10 Tom Cruise’s Highest-Rated Movies Ever, According To Rotten Tomatoes
With a career spanning over four decades, Hollywood’s studmuffin Tom Cruise has solidified his status as one of the industry's most iconic and renowned stars in this day and age. Whether he's soaring through the skies as a fighter pilot, or unraveling conspiracies as a secret agent, the actor never fails to impress the audience with his versatility to seamlessly transition between genres, and the only thing missing from his trophy cabinet is an Academy Award.
Best known for his own movie franchise Mission: Impossible, Cruise has brought to life the iconic character of IMF agent Ethan Hunt for over two decades. It’s not exaggerated to say the franchise has made Cruise’s legendary status as a performer. The latest part, Dead Reckoning Part 1, has been generating positive reviews from both fans and critics, and rapidly climbs the ranks to be one of the actor’s best Movies ever, and the second part is coming next year. With the inclusion of Dead Reckoning Part 1, let’s take a look at Tom Cruise’s 10 highest-score films on Rotten Tomatoes and Marvel at his legendary career.
10. Rain Man – 89% (1988)
Source: IMDb
One of Tom Cruise’s earliest and most iconic drama projects so far. In this emotional journey, Cruise portrays Charlie Babbitt, a self-centered car dealer who embarks on a transformative road trip with his autistic savant brother, played by the legendary Dustin Hoffman. Cruise's nuanced performance earned him critically acclaimed reviews by pundits, highlighting his ability to bring depth and vulnerability to his characters.
#9. Minority Report – 90% (2002)
Source: 20th Century Fox
This gripping sci-fi thriller directed by Steven Spielberg brings Cruise to a futuristic world, where he stars as Chief John Anderton, a police officer who finds himself on the run after being accused of a future murder. The movie combines thrilling action with ethical dilemmas, showcasing the Top Gun star's ability to anchor a complex narrative.
#8. Edge of Tomorrow – 91% (2014)
Source: IMDb
The post-apocalyptic sensation sees Tom Cruise taking on the role of Major William Cage, a soldier caught in a time loop during an alien invasion. With each reset, he gains more and more knowledge and skills and eventually turns into a formidable warrior. The high-octane sci-fi action film showcases the actor’s impressive physicality, while also delivering thrilling moments that keep audiences on the edge of their seats. Scoring a whopping 91% Fresh score on the Tomatometer, Edge of Tomorrow is one of the highest-rated movies in the genre.
#7. Shattered Glass – 92% (2003)
Source: IMDb
This is the only movie in the list where Tom Cruise doesn’t have a role in it, as he was the film’s executive producer. Regardless, this is one of the American star’s best works, telling the gripping based-from-real-life story of the journalist Stephen Glass and his ground-breaking scandal at The New Republic.
#6. Risky Business – 92% (1983)
Source: IMDb
This coming-of-age comedy-drama catapulted Cruise to stardom as Joel Goodsen, a high school student who dives into a wild entrepreneurial adventure at the prestigious Princeton University. Cruise's charismatic portrayal of a young man embracing freedom and consequences perfectly captured the spirit of the '80s.
#5. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol – 93% (2011)
Source: Paramount Pictures
Cruise returns as IMF agent Ethan Hunt in this adrenaline-fueled fourth installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise. Hunt and his team this time face a global threat caused by the terrorist Kurt Hendricks, navigating breathtaking stunts and heart-pounding espionage. The actor's commitment to performing his own stunts when climbing the notoriously tall Burj Khalifa has impressed all audiences around the world, while also adding an authentic intensity to the film.
#4. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation – 94% (2015)
Source: Paramount Pictures
In this high-stake and thrilling sequel, Hunt resumes his quest to track down the Syndicate, led by rogue MI6 agent Solomon Lane. Joined by the undercover Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), Hunt enters the intense cat-and-mouse chase game with the rogue organization to protect the encrypted data from Lane. The film offers even more thrilling action sequences and further solidifies Cruise as a master of the genre.
#3. Top Gun: Maverick – 96% (2022)
Source: Paramount Pictures
The highly anticipated sequel to the first 1986 classic, Top Gun: Maverick tells the story of Pete "Maverick" Mitchell thirty years later, who’s still the best naval aviator in the business, as he confronts the ghosts of his past while training a group of new elite talented pilots. The movie is stacked with exhilarating aerial combat, while also giving us a deeper look into Maverick’s painful past and his PTSD. The film gains critically acclaimed reactions from fans and pundits, and is considered a worthy sequel that exceeds all expectations.
#2. Mission: Impossible – Fallout – 97% (2018)
Source: Paramount Pictures
In the sixth installment of the adrenaline-fueled franchise, Tom Cruise once again reprises his role as Ethan Hunt, who and his team find themselves racing against time to prevent a global catastrophe caused by the Syndicate’s remnants when a mission to recover stolen plutonium goes awry.
The sequel is once again filled with action sequences, and the legendary actor, known for his commitment to performing his own stunts, once again raises the bar as he jumps from rooftops, engages in thrilling motorcycle chases, and even a helicopter pursuit through the stunning mountainous terrain.
#1. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One – 98% (2023)
Source: Paramount Pictures
Excitement was built for the latest chapter in the Mission: Impossible saga, as the Dead Reckoning movies are going to be the last time Cruise portrays Ethan Hunt of the IMF, and the movie didn’t disappoint. Just days after premiering, the 7th entry of the iconic franchise has broken the Rotten Tomatoes record as the highest-rated Tom Cruise movie on the site, with a whopping 98% score, and therefore takes the top spot on this list. We won’t be spoiling too much about the movie, but expect it to be a massive box office hit this summer.
Which do you think is the best Tom Cruise movie so far? How will he perform in Dead Reckoning Part 2? Share your thoughts in the comment.