The Best '90s Spy Movies

846 votes 252 voters 9.0k views35 items

List RulesVote up your favorite espionage films that were released in the 1990s

The greatest ‘90s spy movies have the usual blend of comedy and intrigue. Against the backdrop of a changing world, ‘90s spy movies explore new themes, such as global and domestic terrorism. Cold War themes dominated spy movies for the previous 50 years, so these funny espionage films from the 1990s are a breath of fresh air.

What are the top ‘90s spy movies? Old standbys like James Bond appear on this list, but newer spy heroes emerged in the 1990s, such as the Mission Impossible franchise’s Ethan Hunt, played by Tom Cruise. Known for doing many of his own stunts, Cruise electrified audiences in the first Mission Impossible, directed by Brian de Palma. If you are interested in a spy movie starring Robert DeNiro, Ronin is the film for you. If you’re looking for the ultimate spy parody, Austin Powers can provide you with plenty of covert laughs.

For fans of superhero spy movies, you can find the original cinematic versions of Captain America and Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Before Samuel L. Jackson, Director Fury was portrayed by David Hasselhoff. Vote up the best '90s spy movies, and be sure to let us know what you think in the comment section.

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Mission: Impossible
Tom Cruise, Jon Voight
Released: 1996
Directed by: Brian De Palma
Mission: Impossible is a 1996 American action spy film directed by Brian De Palma, based on... more
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True Lies
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Eliza Dushku
Released: 1994
Directed by: James Cameron
True Lies is a 1994 American action-comedy film written and directed by James Cameron, and... more
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GoldenEye
Pierce Brosnan, Famke Janssen
Released: 1995
Directed by: Martin Campbell
GoldenEye is the seventeenth spy film in the James Bond series, and the first to star Pierce... more
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Ronin
Robert De Niro, Sean Bean
Released: 1998
Directed by: John Frankenheimer
Ronin is a 1998 American spy thriller action film directed by John Frankenheimer and starring... more
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The World Is Not Enough
Pierce Brosnan, Denise Richards
Released: 1999
Directed by: Michael Apted
The World Is Not Enough is the nineteenth spy film in the James Bond series, and the third to... more
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The Peacemaker
Nicole Kidman, George Clooney
Released: 1997
Directed by: Mimi Leder
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The Saint
Val Kilmer, Elisabeth Shue
Released: 1997
Directed by: Phillip Noyce
The Saint is a 1997 espionage thriller film, starring Val Kilmer in the title role, with... more
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The Russia House
Michelle Pfeiffer, Sean Connery
Released: 1990
Directed by: Fred Schepisi
The Russia House is a 1990 American spy film directed by Fred Schepisi. Tom Stoppard wrote the... more
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Broken Arrow
John Travolta, Christian Slater
Released: 1996
Directed by: John Woo
Broken Arrow is a 1996 American action film directed by John Woo, written by Graham Yost, and... more
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Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Elizabeth Hurley, Will Ferrell
Released: 1997
Directed by: Jay Roach
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Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Elizabeth Hurley, Heather Graham
Released: 1999
Directed by: Jay Roach
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Tomorrow Never Dies
Pierce Brosnan, Teri Hatcher
Released: 1997
Directed by: Roger Spottiswoode
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Hamilton
Mark Hamill, Lena Olin
Released: 1998
Directed by: Harald Zwart
Hamilton is a 1998 Swedish action film directed by Harald Zwart, starring Peter Stormare, Mark... more
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Safe House
Patrick Stewart, Kimberly Williams-Paisley
Released: 1998
Directed by: Eric Steven Stahl
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If Looks Could Kill
If Looks Could Kill is a film directed by Sheldon Larry released on February 6, 1996.... more
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Live Wire
Pierce Brosnan, Ron Silver
Released: 1992
Directed by: Christian Duguay
Live Wire is a 1992 action movie, written by Bart Baker, directed by Christian Duguay and... more
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Terminal Velocity
Charlie Sheen, James Gandolfini
Released: 1994
Directed by: Deran Sarafian
Terminal Velocity is a 1994 action film starring Charlie Sheen as a daredevil skydiver and... more
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Spymaker: The Secret Life of Ian Fleming
Kristin Scott Thomas, David Warner
Released: 1990
Directed by: Ferdinand Fairfax
Spymaker: The Secret Life of Ian Fleming is a 1990 TV biographical film of the life of Ian... more
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The Innocent
Anthony Hopkins, Isabella Rossellini
Released: 1993
Directed by: John Schlesinger
The Innocent is a 1993 John Schlesinger film. The screenplay was written by Ian McEwan and... more
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Blue Ice
Michael Caine, Bob Hoskins
Released: 1992
Directed by: Russell Mulcahy
Blue Ice is a 1992 film directed by Russell Mulcahy that stars Michael Caine and Sean Young.... more
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Undercover Blues
Kathleen Turner, Dennis Quaid
Released: 1993
Directed by: Herbert Ross
Undercover Blues is a 1993 comedy film about a family of secret agents, starring Kathleen... more
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M. Butterfly
Jeremy Irons, Ian Richardson
Released: 1993
Directed by: David Cronenberg
M. Butterfly is a 1993 romantic drama film directed by David Cronenberg. The screenplay was... more

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Mother Night
Kirsten Dunst, Nick Nolte
Released: 1996
Directed by: Keith Gordon
Mother Night is a 1996 American romantic war film based on Kurt Vonnegut's 1961 book of the... more
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From Beijing with Love
Stephen Chow, Anita Yuen
Released: 1994
Directed by: Stephen Chow, Lee Lik-chi
From Beijing With Love is a 1994 Hong Kong action and comedy film directed by Lee Lik-Chi and... more

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