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As kids, all of us loved play-pretend games, and though there's a myriad of variations, one theme that was by far the most thrilling of them all - playing spies on a secret mission. Such secrecy and importance sure seemed thrilling, and emulating the super cool tricks we saw on the cinema screens felt like the best thing in the world. Naturally, most of us grew out of these play-pretend frolics, but the infatuation with everything spies hasn't gone anywhere. And what's a better way to relive these thrilling fantasies than by watching some of the best spy movies ever made? So, here we are with our list that'll cater to even the pickiest spy movie connoisseur and give you some pretty decent choices for your next adventurous viewing.

Although the rankings here are based on the general views of movie critics, we are pretty sure that you will like to rearrange them based on your own favorites. So, if you think that Casino Royale is better than The Bourne Supremacy, express your opinion by upvoting it! And if you think the top ten in this list isn't just right, remember you can always fix it. From classics like North by Northwest to almost classics like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, there are lots to choose from and to play with.

So, brew yourself some invisible ink to write your commentary with, grab your rear-vision glasses, turn your back to the screen and pick the spy movie you're going to watch today! The submissions are just a little bit further down, and once you are there, don't forget to vote for the thrillers you think deserve to be on the top of this list.

#1

The Bourne Supremacy

The Bourne Supremacy

2004 | 1 hour 48 minutes | Directed by Paul Greengrass
 

Starring Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Joan Allen

As the second installment in the Bourne series, Supremacy delves deeper into Jason's past, trying to unravel his involvement with the CIA and Operation Treadstone. This time, we get to see some Russian bandits, and where there are Russians - there's tenacious fighting, non-stop action, and plenty of dirty deeds. Besides all that, The Bourne Supremacy is where we get to learn Jason's real name. Curious?

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    #2

    The Bourne Ultimatum

    The Bourne Ultimatum

    2007 | 1 hour 55 minutes | Directed by Paul Greengrass
     

    Starring Matt Damon, Edgar Ramirez, Joan Allen

    The third piece in The Bourne series, Ultimatum, is viscous with stuff that might leave you confused and trying to wrap your head around it. See, the whole movie is like one big deja vu moment. Not only do we get to see flashbacks to Bourne's life before all this mess with CIA conspiracies, but the movie references itself in many instances, thus creating an eerie feeling of seeing it all before. Bourne's mythic quest of figuring stuff out also seems to be a never-ending one, but we don't mind at all - more thrills for us!

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    #3

    Casino Royale

    Casino Royale

    2006 | 2 hours 24 minutes | Directed by Martin Campbell
     

    Starring Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Judi Dench

    Casino Royale is, if you care to know, the 21st James Bond movie and the third screen adaptation of Ian Fleming's 1953 novel of the same name. After this many movies and adaptations, you'd rightfully think that Bond has nothing new to offer; however, the 2006 Casino Royale delivers a fresh dose of spy action and thrills and gets rid of all the fancy tricks that made some of the previous Bond movies hardly believable. A truly good old-fashioned spy movie with a sensitive human touch.

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    #4

    The Bourne Identity

    The Bourne Identity

    2002 | 1 hour 59 minutes | Directed by Paul Greengrass
     

    Starring Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper
     

    Fished right out of the Mediterranean sea, an American, whom we all later come to know as Jason Bourne, has no memories of his identity or the life that he had. To our amusement, though, he retains astonishing combat abilities and fluency in several foreign languages. And here's when the story starts to unfold, and with it - fantastic fight scenes, international mysteries, and one unbelievably good car chase sequence. Although at times, this movie seems a bit naive, you definitely relish it to relax after action-packed, adrenaline-fueled action scenes.

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    #5

    Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

    Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

    2011 | 2 hours 7 minutes | Directed by Tomas Alfredson
     

    Starring Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy

    Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a Cold War spy thriller film based on John le Carre's 1974 novel of the same name. Set in the early '70s in London, the story here follows a hunt for a Soviet double agent that has successfully infiltrated the top of the British secret service MI6. Filled with anxiety and paranoia, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy isn't an easy watch, but that's mainly because you can't help but fully invest yourself in the story. A truly stylish and atmospheric spy movie if there ever was one!

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    #6

    Skyfall

    Skyfall

    2012 | 2 hours 23 minutes | Directed by Sam Mendes
     

    Starring Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris

    Skyfall is the twenty-third James Bond movie and the third one with Daniel Craig starring as 007. This time it is the British MI6 that's under attack, and it's Bond's task to find and destroy the attackers, even if it comes at a very personal cost. Skyfall, arguably, is one of the better Bond movies to this day, as it manages to modernize the classic spy lore and deliver it in a fresh, witty, endearing, and thrilling way. A sure shot for spy movie lovers!

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    #7

    Three Days Of The Condor

    Three Days Of The Condor

    1975 | 1 hour 57 minutes | Directed by Sydney Pollack
     

    Starring Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson

    Three Days Of The Condor is a political thriller film that caters very well to the spy genre, too. Based on James Grady's 1973 novel Six Days of the Condor, the events here are set mainly in New York City and Washington, D.C., where a CIA researcher finds his coworkers murdered coming back from lunch. Now he has to outwit those responsible and, most importantly, come back from it alive. Though Three Days Of The Condor at times might seem a bit slow, it doesn't fall short of building copious amounts of edge-of-your-seat suspense.

