ScreenAge Wasteland is proud to present our community’s ranking of Tom Cruise‘s filmography.
Six people (whether it was staff, commenters, or social media followers) took part in sending us their personal rankings of Cruise’s filmography. We then assigned them points (top spot got 44, last spot got 1) and tallied the scores. In the event that someone hadn’t seen a movie, a multiplier was added to bump that film’s score up to what it would have been if all ten people had seen it.
However, we are only going to focus on the Top 20 films. As for the bottom 24? Here’s how they ranked:
44. Endless Love (15 points), 43. Knight and Day (19 points), 42. The Mummy (20 points), 41. Losin’ It (33 points), 40. Lions for Lambs (48 points), 39. Vanilla Sky (62 points), 38. Mission: Impossible 2 (63 points), T35. Valkyrie (66 points), T35. Legend (66 points), T35. All the Right Moves (66 points), 34. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (68 points), T32. Rock of Ages (69 points), T32. Oblivion (69 points), T30. The Outsiders (74 points), T30. Mission: Impossible III (74 points), 29. Days of Thunder (84 points), 28. Cocktail (87 points), 27. The Firm (91 points), 26. Top Gun (92 points), 25. Born on the 4th of July (96 points), 24. American Made (98 points), 23. Interview with the Vampire (99 points), T21. The Last Samurai (100 points), 21. Taps (100 points)
With that out of the way, it’s time to run as fast as you can to see where each Cruise movie landed on our list. And feel free to agree or disagree with where a film ranked in the comments below!
20. Magnolia (1999) | 101 points
- I’m not gonna lie, I don’t really care for this movie at all. Sure Tom Cruise is good in it, but as a whole, I’m just not a fan. – K. Alvarez
- Many would say it’s the best pure acting of Cruise’s career. He reaches some emotional depth here, which we don’t typically get, and it would be awesome to see him hit again. – Raf Stitt
19. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2023) | 102 points
- Cruise and his buddies save the world from nuclear annihilation through the power of friendship. What more could you want? – Raf Stitt
- While not my favorite M:I flick, there’s still a lot to like about Dead Reckoning, including a great performance from Hayley Atwell. And that train stunt… *chef’s kiss* – Marmaduke Karlston
18. Jerry Maguire (1996) | 103 points
- Not one of my favorite Cruise films but one of his most iconic that would have been a meme machine if that was a thing in 1996. Everyone has said “Show me the money” or “You had me at hello” at some point in their life but I have said “The zoo is fucking closed” more times than I can count. – Vincent Kane
17. Far and Away (1992) | 105 points
- Far and Away is a joke of a movie. The amount of shit Don Cheadle gets for his accent in Ocean’s Eleven when Tom Cruise sounds like a leprechaun with a touch of the downs in this. His accent makes this thing feel like a parody. I can’t take anything that happens in this film seriously when Cruise is stabbing me in the ear with the absolute worst accent. Y’all owe Cameron Diaz an apology. She sounds like a pure-blood native of Ireland in Gangs of New York compared to Cruise in this. I’m shocked Howard allowed this to happen. Kubrick would’ve fired him or made him do so many takes, he would figure out to ditch the accent. That’s probably why he didn’t even bother in Valkyrie. He learned his lesson with this. – Sailor Monsoon
16. Mission: Impossible (1996) | 107 points
- The Brian De Palma flick based on a TV series that ended up becoming the biggest franchise of Tom Cruise’s career is still one of the funniest things about the history of filmography. – Raf Stitt
- The film that started it all for Cruise as a bonafide action star. While the stunts are more low-key than in later installments, there’s still a lot to marvel at in the first Mission: Impossible. – Marmaduke Karlston
15. War of the Worlds (2005) | 114 points
- The running on display in the scene of the Martian’s first attack is probably the best of Cruise’s career. – Raf Stitt
- I like when Cruise plays someone a little unsure of himself, a little not put together. It usually leads to some of his best performances. Case in point, War of the Worlds. – Marmaduke Karlston
14. Risky Business (1983) | 116 points
- There’s not much to say here other than this was Cruise’s breakout role that rocketed him to superstardom and Rebecca De Mornay was sexy as hell. – Vincent Kane
- Risky Business is a lot more than Cruise lip-syncing to “Old Time Rock and Roll” in his underwear and it’s a shame that will always be the first thing that comes to mind when mentioning the film. – Marmaduke Karlston
13. The Color of Money (1986) | 119 points
- It’s actually been YEARS since I’ve seen this film, but I know I liked it. Well, I think I did. I should just rewatch it one of these days. – K. Alvarez
- This is such a fun movie. Paul Newman and Cruise just bounce off each other and I would have loved to have seen them tackle another movie together. One of my favorite ’80s Cruise flicks. – Marmaduke Karlston
12. Top Gun: Maverick (2022) | 124 points
- Man, I was not expecting this movie to be so good. I don’t really love the original all that much. It’s kinda cheesy if you ask me. And sure, this one is just the trench run from Star Wars, but damn is it entertaining. – K. Alvarez
