Every Tom Cruise Movie, Ranked From Worst to Best

A film that earned Tom Cruise a Golden Raspberry Award nomination for Worst Actor, Cocktail was largely panned by critics but was a financial success at the box office. Cruise stars as a New York City bartender who takes his impressive skills to a Jamaican bar and falls in love with an artist (Elisabeth Shue).

"Very, very stupid." —Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

A young man (Cruise) squares off against the Lord of Darkness to save the world and the woman he loves. The fantasy film also features Tim Curry and Mia Sara and is considered by many to be a cult classic.

"It stinks from top to bottom. Even Tom Cruise (Risky Business), one of the most appealing actors of his generation, can now claim to have made his first truly awful film." —Gene Siskel, Chicago Tribune

The action-adventure film, which rebooted The Mummy franchise and was the first installment of the Dark Universe monster movie series for Universal, was widely panned by critics. Cruise stars as a former military officer who unearths a mummy's tomb and becomes cursed as a result. Russell Crowe also appears in the film as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

"It's an irredeemable disaster from start to finish, an adventure that entertains only via glimpses of the adventure it should have been." —David Ehrlich, Indiewire

This coming-of-age drama, based on the S. E. Hinton novel, starred several up-and-coming actors alongside Cruise, including Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze. The Outsiders is the only 1983 film for Cruise where he doesn't have a starring role. Risky Business, Losin' It and All the Right Moves were his other films released that year.

"As a movie, it's mediocre." —David Sterritt, Christian Science Monitor

This sci-fi psychological thriller stars Cruise as a self-indulgent man who is disfigured in a car accident and loses the woman of his dreams. Penelope Cruz and Cameron Diaz costar in the Cameron Crowe film. The opening features an iconic shot of Cruise running through an empty Times Square.

"Its tone is unquenchably pretentious, and its scale is overblown." —Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

Vanilla Sky costars Cruise and Diaz reunite in this action-comedy about a woman who unwittingly gets thrust on a series of adventures with a disgraced secret agent.

"It's hardly a perfect film, not even close, but it is the most entertaining made-for-adults studio movie of the summer, and one of the reasons it works at all is the great skill and commitment Cruise brings to the starring role." —Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

Cruise belts out rock anthems "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and "Wanted Dead or Alive" in the big-screen adaptation of the Broadway musical. Cruise takes on the role of Stacee Jaxx, frontman of the rock band Arsenal, in the jukebox musical feature.

"Shankman gets enormously entertaining performances from Tom Cruise and Alec Baldwin, so much so that it's a problem: The movie's not about them." —Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

Cruise's titular character goes on the run with an army major (Cobie Smulders) and cracks a major government conspiracy wide open. Like Cruise, Smulders also performed her own stunts. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back is a sequel to the 2012 film Jack Reacher.

"The whole thing is just so sloppy and dumb and overflowing with clichés." —Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times

Cruise joins forces with Robert Redford and Meryl Streep in this Afghan-war drama. Cruise plays a U.S. Senator and Republican presidential hopeful who develops a new war strategy to combat the Taliban. Grossing $15 million in the U.S. and $63.2 million at the worldwide box office, it's one of Cruise's biggest flops of his career.

"One of those movies in which the principals talk a lot but don't say much." —James Berardinelli, ReelViews

George C. Scott and Timothy Hutton star in this drama, also featuring Cruise, about a group of military school students who take over their school to save it from closing. This was Cruise's second film (and first decent-sized role) after his brief debut appearance in Endless Love.

"Taps labors at an unbearably slow pace to an inevitable, depressing conclusion." —Variety

The second film starring Cruise and Nicole Kidman, Far and Away follows two Irish immigrants seeking fortune and land of their own in America in the late 19th century. The actor gets to show off his fighting skills as his character becomes a local bare-knuckle boxer.

"Far and Away is a movie that joins astonishing visual splendor with a story so simple-minded it seems intended for adolescents." —Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer and Anthony Edwards join Cruise in this romantic military drama about a group of daring fighter pilots. Though it received mixed reviews, the film's aerial stunts and action were widely praised.

