Everything is not as it seems: Find the best spy movies
It’s hard to know who to trust when spies and international espionage are involved but this JustWatch streaming guide to the best spy movies is a safe source of information. Find the best spy movies of all time and discover some that are still buried in the past.
No matter what streaming service you use, Max, Paramount+, Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+ or others, you can find an intriguing spy drama to watch. Filter your results by age-rating so you don’t mix up your Spy Kids with your Casino Royale, or filter by IMDb rating so you only find the best movies in the genre.
Discover the most thrilling spy movies ever made
Whether it is one of the countless political thrillers based on the works of John le Carré– Tinker Tailor Solider Spy, A Most Wanted Man, The Spy Who Came In from the Cold – or a suave spy story from Ian Fleming’s James Bond, fans have always loved spy movies. The best of them combine elements of political intrigue, globe-trotting adventures, and high-stakes action with a recognisably evil villain. Alfred Hitchcock is known for his work in the genre, from 1932’s The Man Who Knew Too Much all the way to arguably the greatest spy movie ever, North by Northwest. While spy movies of the 90s and 2000s feature important contributions, such as Mission Impossible and The Bourne Identity, many still stand in the shadow of 007. Whether it’s Sean Connery’s Goldfinger, George Lazenby’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Pierce Brosnan’s Goldeneye or Daniel Craig’s Skyfall, no character has done more for the genre than James Bond. Special mentions must also be made for the renowned spy movies The Hunt for Red October, The Manchurian Candidate, and The Conversation.
Best kept spy movie secrets
The best spy movies that have flown under the radar include Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman, Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies, The Courier starring Benedict Cumberbatch and, pulsating German drama The Lives of Others. The crossover subgenre of comedy spy movies has lightened the often heavy subject matter by satirising the common tropes. These include the likes of Spy Hard, Johnny English, Spy, Burn After Reading and of course most memorably Austin Powers.
Discover other genres
Spy movies have often crossed paths with other genres including movies based on true stories such as The Imitation Game, superhero movies like Captain America: The Winter Solider, and psychological thrillers. The genre has also spawned a whole array of spy TV shows such as Jack Ryan, The Americans, Homeland, The Night Manager, and Slow Horses among others.