- It’s wild that Maverick is currently Cruise’s biggest movie ever. Not because it’s not good (it’s better than the original by A LOT), but because these aren’t the sort of movies that typically blow up the box office. Lesson learned, never doubt Cruise’s star power and a good legacy sequel. – Marmaduke Karlston
11. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015) | 127 points
- I love the M:I films. The third one revitalized the films after the second one kinda bombed. But, this one REALLY upped the ante and started the beginning of an overarching plot that I can’t wait to see finished. – K. Alvarez
- A bit overrated if I’m being honest. Especially after Ghost Protocol, this felt like a letdown in terms of the stunts and fun dynamic. But it gave us Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa Faust, so that’s one positive. – Marmaduke Karlston
10. Collateral (2004) | 131 points
- Michael Mann is a divisive filmmaker and I truly don’t understand why. The vast majority of his work is either great or masterpiece-level. He only has one film I’d consider bad (The Keep) but that’s only because it’s incomplete. His batting average is insane and yet his name is enough to inspire Internet fights. I don’t understand it. Most directors would kill for a movie as stylish and as cool as Collateral and it’s not even in Mann’s top five. He was so in the zone while making this, that he’s the only director to make Tom Cruise seem badass successfully. – Sailor Monsoon
- Cruise playing against type as a cold-blooded hitman in this cool Michael Mann crime drama is probably the last time he challenged himself as an actor in a genuinely intriguing way. – Raf Stitt
9. Rain Man (1988) | 133 points
- I think this is one of Cruise’s more nuanced roles where we get his typical brashness but we see some depth and evolution in his character as he and Dustin Hoffman have solid chemistry on screen. The subtle shift from frustration to genuine care for his estranged brother helps create a heartfelt relationship and movie. – Vincent Kane
- Until Cruise decided to focus almost solely on being an action star, the man was making some really interesting career choices. You’d never see Cruise in a role like this today, which is why I really enjoy watching him in Rain Man opposite Dustin Hoffman. – Marmaduke Karlston
8. Eyes Wide Shut (1999) | 138 points
- I didn’t like this movie the first time I saw it. I probably didn’t like it till probably the fifth rewatch. Then it finally clicked and I understood what it was actually about. The artificiality of every scene suddenly made sense. After Cruise hears Kidman’s sexual fantasy, he spirals into a nightmare born from sexual inadequacy. What begins as a quest for sexual gratification quickly descends into a dark exploration of secret societies, power, and the limits of human desire. It’s the exact opposite of a power fantasy, it’s a slow deflation of a man’s ego born from insecurity. Kidman’s last line is the key to unlocking the entire film. Like every Kubrick film, it rewards multiple rewatches. I just wish it didn’t take so many for it to finally click for me. – Sailor Monsoon
- Of all of the incredible directors Cruise has worked with, Kubrick just might be the best of the bunch. Getting to see Cruise in this absolute trip that is Kubrick’s last film is nothing short of a cinematic delight. – Raf Stitt
7. Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018) | 140 points
- It’s simply one of the best action movies of the 21st century. Maybe ever. – Raf Stitt
- After Rogue Nation lost the plot, Fallout proved that Cruise and McQuarrie actually do know how to make a great Mission: Impossible movie. Henry Cavill is a strong addition to the franchise, and the stunts here are some of the best. Unfortunately, it’s missing some Jeremy Renner. – Marmaduke Karlston
6. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011) | 142 points
- The Mission: Impossible franchise is not dissimilar from the ‘take a penny, leave a penny’ tray found at newsstands and gas stations. Each movie takes something good from the previous entry while leaving something good behind. Some have tight plots at the cost of memorable stunts, while others are fun but have lame-ass villains. (seriously, does anyone even remember the bad guy in most of these?) Ghost Protocol might be the first one in the series to bring everything together. Well, it lacks the memorable villain of III and Fallout but it excels at everything else. The stunts are great, the characters all have great chemistry, and the tone is fun. I desperately wish the series would get back to this instead of sticking with McQuarrie. – Sailor Monsoon
- I can’t recall if I had seen any of the other M:I films before this, but the whole family checked this out because we actually stumbled upon them shooting the scene from this movie while on vacation. The Burj Khalifa stunt is still, in my opinion, the best stunt Cruise has ever done in this franchise. – Marmaduke Karlston
5. Tropic Thunder (2008) | 145 points
- If this was a ranking of Cruise’s best roles, Les Grossman would easily be in the top 3 of his filmography. He’s unrecognizable and the acting from him is like we have never seen. – Vincent Kane
- “First, take a big step back… and literally, FUCK YOUR OWN FACE!” That just says it all if you ask me. Cruise is absolutely outstanding in this movie and it has such a damn good cast even without him. I just love that he took the role and ran with it. It was even his idea for the giant hands. Love it. – K. Alvarez
