Top 10 spy films of the past decade
13 September 2020
Do you love watching spy movies? Looking for Covid-19 safe activities? Then don’t miss the Drive In Cinema in London where you can enjoy drive thru movies from the comfort of your car. Book your tickets today for a contact-free experience.
Suspenseful, energetic and with plenty of twists and turns along the way, spy movies know how to create a tense, adrenalin-fuelled atmosphere. Directed and produced by some of the biggest names in the movie industry, here are ten top spy films of the past decade.
Tenet
Kicking off the list is Tenet, a 2020 science fiction spy movie by Christopher Nolan. One of the best drive-in movies in London, Tenet tells the story of a secret agent who embarks on a dangerous, time-bending mission to prevent the start of World War III. Armed with only one word, ‘Tenet,’ The Protagonist must take on the upcoming threat head on.
Mission: Impossible – Fallout
Released in 2018 and starring Tom Cruise as senior field operations agent Ethan Hunt, Mission: Impossible – Fallout is a fast-paced, action-packed American spy movie directed by Christopher McQuarrie. Putting Hunt’s competence and ethics to test and pressure, this is a movie that’ll have you glued to your seats time and time again.
Bridge of Spies
Set during the Cold War, Bridge of Spies follows lawyer James B. Donovan (Tom Hanks) as he attempts to negotiate the release of Francis Gary Powers – a U.S. Air Force pilot whose U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960 – in exchange for Rudolf Abel, a convicted Soviet KGB spy. Based on a true story and directed by Steven Spielberg, this movie was a massive box office success, grossing $165 million worldwide.
Skyfall
With Daniel Craig at the helm, Skyfall is one of the most popular Bond movies of all time. When MI6 is attacked and compromised from both inside and out following a failed assignment, M (Judy Dench) has only one ally left she can trust – James Bond. Aided by field Agent Miss Eve Moneypenny, 007 takes to the shadows to unravel hidden and lethal motives. Skyfall was the 23rd Bond film to be made, coinciding with 007’s 50th anniversary.
Spy
Written and directed by Paul Feig and starring Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Jason Statham and Jude Law, Spy is a comical thriller based around a deskbound CIA analyst who finds herself undercover. Challenged to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer and prevent a global crisis, Susan Cooper (McCarthy) proves to be somewhat of a competent CIA agent.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
A 2011 Cold War spy thriller directed by Tomas Alfredson and based on the iconic novel, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy features a star-studded cast and a gripping plot. During the bleak days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley (played by Gary Oldman) is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet Agent within MI6.
Kingsman: The Secret Service
If you like a spy movie with a side of comedy, check out Kingsman: The Secret Service, directed by funny-man Mathew Vaughn. Loosely based on the Marvel imprint series The Secret Service, this is a movie packed with over-the-top action, meta humour and funny homages to the James Bond series. Starring Colin Firth as long-time member of The Kingsman, Harry Hart, and Samuel L. Jackson as villain Valentine, you’ll see plenty of familiar faces.
A Most Wanted Man
First released in 2014 and one of the last films to involve the legendary actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, A Most Wanted Man is a tale of love, rivalry and politics, with tension running from the very start to the last heart-stopping scene. Is the most wanted man’s true identity an oppressed victim or a radical extremist?
Argo
It’s easy to see why this drama won Best Picture at the 85th Academy Awards. Starring Ben Affleck, Argo is based on the true story of a CIA agent who goes undercover as a Hollywood producer in order to rescue six American diplomats during the 1979 hostage crisis in Tehran, Iran.
Spies in Disguise
If you’re looking for a fun spy movie to watch with the kids, don’t miss Spies in Disguise. This follows the plot of a secret agent (voiced by Will Smith) who is accidentally transformed into a pigeon by a young scientist (Tom Holland). The two must then work together to stop a revenge-seeking cybernetic terrorist and return the agent back to his human self.
Do you love watching spy movies? Looking for Covid-19 safe activities? Then don’t miss the Drive In Cinema in London where you can enjoy drive thru movies from the comfort of your car. Book your tickets today for a contact-free experience.