The Angel (2018)

Ashraf Marwan, the son-in-law of Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser who operated as a spy for Israel, gets the biopic treatment here in this 2018 spy thriller. The film tracks Marwan as he initially offers suggestions for peaceful solutions to their conflict with Israel, only to be rebuked by the president, eventually leading him to offer his intel to the Israeli government. Marwan Kenzari (Aladdin, Black Adam) portrays the real-life spy, who some believed to be a double agent. The film earned mostly positive reviews, with praise for its engrossing storytelling and Kenzari’s performance. —Kevin Jacobsen

Where to watch The Angel: Netflix

Director: Ariel Vromen

Cast: Marwan Kenzari, Toby Kebbell

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The Berlin File (2013)

An illegal arms deal in Berlin is the catalyst for this action-packed Korean thriller. Ha Jung-woo stars as Pyo Jong-seong, a North Korean spy who must protect himself and his wife, Ryun Jung-hee (Jun Ji-hyun), who herself is a translator implicated as a double agent. What follows is pure espionage drama at its finest, as the couple are forced to go on the run. The Berlin File earned raves from critics for its clever plotting and well-orchestrated action set pieces. The film earned numerous accolades in South Korea and became a box office success, eventually crossing over for a theatrical run in the U.S. —K.J.

Where to watch The Berlin File: Netflix

Director: Ryoo Seung-wan

Cast: Ha Jung-woo, Han Suk-kyu, Ryoo Seung-bum, Jun Ji-hyun

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The Gray Man (2022)

Ken vs. Captain America! While on a mission, CIA agent Six (Ryan Gosling) learns his supervisor Carmichael (Regé-Jean Page) is running unsanctioned assassination operations. When Six refuses to play ball, Carmichael sends smarmy, murderous, child kidnapper Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans) to eliminate him, no matter how much collateral damage it causes. While the film wasn’t shown much love by critics, the choice to cast two of Hollywood’s most beloved leading men opposite each other was a strong one. According to EW’s critic, “Evans, smirking like a catbird, is the movie’s main antagonist, and his pairing with Gosling is the pretty-man Godzilla vs. Kong most viewers came to see.” Evans’ snarky banter — ripped straight from the Movie Villain 101 playbook — combined with Gosling’s Jason Bourne impression make for a wild ride. —Terry Terrones

Where to watch The Gray Man: Netflix

EW grade: B– (read the review)

Directors: Anthony and Joe Russo

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jessica Henwick, Regé-Jean Page, Wagner Moura, Julia Butters, Dhanush, Alfre Woodard, Billy Bob Thornton

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The Interpreter (2005)

Oscar-winning director Sydney Pollack‘s final feature film before his death in 2008 is a sturdy political thriller chock-full of twists and turns. Nicole Kidman plays the titular United Nations interpreter, Silvia Broome, who happens to overhear an assassination plot against a ruthless leader of an African country who is slated to answer for his crimes at the International Criminal Court. Soon, a Secret Service agent (Sean Penn) gets involved, discovering that Silvia has a past that intersects with the corrupt leader’s actions. The densely plotted drama, described by EW’s critic as “a serious invitation…for Americans to engage globally even while seeking local entertainment,” is a fascinating look at geopolitical wheelings and dealings. —K.J.

Where to watch The Interpreter: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Sydney Pollack

Cast: Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, Catherine Keener

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Madras Cafe (2013)

Madras Cafe tells the story of Indian Army Special Forces officer Vikram Singh (John Abraham), who becomes the head of covert operations in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, during the Sri Lankan Civil War. After befriending a British journalist (Nargis Fakhri), he learns of a secret plot to take out Rajiv Gandhi, former Indian prime minister. The title comes from the location at which the conspiracy was planned. The Indian thriller was lauded for its well-rounded protagonists, tense spycraft, and treatment of weighty subject matter. For his role as Singh, Abraham was given the Anti-Terrorist Front’s Pride of the Nation award. —K.J.

Where to watch Madras Cafe: Netflix

Director: Shoojit Sircar

Cast: John Abraham, Nargis Fakhri, Raashi Khanna, Siddharth Basu, Prakash Belawadi

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Munich — The Edge of War (2022)

Two former college friends on opposite sides of the coming Second World War conspire to take down Hitler in this 2022 spy thriller. Based on the historical novel Munich by Robert Harris, the film centers on Hugh Legat, a private secretary for British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, and Paul von Hartmann, a translator for the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs. With Chamberlain hoping to reach a peaceful agreement, Legat conspires with Hartmann to stop the dictator while they still can. While it’s hard to ignore how this story would ultimately end in reality, there is added resonance in viewing a historical account (however fictionalized its players may be) of the people who stuck their necks out to prevent catastrophe. George MacKay (1917) and Jannis Niewöhner play the friends/co-conspirators, while Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons portrays Chamberlain, with Sandra Hüller (Toni Erdmann) and Jessica Brown Findlay (Downton Abbey) filling out the cast. —K.J.

