is perhaps his loudest and most unrestrained performance, Cruise is unrecognizable as Grossman. Critics celebrated his turn, and he even received a Golden Globe nomination for his efforts. Unhinged and Tropic Thunder received positive reviews from critics, who praised the comedy and the cast's performances, although it has also been criticized for the use of blackface, even in satire.
American Made (2017) - 85%
Doug Liman's American Made draws inspiration from the real-life story of Barry Seal, a former TWA pilot turned drug smuggler who worked for the Medellín cartel in the 1980s. After getting caught, Seal becomes an informant to avoid significant jail time.
Collateral, and his efforts earned him positive reviews from critics. The film itself attracted positive comments from critics, with many appreciating Cruise's return to the charming persona that made him a star.
Collateral (2004) - 86%
And speaking of Collateral, the Michael Mann-directed film featured Cruise in a rare villainous role. The actor plays Vincent, a hitman on a killing spree who coerces a cab driver into his scheme. Cruise co-stars opposite Jamie Foxx, who received an Oscar nomination for his performance.
Cruise delivers the best performance of his 2000s career, playing Vincent with cold gusto and confirming he should play villains more often. The film earned acclaim from critics, with particular praise going to Mann's direction and the performances of the two leading actors.
Minority Report (2002) - 90%
Although primarily a science fiction film, one of Steven Spielberg's best directorial efforts of the 2000s, takes place in 2054 and features police using technology that allows them to arrest and convict murderers before they commit their crimes. Cruise plays John Anderton, the head of the police unit accused of killing a man he's never met.
Minority Report earned critical acclaim, with many praising the film's weighty and thought-provoking themes. The film's production values and ambitious ideas for the future also attracted considerable praise.
Edge Of Tomorrow (2014) - 91%
Another of Cruise's brawniest action films, Edge of Tomorrow, places the action in 2020 following an alien invasion. The actor stars as William Cage, an officer with no fighting experience who finds himself trapped in a time loop after being forced to participate in a landing operation against the aliens.
Cruise co-stars opposite Emily Blunt, with Liman in the director's chair. Edge of Tomorrow earned critical acclaim, with many considering it one of the best alien invasion movies ever. Particular praise went to the film's thrilling action sequences, hefty themes, and Cruise and Blunt's performances.
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) - 93%
Cruise successfully revitalized the Mission: Impossible franchise with 2011's Ghost Protocol. Directed by Brad Bird, the film finds Ethan Hunt and his team disavowed by the IMF following a failed operation that resulted in the Kremlin's bombing.
Ghost Protocol received near-universal acclaim, with critics considering it the best entry in the series up to that point. The film marked the beginning of the incredible action stunts that would become the franchise's calling card in the new millennium; particularly memorable is the sequence in which Cruise's Hunt climbs the Burj Khalifa.
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015) - 94%
Four years after Ghost Protocol, Cruise returned to the Mission: Impossible series with Rogue Nation. The plot finds Hunt on the run following the IMF's dissolution, with the CIA hunting him while he tries to prove the existence of the Syndicate, a global terrorist organization.
Like its predecessor, Rogue Nation earned critical acclaim. The film featured two memorable sequences that ed the pantheon of great Mission: Impossible action scenes: Cruise's stunt on the plain at the beginning of the film, and the iconic opera fight, which placed Rebecca Ferguson's Ilsa in the middle of the action.
Top Gun: Maverick (2022) - 97%
Cruise's latest effort, Top Gun: Maverick, is a legacy sequel to the film that cemented his status as a Hollywood action hero. Maverick follows the titular character as he returns to the Top Gun program to train a younger generation of fighter pilots, including the son of his deceased best friend, Goose.
Maverick received universal acclaim from critics. Many considered it a vast improvement over the original and one of the best legacy sequels of all time. Most of the praise went to the electrifying flying sequences, the performances of the young cast, and Cruise's return to the Maverick role.
Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) - 97%
2017's Mission: Impossible - Fallout featured Cruise's Hunt ing forces with Henry Cavill's August Walker to recover a case of plutonium cores stolen during a botched operation. His mission puts him on the radar of the Apostles, a group of rogue agents under the leadership of the extremist John Lark.
Fallout received universal praise. Critics lauded the performances of the cast, particularly Cruise and Cavill, and the film's dead-defying action sequences. Fallout features arguably the best fight scene in the franchise, a three-way confrontation between Hunt, Walker, and a mysterious man who gives them a run for their money.
