The release of Top Gun: Maverick looks to be yet another stunning achievement in the career of Tom Cruise. He is one of the biggest movie stars in the world, and this is mostly down to his versatility as an actor. He started off starring in action-packed blockbusters, but he’s also proven that he has comedic chops and held his own in more contemplative dramas.

Few actors have the rare combination of talent and charisma that Cruise has – and on top of that, he’s fiercely dedicated, doing most of his own stunts and not letting something silly like a broken bone stop him. With Top Gun: Maverick earning rave reviews, fans may be interested in seeing which of Cruise's movies critics loved the most.

Tropic Thunder (2008) - 82%

Les Grossman talking on the phone in Tropic Thunder
  • Available on Paramount+

It is not often Cruise gets the chance to show off his comedic skills, but he stole the show in the hilarious satire Tropic Thunder. The movie follows a group of self-involved Hollywood actors filming a war movie who find themselves in a real life-and-death situation. Cruise plays the turbulent and in-your-face studio executive.

RELATED: 10 Best Movie References In Tropic Thunder

Director Ben Stiller was praised for handling the action elements of the movie as well as the great comedic aspects. It made for a wild and hugely entertaining comedy in the minds of critics, with Robert Downey Jr's unforgettable performance also being singled out.

Magnolia (1999) - 83%

A close-up of Frank looking serious in Magnolia
  • Available on Kanopy

Given his star power, it is not often that Cruise appears as part of an ensemble. However, his supporting role in Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia earned Cruise an Oscar nomination. The movie follows various characters through their day that builds into one story. Cruise plays a bombastic and vulgar motivational speaker of "men's rights."

With the likes of Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and John C. Reilly, critics were most impressed with the collective performances the movie delivers. They also found that Anderson's ambitious story was a fascinating one overall.

A Few Good Men (1992) - 83%

Tom Cruise as Lt. Kaffe in court in A Few Good Men
  • Available on DIRECTV and Spectrum on Demand

Though he was certainly a big star at the time of A Few Good Men, this movie proved Cruise was as powerful a presence on film that he could hold his own opposite Jack Nicholson. The courtroom drama written by Aaron Sorkin stars Cruise as a lawyer defending two soldiers accused of killing a fellow soldier in a hazing incident.

The movie's star-studded cast also includes Demi Moore and Kevin Bacon. It was seen by most critics as a gripping throwback legal thriller that was further elevated by its actors, especially Nicholson with an iconic performance.

Jerry Maguire (1996) - 84%

Jerry pointing in Jerry Maguire
  • Available on DIRECTV, TNT, TBS and Spectrum on Demand

The romantic-comedy genre is one that Cruise is not often seen in which is surprising considering how big of a success he had with Jerry Maguire. He plays the titular character, a sports agent who finds himself fired with only one loudmouth client and an endlessly loyal assistant to keep him afloat.

RELATED: 14 Best Jerry Maguire Quotes

Critics praised not only the lead performance from Cruise but also his co-stars Renee Zellweger and Cuba Gooding Jr. Cameron Crowe's funny, touching and sharp script found a rare combination of a romance story and an exciting sports movie.

American Made (2017) - 85%

Barry Seal holding a payphone in his hand in American Made
  • Available on Fubo TV

Along with Top Gun and its anticipated sequel, American Made proves that Cruise has a lot of luck when he's flying a plane. The crime movie is based on a true story that stars Cruise as Barry Seal, an American pilot who becomes a drug-runner for the CIA in the 1980s.

It is fun to see Cruise play a character who is less heroic than his usual roles. Many critics point to Cruise's high-energy and charismatic performance that really sets the tone for this very entertaining and bizarre story.

Collateral (2004) - 86%

Tom Cruise with a handgun in a nightclub in Collateral
  • Available on HBO, HBO Max, Max Go, DIRECTV and Spectrum on Demand 

Collateral is a fascinating two-hander focusing on the relationship between two strangers. Tom Cruise plays a hitman with jobs all over L.A. and Jamie Foxx plays the mild-mannered cab driver he’s commandeered for the night. The two share spectacular on-screen chemistry that keeps the whole thing riveting from start to finish.

Michael Mann directs this slick thriller with gusto – a midpoint neon-lit nightclub shootout stands out as a highlight – but it’s really Cruise and Foxx’s acting that keeps you hooked. Stuart Beattie masterfully introduces his characters in the first act, escalates the tension slowly throughout the second act, and delivers a gut-punch finale in the third.

Born on the Fourth of July (1989) - 86%

Tom Cruise in Born On The Fourth Of July
  • Available to rent on Apple TV

A biopic of Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic, Born on the Fourth of July was the second installment in the Vietnam War trilogy directed by Oliver Stone, who is also a veteran of the conflict. Like Kovic, Stone returned from battle with a staunchly anti-war stance and began conveying that in his films.

So, when the director took on a film adaptation of Kovic’s memoir, it was like a match made in Heaven. Stone and Kovic collaborated on the script together, so this is more accurate – and more political – than your average, run-of-the-mill biopic. Tom Cruise’s angry, bitter portrayal of Kovic told audiences that he wasn’t afraid to play an imperfect character.

Rain Man (1988) - 89%

Charlie and Raymond walk in a park in Rain Man
  • Available on HBO, HBO Max, DIRECTV and Spectrum on Demand 

Although its use of an able-bodied actor to play a disabled role would be considered controversial in today’s climate, Rain Man is a fantastic movie, mixing comedy and drama in pitch-perfect ways and capturing the relationship of two brothers beautifully.