"This is a movie that comes in two parts: It knows exactly what to do with special effects, but doesn't have a clue as to how two people in love might act and talk and think." —Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The first in the film franchise and based on the 2005 Lee Child novel One Shot, Jack Reacher stars Cruise as a former military officer investigating a homicide. Though the book series describes Reacher as 6'5" tall and weighing between 210 and 250 pounds, the role was re-imagined for the 5'7" Cruise.

"Reacher is a brawny action figure whose exploits would have been a good fit for the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone back in the day, but feel less fun when delegated to a leading man like Tom Cruise. The star is too charismatic to play someone so cold-blooded, and his fans likely won't appreciate the stretch." —Peter Debruge, Variety

This teen comedy focuses on four young men in the 1950s heading from Los Angeles to Tijuana, Mexico to lose their virginity. A young Cruise stars opposite Jackie Earle Haley and Shelley Long.

"Losin' It isn't without its likable moments, but it isn't overloaded with them, either." —Janet Maslin, The New York Times

Cruise and Morgan Freeman star in this post-apocalyptic science-fiction film adapted from an unpublished graphic novel. Cruise is on a mission to extract Earth's remaining vital resources when he begins to question everything he knows.

"Admirable in its look and style, the film is not unique or exceptional." —Louis Black, Austin Chronicle

A retired American soldier becomes an adviser for the Japanese army in this Academy Award-nominated epic historical film. Cruise and costar Ken Watanabe were praised for their work and received Golden Globe nominations.

"There are pleasures to be had in the handsome, heroic The Last Samurai. But they're all on the surface." —David Ansen, Newsweek

German army officers plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler in this historical thriller. Cruise reportedly was attracted to the role of Colonel Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg because of his resemblance to the real-life officer. Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy and Tom Wilkinson costar.

"It's slickly executed, handsomely acted for the most part and utterly easy to forget." —Lawrence Toppman, Charlotte Observer

An adaptation of the John Grisham novel, The Firm is about a young lawyer (Cruise) who accepts a job with a prestigious but sinister law firm. Sydney Pollack directed the legal thriller, which also stars Gene Hackman, Ed Harris and Holly Hunter.

"An average movie improved by Cruise's star appeal and accomplished supporting cast." —Matt Mueller, Empire

With the same Metascore as its sequel, the first Mission: Impossible of the film franchise established Cruise in the iconic role of Ethan Hunt, a secret agent framed for the murders of his team members.

"The bottom line on a film like this is, Tom Cruise looks cool and holds our attention while doing neat things that we don't quite understand—doing them so quickly and with so much style that we put our questions on hold, and go with the flow." —Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Ethan Hunt (Cruise) returns with a sequel more action-packed than the first. Two of the most memorable Cruise stunts include a free-scaling cliff scene at Utah's Dead Horse Point and a fight scene where a knife was held just centimeters from his eye.

"Check your brains at the popcorn stand and hang on for a spectacular ride." —Lou Lumenick, New York Post

The first of three films to star Cruise and his now-ex Nicole Kidman, Days of Thunder features high-octane racing scenes and appearances from real-life NASCAR drivers. Cruise plays Cole, a young racer who makes it all the way to the Daytona 500 "¦ and he falls in love with a beautiful doctor (Kidman), too.

"This expensive genre film about stock car racing has many of the elements that made the same team's Top Gun a blockbuster, but the producers recruited scripter Robert Towne to make more out of the story than junk food." —Variety

Lestat de Lioncourt (Cruise) is an ancient vampire who adds Brad Pitt and a young Kirsten Dunst to his undead brood in this horror film based on the Anne Rice novel. Cruise reportedly spent more than three hours each day in the makeup chair.

"This darkly effective horror drama holds plenty of interest, even for those who find Anne Rice's gothic cult novels unreadable." —TV Guide Magazine

Military lawyers (Cruise and Demi Moore) take on a murder case in this Academy Award-nominated film also featuring a powerful performance from Jack Nicholson. And who could forget that "you can't handle the truth" scene?

