Very few actors have endured in Hollywood as long as Tom Cruise. At 59 years old, Tom Cruise is still making some of the best action films in the industry, with a heavy emphasis on real stunts and practical effects. Some would even say he is the last real action star.
Throughout his lengthy career, Cruise has seen highs, lows, and everything in-between as he has worked with top talent in the industry. As Top Gun: Maverick hits theatres, there are many of Cruise’s lesser-known films worth checking out.
Days of Thunder (1990)
Stream on HBO Max
At the time of its release, Days of Thunder received pretty mixed reviews and over the years it has been written off as a somewhat silly racing movie. Despite that, it features fantastic racing sequences and an exceptional score from Hans Zimmer. Now, over 30 years since its original release, it has definitely been re-evaluated.
In an interview with Adam Hay Nicholls (via F1SocialDiary), legendary director Quentin Tarantino has called it his favorite racing film, saying “I’m a big fan. To me Days of Thunder is the movie Grand Prix (1966) and Le Mans (1971) should have been. Sure, it had a big budget, big stars and a big director in Tony Scott, but it had the fun of those early AIP movies. I just don’t think it works if you take the whole thing too seriously.” Given how fun it is, it definitely makes sense as to why Tarantino and many enjoy Days of Thunder.
Vanilla Sky (2001)
Stream HBO Max
Also receiving mixed reviews, Cameron Crowe’s sci-fi film Vanilla Sky perplexed many at the time of its release due to its thought-provoking nature. In 2001, only one major critic seemed to appreciate the film and that was Roger Ebert.
Ebert awarded the film three out of four stars and remarked “This is the kind of movie you don’t want to analyze until you’ve seen it two times,” per RogerEbert.com. Vanilla Sky was arguably way ahead of its time, with an ending that can be interpreted in many different ways. To this day, the film still creates discourse due to its unique storytelling.
The Last Samurai (2003)
Stream on Netflix
Directed by Edward Zwick and starring Tom Cruise, The Last Samurai features an incredible supporting cast. Timothy Spall appears in easily one of his best roles. The action is super well-directed and the production design is fantastic.
While the way Japan is portrayed and the historical accuracy has been commended, the film has raised some eyebrows due to the fact that Tom Cruise just comes in saves the day. This problem has been mentioned a lot in recent years as “the white savior” trope. Despite this, the film is beautifully shot and has great performances from Cruise, Spall, Ken Watanabe and Hiroyuki Sanada.
The Firm (1993)
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video & AppleTV+
The Firm is easily one of the best mystery thrillers of the ’90s thanks to Sydney Pollack’s fantastic direction and Tom Cruise’s tremendous acting. However, one particular creative choice, the score, leaves a lot to be desired.
The choice to use jazz music for the score slightly hinders the film’s overall tone. Despite being nominated for Best Original Score in 1993, retrospective reviews have since criticized it. Regardless of that, the film is extremely thrilling from start to finish and a great watch!
Tropic Thunder (2008)
Stream on Paramount+
Tropic Thunder easily features some of Tom Cruise’s most iconic movie quotes. Appearing unrecognizable as Les Grossman, the role easily stands as some of Cruise’s best work. While the film was subject to a nationwide boycott by multiple disability groups due to its ridicule of intellectually disabled people (per New York Times), Tropic Thunder‘s makers defended the film as poking fun at Hollywood and the ridiculous measures some method actors go to.
Featuring a star-studded cast, Cruise is easily the standout of the film. From his outrageous outbursts to dancing to Flo-Rida’s “Get Low,” he steals every scene he is in. His performance garnered praise from audiences and critics, resulting in Cruise getting a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy.
Legend (1985)
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video & AppleTV+
Most general audiences have no idea this film even exists, but it is easily Ridley Scott’s most underrated film, according to Reddit. It was released in 1985 to extremely disappointing reviews and didn’t make its money back. Scott unfortunately didn’t even get final cut privileges.
Before Cruise was cast in the lead role, Johnny Depp, Robert Downey Jr. and Jim Carrey were all considered, according to 80sKids. It remains one of Cruise’s more peculiar films as most people don’t even know of its existence. It would not be until 2002 that Scott finally completed the director’s cut for the film. Ridley Scott’s direction, the production design, and the practical effects all make Legend worthwhile.
The Color of Money (1986)
Stream on Paramount+ & Amazon Prime Video
A sequel to arguably one of the greatest films of all time, The Hustler, The Color of Money was released 25 years after the original. Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film features Paul Newman reprising his role of Eddie Felson as he mentors the young Vincent, played by Tom Cruise.
Not only is The Color of Money one of Cruise’s less-talked about films, it’s also one of Scorsese’s most underrated films. With his other films like Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, and The Departed, most audiences forget about this one. Creating a sequel to one of the best films is certainly no easy feat but Scorsese does it with such ease.
Minority Report (2002)
Stream on Showtime
The idea of targeted ads featured in Minority Report makes it a film that eerily predicts the future. The first of two collaborations with Steven Spielberg, Minority Report is set in an authoritarian world where people are punished for crimes before they even do it.
The idea of the film is super fascinating as it raises a lot of questions about morality and if a person can change before they commit a crime. Tom Cruise plays a flawed hero which makes him all the more likeable. Fans of Blade Runner will definitely want to check this one out.
American Made (2017)
Stream on FuboTV
Fans of Narcos will easily fall in love with this film. Released in 2017 to positive reviews, American Made didn’t seem to leave a huge impression on audiences. The film is rarely talked about, despite featuring some of Cruise’s craziest stunts, while flying a plane.
The film is about drug smuggler Barry Seal and his relationship with the CIA and Medellin Cartel. While the events in the film are at times outrageous, they all happened in real life. The choice to give the film a comedic tone was smart as it truly embraces the ridiculousness of the events.
Oblivion (2013)
Stream on HBO Max
Going into Top Gun: Maverick, Oblivion is potentially the most important film to watch. The film marked the first collaboration between Cruise and director Joseph Kosinski before moving on to Top Gun. The film pushed the boundaries of visual effects by utilizing LED screens with pre-rendered CGI environments. It was a precursor to The Volume technology used in The Batman and The Mandalorian.
The film includes breathtaking cinematography and features really fun action with a super clever twist ending. Oblivion is not talked about enough and is undoubtedly one of the most original blockbuster films of the last decade.