- The beginning of the 21st century wasn’t kind to Tom Cruise, but he began to make something of a comeback with his unpublicized appearance in Ben Stiller’s 2008 comedy Tropic Thunder. Cruise appears underneath prosthetic makeup as Les Grossman, a balding, fat Hollywood executive whose job it is to negotiate with terrorists to save four actors who find themselves in the middle of a real conflict while they are shooting a movie for him. A rare comedic performance from the movie star, Cruise is simultaneously hilarious and repugnant, which makes for an unforgettable mix of humor and slime. It’s barely bigger than a cameo but it single-handedly makes it one of the greatest comedies of its era. – Sailor Monsoon
4. Jack Reacher (2012) | 149 points
- It’s funny because I never read the books and knew there was controversy about Cruise playing Reacher, but it never bothered me. I mean it’s a damn good film and he owned the role if you ask me. But, now that Alan Ritchson is crushing it in the show, I get the cause for complaints when it was announced starring Cruise. Either way, I still dig the film. – K. Alvarez
- Jack Reacher is what got me to read Lee Child’s novels, and let me tell you that they are every bit as enjoyable as this movie. Is Tom Cruise shorter than Reacher is in the books? Absolutely. Does he still nail the character’s mannerisms and personality? Of course, he does. If Cruise was taller, the OG fans would have had nothing to complain about. I wish Cruise got a better novel for his second Reacher film because this one really showed how much potential there was for the franchise on the big screen. – Marmaduke Karlston
3. Minority Report (2002) | 150 points
- This might be the film that brought me around to liking Tom Cruise more as an actor. I always thought he was kinda mediocre as an actor, minus a role or two. But, maybe it’s also just the fact that it’s a damn fun Speilberg film too that I finally gave him a chance. I don’t know maybe I’m making stuff up in my head. – K. Alvarez
- An action thriller that raises moral and ethical dilemmas about free will, as well as an excellent predictor of future events (Spielberg consulted leading scientists to furnish a plausible future world, and two decades later – from retina scanners to personalized advertising – he was spot on), Minority Report remains one of the best genre films the director ever made. – Sailor Monsoon
2. Edge of Tomorrow (2014) | 154 points
- Tom Cruise has maintained a very successful career out of playing a variation of the Tom Cruise persona he’s developed over the last three decades. He’s the stoic action man who will outrun the baddies and will probably do some crazy stunts along the way or he’s the dramatic man who yells a lot. He changes it up occasionally but for the most part, he’s pretty much the same. This doesn’t mean he’s bad, he just tends to pick projects that play to his strengths. Which makes Edge of Tomorrow all the more surprising. The trailers made it seem like just another Cruise blockbuster but it’s actually way more entertaining than that. For one thing, Cruise isn’t an action hero in it. He’s a coward who’s forced to fight after unsuccessfully trying to weasel out of service. That by itself separates it from the rest of the pack but that’s not all it has going for it. There’s also its ingenious Groundhog Day meets Independence Day premise, its breakneck pace, and strong female lead. It’s a fun puzzle box of a movie that, like all-time travel movies, doesn’t make much sense if you think about it too hard but it makes up for it with imagination, spectacle, and thrills to spare. – Sailor Monsoon
- This is such a damn good movie. Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, the whole damn cast is great opposite Cruise. If you know me at all, you know that I love a good time travel/time loop movie, and this certainly delivers. I think I might watch this tonight. – Marmaduke Karlston
1. A Few Good Men (1992) | 160 points
- A Few Good Men is peak Cruise. He gets to show off everything that can make him great. Cocky, energetic with a flair for melodrama all wrapped up in Sorkin’s excellent dialogue playing of excellent actors like Jack Nicholson, Kevin Bacon, and J.T. Walsh among others. He is able to stand toe toe-to-toe with Nicholson who is throwing nothing but haymakers in one of the greatest monologues of all time. Most other actors would have disappeared in this role opposite Jack but Cruise is able to stand his ground with his charisma and star power. – Vincent Kane
- I can pretty much watch this whenever it is on TV. It’s got a great cast and a solid story that keeps you engaged the whole time. It’s got to be one of Cruise’s best roles if you ask me. – K. Alvarez
- You can’t handle the truth! ’90s courtroom dramas used to be a thing and were an awesome place for Tom to display his talents. – Raf Stitt
What a diverse top five! Personally, I’m happy to see Jack Reacher ranked so high. One of my favorite Cruise flicks. A Few Good Men made A Really Good Movie it looks like because that’s our #1 movie for this ranking.
Thank you to everyone who participated in SAW’s fifteenth community ranking!
Do you agree with our ranking? Share your thoughts down in the comments!