"Like all courtroom dramas, A Few Good Men is gimmicky and synthetic. It's also an irresistible throwback to the sort of sharp-edged entertainment Hollywood once provided with regularity." —Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

A football star lands a scholarship to escape his small town in this sports drama starring Craig T. Nelson and Lea Thompson. Cruise and Thompson were reportedly embedded in high schools to prepare for their roles, but Cruise was immediately recognized.

"A well-made but sugar-coated working-class fable about a football star." —Janet Maslin, The New York Times

Based (loosely) on a true story, this comedic 2017 action-thriller re-paired Cruise with his Edge of Tomorrow director, Doug Liman. Here, Cruise plays Barry Seal, a commerical airline pilot who is recruited by the CIA to conduct secret reconnaissance missions in Central America. The film performed relatively modestly at the box office, and some critics felt it an inadequate portrayal of Seal's real-life adventures, but it was another solid showcase for its star, whose stuntwork included flying a small plane.

"Featuring one of Tom Cruise's best performances in recent years, American Made is a darkly funny, dizzying crime film that nevertheless ultimately feels inconsequential and overly familiar." —Jim Vejvoda, IGN

The road-trip movie, also starring Dustin Hoffman, earned numerous accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Picture. A self-absorbed yuppie (Cruise) and his autistic brother (Hoffman) travel cross-country in the highest-grossing blockbuster of 1988.

"It's a mature assignment for Cruise and he's at his best in the darker scenes." —Variety

Ethan Hunt is called back to duty to confront a madman arms dealer (Philip Seymour Hoffman) in another action-packed edition of the franchise. This was J.J. Abrams' directorial debut on a feature film and he had a $150 million budget to work with, reportedly the highest ever for a first-time director.

"A gratifyingly clever, booby-trapped thriller that has enough fun and imagination and dash to more than justify its existence." —Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

Another on-screen collaboration for Cruise and Kidman, Eyes Wide Shut tells the story of a doctor involved in an underground sexual group. The erotic drama was director Stanley Kubrick's final film. It was also his first movie to open in the top spot at the U.S. box office.

"A spellbinder: provocatively conceived, gorgeously shot and masterfully executed." —Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune

Cruise plays against type in this crime thriller, where a hitman takes his cab driver hostage (Jamie Foxx). Foxx was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of a reluctant getaway driver.

"The best kind of genre filmmaking: It plays by the rules, obeys the traditions and is both familiar and fresh at once." —Stephen Hunter, Washington Post

A soldier stuck in a time loop keeps re-living the day he dies. The film is based on the Hiroshi Sakurazaka manga and novel "All You Need Is Kill." A sequel, Live Die Repeat and Repeat, is reportedly in development and Cruise and costar Emily Blunt will return.

"For a film about repetition, Edge of Tomorrow never feels tired or familiar." —Alonso Duralde, TheWrap

Cruise received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his cameo as a foul-mouthed, angry studio executive named Les Grossman. The actor wore special-effects makeup and performed a memorable dance number for the comedy.

"An imperfect work of genius, a satire of Hollywood excess and vanity that dares to tread territory laden with minefields." —Stephanie Zacharek, Salon

Loosely based on the H.G. Wells novel of the same name, this sci-fi disaster film shows a family on the run during an alien invasion. At the time of its release, it was Cruise's highest-grossing film.

"A gritty, intense and supremely accomplished sci-fier." —Todd McCarthy, Variety

In the fourth installment of the franchise, Cruise's Ethan Hunt goes rogue with his team after being blamed for a terrorist bombing. It was the highest-grossing Mission: Impossible film in the series at the worldwide box office.

"It's implausible as hell, but no less fun for that." —Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

It's the most recent film in the franchise ... and the one where Cruise hangs off the side of a plane. Hunt and his team face off against an international criminal consortium called the Syndicate.