Where to watch Munich — The Edge of War: Netflix

Director: Christian Schwochow

Cast: George MacKay, Jannis Niewöhner, Jeremy Irons, Sandra Hüller, Liv Lisa Fries, August Diehl, Jessica Brown Findlay

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The 101-Year-Old Man Who Skipped Out on the Bill and Disappeared (2016)

This sequel to the Oscar-nominated Swedish film The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (2013) finds Allan (Robert Gustafsson) recalling his life as a double agent where he created a drink called “Folksoda.” Now 101 years old, he attempts to track down the secret formula, hidden in a cigar box in Berlin, only to discover that a woman who claims Allan stole the formula from her father is hoping to get her own hands on it. Those who appreciated the cheeky comedy of its predecessor will find similar amusement in The 101-Year-Old Man‘s take on Cold War politics. —K.J.

Where to watch The 101-Year-Old Man Who Skipped Out on the Bill and Disappeared: Netflix

Directors: Felix Herngren and Måns Herngren

Cast: Robert Gustafsson, Iwar Wiklander, David Wiberg, Shima Niavarani, Jens Hultén

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Operation Mincemeat (2022)

The plot behind Operation Mincemeat might sound implausible if it weren’t true. Taking place during World War II, Lt. Cmdr. Ewen Montagu (Colin Firth) strategizes with intelligence officer Charles Cholmondeley (Matthew Macfadyen) to execute Operation Mincemeat. The plan: In order to trick the Nazis into thinking the Allies will invade from Greece rather than Sicily, they plant misleading papers on a corpse, passing him off as a deceased captain. Directed by John Madden (Shakespeare in Love, Miss Sloane), the film provides old-school thrills, with a massive ensemble of beloved British actors. Also of note is a fun inclusion by Johnny Flynn as Ian Fleming, the mastermind behind the James Bond book series. —K.J.

Where to watch Operation Mincemeat: Netflix

EW grade: C+ (read the review)

Director: John Madden

Cast: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfadyen, Kelly Macdonald, Penelope Wilton, Johnny Flynn, Jason Isaacs

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Red Notice (2021)

Enjoyable spy movies don’t always have to take themselves seriously, as Red Notice, an action spy comedy, clearly demonstrates. John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson) is an FBI criminal profiler assigned to assist an Interpol agent in catching international art thief Nolan Booth (Ryan Reynolds). But when the duo are both outwitted by Booth’s rival, the Bishop (Gal Gadot), the film turns into a globe-trotting romp, allowing for a bevy of one-liners at Dwayne Johnson’s expense, and plot twists galore. In an interview with EW, director Rawson Marshall Thurber compares Red Notice to “Fast & Furious 9.5,” and attributes the film’s success to Johnson and Reynolds’ real-life bromance. “They have incredible chemistry together both on set and off,” says Thurber. “When the cameras aren’t rolling, they’re yukking it up just as much as they are when we put them in front of the camera.” Happy to sacrifice plot in favor of over-the-top action, Red Notice‘s playful nature is enough to justify its two upcoming sequels, with all its stars and the director set to return. —T.T.

Where to watch Red Notice: Netflix

EW grade: C+ (read the review)

Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot, Ritu Arya, Chris Diamantopoulos

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Romeo Akbar Walter (2019)

A banker becomes a spy for India’s Research and Analysis Wing in this 2019 Indian action thriller. John Abraham assumes the role of Romeo, the titular banker who has a knack for assuming different identities, becoming the operative Akbar and later the Pakistani officer Walter. The film centers on his experiences as a spy, particularly the toll it takes on his spirit. Loosely based on the life of Indian spy Ravindra Kaushik, the film provides an interesting portrait of its shape-shifting protagonist, giving Abraham a solid showcase as a performer. —K.J.

Where to watch Romeo Akbar Walter: Netflix

Director: Robbie Grewal

Cast: John Abraham, Mouni Roy, Jackie Shroff, Sikandar Kher

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Top Secret! (1984)

From the directors of Airplane! and The Naked Gun, this spoof of classic World War II spy thrillers produces laughs at a breakneck pace. Val Kilmer stars as Nick Rivers, an Elvis-type rock star slated to perform at a cultural festival in East Germany. But the festival is merely a smokescreen for the East Germans’ planned attack on NATO, and Nick is unwittingly thrust into the conspiracy upon meeting Hillary Flammond (Lucy Gutteridge), a member of the resistance. With committed performances all around — especially by Kilmer in his film debut — Top Secret! is best enjoyed if you don’t think too hard about logic and just let the mile-a-minute gags entertain you. —K.J.

Where to watch Top Secret!: Netflix

Directors: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker

Cast: Val Kilmer, Lucy Gutteridge, Omar Sharif, Peter Cushing, Michael Gough, Jeremy Kemp

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Wasp Network (2020)

Wasp Network follows the tangled web of operatives during Fidel Castro’s reign of Cuba in the 1990s. Édgar Ramírez plays René González, a pilot who defects from Cuba without telling his family and establishes himself in Miami with a group of anti-Castro exiles who perpetrate terrorist attacks on Cuba. After his wife Olga (Penélope Cruz) looks for answers, she discovers that René actually infiltrated the group on behalf of Cuban intelligence. The intricate story is based on true events, with handsome visuals and a standout cast surrounding Ramírez and Cruz, including Gael García Bernal, Ana de Armas, and Wagner Moura. The film was directed by Olivier Assayas, who previously worked with Ramírez on the miniseries Carlos. —K.J.

Where to watch Wasp Network: Netflix

EW grade: C+ (read the review)

Director: Olivier Assayas

Cast: Penélope Cruz, Édgar Ramírez, Gael García Bernal, Ana de Armas, Wagner Moura

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