20 Best CIA/FBI Movies!
Please share your thoughts in the comments section! Movies I should watch/add or maybe some criticism on the movies I chose for the list. Thanks!
(These movies are in no particular order)
Check out some of my reviews/lists at arnoldbriseno.wordpress.com
(These movies are in no particular order)
Check out some of my reviews/lists at arnoldbriseno.wordpress.com
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- DirectorKathryn BigelowStarsJessica ChastainJoel EdgertonChris PrattA chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L.s Team 6 in May 2011.An incredibly well-crafted film that should be considered a masterpiece of the CIA genre. The driving force of the film is Jessica Chastain; she's absolutely superb in the role of Maya. Bigelow's direction also shines and elevates this film - especially when the boots hit the ground. The tone of the film shifts, yet she is able to keep the movie from veering off track. She is able to direct 25 minutes of the most tense and thrilling action sequences I have ever watched.
One of the biggest issues that I feel I have to address, is the way that IMDb users attack this film for being "boring, inaccurate," and so on... The thing is, Boal's screenplay, like Fair Game (which I've included in this list) is very matter-of-fact, but the difference between the two films is the writing. Fair Game could have been much more, but it doesn't go far enough. The complaint for ZDT is that it's "boring" and I think that's unfair.
What people were expecting was quick-cut editing, a loud score, and something like the CIA scenes in the Bourne movies. You don't get that here - what you get is people working at desks analyzing data for a period of 10 years. They're not hunting Jason Bourne and have access to every possible camera on earth. These CIA analysts comb over data and analyze it, and the movie condenses 10 years into a little over 2 hours.
I just think this film is unfairly criticized, and is not taken at face value. If you can set aside politics, and stop pulling the propaganda card, you will find a solid film with great acting, direction, and an excellent screenplay.
4/4 - DirectorPhillip NoyceStarsHarrison FordWillem DafoeAnne ArcherCIA Analyst Jack Ryan is drawn into an illegal war fought by the US government against a Colombian drug cartel.The BEST Jack Ryan movie! The SUV is one of my favorite action scenes of all-time; it's very memorable.
3/4 - DirectorBen AffleckStarsBen AffleckBryan CranstonJohn GoodmanActing under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1979.Great character development, tight script, great direction. It's tense, thrilling, and has funny moments. Definitely one of the best films of 2012 and Affleck's best film.
3.5/4 - DirectorJonathan DemmeStarsJodie FosterAnthony HopkinsScott GlennA young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.You cannot have one of these lists without including this film. The scenes between Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins are electric.
4/4 - DirectorMike NewellStarsAl PacinoJohnny DeppMichael MadsenAn FBI undercover agent infiltrates the mob and finds himself identifying more with the Mafia life--at the expense of his regular one.This is one of Depp's underrated performances, and I feel like not many people have watched this film. The transformation that his character goes through is interesting to watch.
4/4 - DirectorTony ScottStarsRobert RedfordBrad PittCatherine McCormackRetiring CIA agent Nathan Muir recalls his training of Tom Bishop while working against agency politics to free him from his Chinese captors.3/4
- DirectorDoug LimanStarsNaomi WattsSean PennSonya DavisonCIA operative Valerie Plame discovers her identity is allegedly leaked by the government as payback for an op-ed article her husband wrote criticizing the Bush administration.It's very matter-of-fact, and that's what hurts this movie. It is devoid of emotion, and I feel that it doesn't go far enough with the material. This had the potential to be a great film.
3/4 - DirectorRidley ScottStarsLeonardo DiCaprioRussell CroweMark StrongA CIA agent on the ground in Jordan hunts down a powerful terrorist leader while being caught between the unclear intentions of his American supervisors and Jordan Intelligence.This is definitely one of the most ridiculous movies on the list. Leonardo DiCaprio is basically another Bourne - he goes through a lot *beep* but never dies. I recommend this film based on the action scenes and the whole CIA angle of it.