"The most assured and satisfying of the five so far." —Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

Nominated for eight Academy Awards, including a Best Actor nomination for Cruise, Born on the Fourth of July is Oliver Stone's drama based on the best-selling autobiography by Vietnam War veteran Ron Kovic. Kovic reportedly gave Cruise his Bronze Star to thank him for his portrayal.

"It is a film of enormous visceral power with, in the central role, a performance by Tom Cruise that defines everything that is best about the movie." —Vincent Canby, The New York Times

Dancing around in his underwear to "Old-Time Rock and Roll" is one of the reasons this romantic-comedy launched Cruise to stardom. The coming-of-age movie is about a trustworthy high school student who lets loose when his parents leave town.

"Smart, stylish and cynical about the values of its time, this movie aspires to be The Graduate for its generation and it comes pretty close." —TV Guide Magazine

A sports agent loses all of his clients, except for one struggling football player, in this romantic-comedy-drama. Two of film's iconic lines, "Show me the money" and "you had me at hello," made the American Film Institute's ranking of the Top 100 Movie Quotes.

"Altogether wondrous." —Richard Schickel, Time

Paul Newman earned an Academy Award for his starring role in this Martin Scorsese-helmed drama that costars Cruise. A poor pool hustler (Newman) takes on a talented protégé (Cruise) and they ultimately become opponents.

"The Color of Money plays better when not under the shadow of The Hustler, which is ultimately a better and more compelling tale." —James Berardinelli, ReelViews

Magnolia is an ensemble film directed by Paul Thomas Anderson about interrelated characters played by Cruise, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman and others. Cruise racked up another Academy Award nomination for his work in the film.

"Spellbinding." —Wesley Morris, San Francisco Examiner

Credited with bringing audiences back to movie theaters following the pandemic, this belated sequel to the hit 1986 fighter-pilot action film Top Gun collected nearly $1.5 billion in worldwide grosses to become the highest-grossing movie of 2022—and of Cruise's entire career, which is no mean feat. And it wasn't just popular—it's an excellent film, with critics scoring the Joseph Kosinski-directed Maverick nearly 30 points higher than its predecessor. Maverick even received a Best Picture nomination (among six total Oscar nominations).

"Thirty-six years after the original, Tom Cruise is having the time of his life, the in-flight thrills are off the charts and—hot damn!—you won't find more blazing action anywhere." —Peter Travers, ABC News

Cruise teamed up with director Steven Spielberg for this sci-fi flick about a futuristic police department that arrests murderers before they kill. It opened at No. 1 at the U.S. box office and made $226.3 million overseas.

"It's a dark and dazzling spectacle." —Andrew O'Hehir, Salon

Released in 2023, this seventh film in the franchise is the third straight to be directed by Christopher McQuarrie, with all three receiving terrific reviews from critics. Set to be followed by a concluding film in 2024, Dead Reckoning Part One received plenty of advance buzz for Cruise's ever-daring stuntwork including a fight scene on the roof of a moving train and an instantly legendary motorcycle sequece that finds him riding a bike off of a mountain cliff and deploying a parachute to fall to safety.

"The fact that McQuarrie and Cruise routinely set and then raise the bar for the gold standard of action movies is the lure of the franchise — but it's the characters, their foibles, their wit, and their deep humanity that are Mission: Impossible's secret weapon." —Maureen Lee Lenker

Few film franchises get better as they progress, but Cruise's sixth Mission: Impossible film is the best in the entire series. The 2018 release is (like 2015's Rogue Nation) both directed and scripted by Christopher McQuarrie and features some of the best action sequences ever recorded on film, helping propel Fallout to become the highest-grossing film of Cruise's career (at least until the release of Top Gun: Maverick a few years later).

"He's only Tom Cruise because nobody else is willing to be — or maybe he's only Tom Cruise so that nobody else has to be. Either way, Fallout is the film he's always promised us, and it was totally worth the wait." —David Ehrlich, IndieWire