RELATED: Tom Cruise's 10 Most Iconic Movie Quotes

Tom Cruise stars as Charlie Babbitt, who finds out he has an autistic brother named Raymond (played by Dustin Hoffman) from his wealthy father’s will and finds that he’s good at counting cards and takes him to Vegas to win big. Cruise plays Charlie as unlikable, conflicted, and irritable, which leads to some truly interesting character development and well-acted scenes.

The Color of Money (1986) - 89%

Tom Cruise and Paul Newman in The Color of Money
  • Available on Prime Video, Paramount+, Epix, DIRECTV and Spectrum on Demand 

Martin Scorsese’s belated sequel to The Hustler brought Paul Newman back to the role of “Fast Eddie” Felson to mentor a new student, played by Tom Cruise. The Color of Money is basically detached from The Hustler – the two work just as well on their own – but it’s still a terrific movie.

Until this movie came along, moviegoers thought that Tom Cruise was just some pretty-boy actor. However, holding his own opposite a screen legend like Paul Newman under the direction of a master like Scorsese, he won over those audiences and proved that he had some serious acting chops.

Minority Report (2002) - 90%

Tom Cruise Minority Report
  • Available to rent on Apple TV

Philip K. Dick has always been a rich source of cinematic material. This Steven Spielberg sci-fi actioner has a juicy premise – focusing on a futuristic police force that can predict crimes before they even take place – and has an even juicier plot to back it up.

Minority Report stars Tom Cruise as John Anderton, who is determined to be murdering a man he’s never met in three days and has 72 hours to figure out who this person is and why he’s going to kill him. In an almost impossible feat, the movie’s execution lives up to its lucrative setup from beginning to end.

Edge of Tomorrow (2014) - 91%

Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt in futuristic armor in Edge of Tomorrow
  • Available to rent on Apple TV

When most moviegoers heard about the premise (and title) of Edge of Tomorrow – a soldier in a distant future relives the same day of a battle with aliens over and over again, a la Groundhog Day – they predicted that it would suck. However, when the movie came out in 2014, those fans were surprised to discover that it’s actually a mind-blowing sci-fi action thriller.

RELATED: The 10 Best Alien Invasion Movies Ever, According To Reddit

Director Doug Liman’s sense of pacing does a fine job of making sure the movie doesn’t feel repetitive, skipping over the repeated events quicker and quicker each time, and Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt make a compelling pair of leads.

Risky Business (1983) - 92%

Risky Business
  • Available on HBO Max

Imagine if Superbad starred a young Tom Cruise and had an even racier plot involving scorned prostitutes and trashed sports cars and you might have a vague idea of what Risky Business looks like.

It’s crazy to think that a guy who jumped out of a plane and piloted a helicopter for his last major movie got his big break starring in an ‘80s high school comedy, but Cruise fits the role of Joel Goodson like a glove. In fact, Cruise’s charismatic and likable performance is possibly what makes the whole movie work. In the wrong hands, his character could’ve come off as pretty despicable. With Cruise in the role, he’s just a lovable rascal.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011) - 93%

Tom Cruise Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol
  • Available on Paramount+

There were some great movies in the Mission: Impossible franchise before Brad Bird came along but Ghost Protocol really upped the game. It has an engaging plot that takes you along for the ride and achieves this by using spectacular action set pieces to drive it forward.

From sending Tom Cruise into a sandstorm for a novel take on a foot chase to blowing up the Kremlin in shocking fashion to having Cruise dangle from the side of the Burj Khalifa using nothing but sticky gloves (and harnesses that were removed in post, but still), Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is a gorgeous showcase of mind-boggling big-screen thrills.

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015) - 94%

Ethan Hunt hanging from a movin plane in M:I - Rogue Nation
  • Available on Paramount+, FX Now, DIRECTV and Spectrum on Demand

The fifth Mission: Impossible movie was the one where Christopher McQuarrie jumped aboard the franchise. He has since directed the sixth one, making him the first-ever director to helm two installments of the franchise, and then signed on to shoot the seventh and eighth movies back-to-back.

He clearly has a great working relationship with Tom Cruise, and it shows from the off. In the opening sequence, Cruise hangs from the side of a plane as it takes off. McQuarrie knows that this sight is interesting enough not to need any camera trickery, so he leaves a stationary camera locked on Cruise for the entire breathtaking sequence.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018) - 97%

Ethan Hunt hanging onto the outside of a flying helicopter in Mission Impossible Fallout
  • Available on Paramount+, FX Now, DIRECTV and Spectrum on Demand

As soon as Christopher McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout was released last summer, critics were calling it one of the greatest action movies ever made. With the sixth M:I movie, McQuarrie and his star Tom Cruise were faced with a difficult task.

How did they top hanging off the side of a plane during take-off? Their solution was to make a movie where every scene is this intense. Chasing helicopters, dangling from a cliff, zipping around the Arc de Triomphe the wrong way on a motorcycle – McQuarrie and Cruise have left themselves with an even bigger challenge for Mission: Impossible 7.

Top Gun: Maverick (2022) - 97%

Tom Cruise smiling while riding a motorcycle in Top Gun: Maverick
  • Now playing in theaters

It was a long wait for fans to see the follow-up of Top Gun with a number of delays over the past couple of years. But the wait seems to have been worth it as the sequel is already one of Cruise's top-rated movies of his career.

Top Gun: Maverick sees the legendary pilot returning to the cockpit to train a new generation of pilots. Critics have praised the sequel as one of the few that surpasses its original. With stunning aerial footage and a huge entertainment factor, it is certainly one of the must-watch movies of the summer season.

NEXT: Tom Cruise's 10 Best Movies, According To Ranker

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