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    #8

    The Day Of The Jackal

    The Day Of The Jackal

    1973 | 2 hours 23 minutes | Directed by Fred Zinnemann
     

    Starring Edward Fox, Terence Alexander, Michel Auclair

    No matter the year of conception (though, in this case, it's 1973, if you were wondering), a movie based on politics will undoubtedly show you dirty deeds and sleazy secrets. Add in a professional assassin to the mixture, and a thrilling experience is bound to unravel before your very own eyes. Suspenseful and spellbinding, The Day Of The Jackal is worth any action movie fan's time.

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    Rali Meyer
    Community Member
    4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If this was based on Forsyth's book, don't watch it. Read the book.

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    #9

    North By Northwest

    North By Northwest

    1959 | 2 hours 16 minutes | Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
     

    Starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason

    North by Northwest is a classic spy thriller film directed by the legendary Alfred Hitchcock. It's a story of mistaken identity where an innocent man is being chased across the United States by suspicious agents of a mysterious organization. It being Hitchcock, you can expect heaps of suspense, a dash of very healthy romance, and exceptional movie-making skills shining through in every take. And don't be skeptical about this movie's age - even after sixty years or so, North by Northwest is still original and very relevant.

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    #10

    From Russia With Love

    From Russia With Love

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    #11

    Spy Game

    Spy Game

    2001 | 2 hours 6 minutes | Directed by Tony Scott
     

    Starring Robert Redford, Brad Pitt, Catherine McCormack

    Spy Game is an action thriller film that follows a retiring CIA agent upon finding his protege arrested by Chinese agents for espionage. Now it is time for him to remember all that he has learned and use his skills to rescue his young colleague. Spy Game, albeit a Hollywood blockbuster, is a very well-written, intelligent, and enthralling movie that has all the right ingredients to become an iconic spy film for years to come.

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    #14

    The Hunt For Red October

    The Hunt For Red October

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    #15

    The Spy Who Came In From The Cold

    The Spy Who Came In From The Cold

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    #16

    The Ipcress File

    The Ipcress File

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    #18

    Clear And Present Danger

    Clear And Present Danger

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    #19

    Patriot Games

    Patriot Games

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    #22

    The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

    The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

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    #24

    The Spy Who Loved Me

    The Spy Who Loved Me

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    #25

    You Only Live Twice

    You Only Live Twice

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    #26

    The Man With The Golden Gun

    The Man With The Golden Gun

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    #27

    Diamonds Are Forever

    Diamonds Are Forever

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    #28

    Live And Let Die

    Live And Let Die

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    #31

    Mission: Impossible

    Mission: Impossible

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    #34

    The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

    The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

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    #35

    Charade

    Charade

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    MMcD
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What a great film! It's been called the best Hitchcock movie Hitchcock didn't make :)

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    #39

    Burn After Reading

    Burn After Reading

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    #40

    The Lives Of Others

    The Lives Of Others

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    #42

    Notorious (1946)

    Notorious (1946)

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    #43

    The Conversation

    The Conversation

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    #44

    The Eiger Sanction

    The Eiger Sanction

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    #45

    Mr. & Mrs. Smith

    Mr. & Mrs. Smith

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    #46

    Eye Of The Needle

    Eye Of The Needle

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    #47

    Die Another Day

    Die Another Day

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    #48

    The Falcon And The Snowman

    The Falcon And The Snowman

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    #49

    The Third Man

    The Third Man

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    #50

    The Bourne Legacy

    The Bourne Legacy

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    #52

    La Femme Nikita

    La Femme Nikita

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    #53

    Funeral In Berlin

    Funeral In Berlin

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    #55

    On Her Majesty's Secret Service

    On Her Majesty's Secret Service

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    #56

    Charlie Wilson's War

    Charlie Wilson's War

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    #57

    Quantum Of Solace

    Quantum Of Solace

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    #58

    Our Man Flint

    Our Man Flint

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    #59

    The Sum Of All Fears

    The Sum Of All Fears

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    #60

    A View To A Kill

    A View To A Kill

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    #61

    The Russia House

    The Russia House

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    #64

    Atomic Blonde

    Atomic Blonde

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    #65

    The Lady Vanishes

    The Lady Vanishes

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    #68

    Cloak And Dagger (1946)

    Cloak And Dagger (1946)

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    #69

    A Most Wanted Man

    A Most Wanted Man

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    #73

    The International

    The International

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    #74

    Zero Dark Thirty

    Zero Dark Thirty

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    #75

    The Fourth Protocol

    The Fourth Protocol

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    #76

    Bridge Of Spies

    Bridge Of Spies

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    #77

    The Odessa File

    The Odessa File

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    #78

    Mission: Impossible - Fallout

    Mission: Impossible - Fallout

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    #79

    Body Of Lies

    Body Of Lies

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    #80

    The Good Shepherd

    The Good Shepherd

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    #81

    The 39 Steps (1935)

    The 39 Steps (1935)

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    #82

    Mission: Impossible IV - Ghost Protocol

    Mission: Impossible IV - Ghost Protocol

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    #83

    Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

    Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

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    #84

    Licence To Kill

    Licence To Kill

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    #85

    The World Is Not Enough

    The World Is Not Enough

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    #86

    Where Eagles Dare

    Where Eagles Dare

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    #88

    The Living Daylights

    The Living Daylights

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    #91

    The Tailor Of Panama

    The Tailor Of Panama

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    #93

    The November Man

    The November Man

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    #94

    Mission: Impossible III

    Mission: Impossible III

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    #95

    Breach (2007)

    Breach (2007)

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    #96

    Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery

    Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery

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    #97

    Tomorrow Never Dies

    Tomorrow Never Dies

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    #99

    Mission: Impossible II

    Mission: Impossible II

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