Tom Cruise Shockingly Absent from Top 10 Action Films List
Despite decades of death-defying stunts and blockbuster hits, the action star's highest-rated film only ranks 27th on IMDb's prestigious list. His exclusion from the top tier has fans questioning the rating system.
Despite establishing himself as one of Hollywood's premier action stars, Tom Cruise finds himself completely shut out of IMDb's top 10 highest-rated action films of all time. This surprising omission has left many questioning how the rating system works when it comes to evaluating pure entertainment value versus critical acclaim.
The Numbers Don't Add Up
Cruise's best-performing entry, 2022's Top Gun: Maverick, earned an 8.2 IMDb rating but landed at position 27 on the overall rankings. Meanwhile, the top spot belongs to The Dark Knight with a 9.1 rating, followed by Inception at 8.8 and The Matrix at 8.7. Other classics like Terminator 2: Judgment Day and the original Star Wars films round out the upper echelon.
The actor has collaborated with legendary directors including Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Stanley Kubrick throughout his career. However, his pivot toward action-heavy franchises like Mission: Impossible over the past two decades seems to have shifted critical perception of his work, even as box office numbers continue climbing.
Death-Defying Dedication
What sets Cruise apart from other action stars is his insistence on performing his own stunts, no matter how dangerous. This commitment has become both a marketing tool and a genuine artistic choice that adds authenticity to his films. Matt Damon once revealed that Cruise actually fired a safety coordinator who deemed one of his planned stunts too risky to attempt.
The lengths he goes to are genuinely impressive. For Top Gun, he trained with real fighter pilots and nearly drowned during a parachute scene when water filled his chute. Barry Tubb, a co-star, told the New York Post that Cruise "came as close to dying as anybody on a set I've ever seen." More recently, he's learned speed-flying, broken bones jumping between buildings, and dangled from the world's tallest skyscraper.
A Different Direction Ahead
Cruise's next project represents a significant departure from his recent action focus. He's reuniting with Warner Bros. for an untitled comedy directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind Birdman and The Revenant. The collaboration wrapped filming in May 2025 and is set for an October 2, 2026 release.
This partnership could prove crucial for Cruise's awards prospects. Iñárritu previously helped Leonardo DiCaprio break his Oscar losing streak with The Revenant, and many hope he can do the same for Cruise, who has never won a major acting award despite decades of box office dominance. The film features an impressive ensemble cast including Jesse Plemons, Sandra Hüller, and John Goodman.