3/4 - DirectorPaul GreengrassStarsMatt DamonFranka PotenteJoan AllenWhen Jason Bourne is framed for a CIA operation gone awry, he is forced to resume his former life as a trained assassin to survive.Out of the three films, I feel that Supremacy is the most focused and tight of the three. You feel like there's much more at stake.
3.5/4 - DirectorStephen GaghanStarsGeorge ClooneyMatt DamonAmanda PeetA politically charged epic about the state of the oil industry in the hands of those personally involved in and affected by it.3/4
- DirectorRoger DonaldsonStarsAl PacinoColin FarrellBridget MoynahanA brilliant young CIA trainee is asked by his mentor to help find a mole in the Agency.The final act is a bit on the stupid side, but the rest of the film is enjoyable.
2.5/4 - DirectorBilly RayStarsChris CooperRyan PhillippeDennis HaysbertFBI upstart Eric O'Neill enters into a power game with his boss, Robert Hanssen, an agent who was put on trial for selling secrets to the Soviet Union.Not action-packed, but it's a different kind of spy movie. Chris Cooper's performance is excellent.
3/4 - DirectorBrett RatnerStarsAnthony HopkinsEdward NortonRalph FiennesA retired FBI agent with psychological gifts is assigned to help track down "The Tooth Fairy", a mysterious serial killer. Aiding him is imprisoned forensic psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter.Ratner knows how to handle the material here, and he gives us these very sinister moments with Fiennes' character. I think this film is far superior to Hannibal, and that's why I excluded it from this list.
3.5/4 - DirectorJeffrey NachmanoffStarsDon CheadleGuy PearceArchie PanjabiWhen straight arrow FBI agent Roy Clayton heads up the investigation into a dangerous international conspiracy, all clues seem to lead back to former U.S. Special Operations officer, Samir Horn.A bit ridiculous, yet thrilling and fast-paced. Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce are both very talented actors.
And yes - there are plot holes.
3/4 - DirectorGregory HoblitStarsDiane LaneColin HanksJoseph CrossFBI agent Jennifer Marsh is tasked with hunting down a seemingly untraceable serial killer who posts live videos of his victims on the Internet. As time runs out, the cat and mouse chase becomes more personal.A surprisingly good movie! I was expecting one of those crappy thrillers with a bad screenplay, but I was actually entertained by the story. Diane Lane is great!
3/4 - DirectorPhillip NoyceStarsAngelina JolieLiev SchreiberChiwetel EjioforA CIA agent goes on the run after a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy.Absolutely ridiculous and over-the-top, but... It's action-packed and entertaining. There's no denying that Angelina Jolie makes a great secret agent. And it's directed by Noyce, who knows how to craft a good action movie.
3/4 - DirectorSydney PollackStarsRobert RedfordFaye DunawayCliff RobertsonA bookish CIA researcher in Manhattan finds all his co-workers dead, and must outwit those responsible until he figures out who he can really trust.
- DirectorDoug LimanStarsFranka PotenteMatt DamonChris CooperA man is picked up by a fishing boat, bullet-riddled and suffering from amnesia, before racing to elude assassins and attempting to regain his memory.No list is complete without the Bourne trilogy. Doug Liman helms this first installment of the trilogy, and it's clear that his direction is tonally different than Greengrass, and that's quite alright.
3/4 - DirectorPaul GreengrassStarsMatt DamonEdgar RamírezJoan AllenJason Bourne dodges a ruthless C.I.A. official and his Agents from a new assassination program while searching for the origins of his life as a trained killer.The trilogy comes to an action-packed close. Aided by incredible action sequences and great performances, this is definitely a great action movie.
3.5/4 - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsLeonardo DiCaprioArmie HammerNaomi WattsJ. Edgar Hoover, powerful head of the F.B.I. for nearly fifty years, looks back on his professional and personal life.I didn't particularly love this film, but it's an interesting watch.
3/4