Tom Cruise has been one of Hollywood’s biggest stars for decades now. And while he stands tall on the mantle of action heroes, few realize that he has also starred in some of the most memorable sci-fi movies of all time.

It was in the 1980s and ’90s that Cruise broke out as a global megastar with hit after box office hit. From Days of Thunder and Risky Business to his Oscar-nominated role in Jerry Maguire, Cruise took his sweet time to sculpt himself into the leading man audiences still cannot get enough of. But it was in 2002’s Minority Report that fans caught a whiff of Cruise’s talents in the sci-fi genre.

From there, Cruise dove headfirst into some of the most imaginative sci-fi movies, some better than others. He outran an alien invasion in 2005’s smashing hit War of the Worlds, and more recently, fought a rogue AI in 2023’s Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One. While Cruise will likely always be hailed as one of Hollywood’s greatest action stars thanks to him doing all his stunts, this list proves that he’s just as prolific an actor in other genres.

6Oblivion (2013)

Directed by Joseph Kosinski and based on his unpublished graphic novel of the same name, Oblivion is a mesmerizing sci-fi thriller that takes place in 2077, on an Earth left empty and in ruins after a war with aliens.

Tom Cruise plays Jack Harper, a repair technician, and Andrea Riseborough plays Victoria, his communications partner. They are the only people stationed on the barren planet, and once their mission is accomplished, Jack will be able to join the rest of the survivors on a fellow colony. But as Jack begins seeing glimpses of a mysterious woman in his dreams, he is compelled to rescue her, which then leads to a string of events that alter his reality and make him question his purpose.

A Mind-Bending Sci-Fi Gem Worth Returning To

Oblivion offers a truly unique and visually aesthetic sci-fi experience and there isn’t a single speck of doubt about it. Director Joseph Kosinski wove a narrative that was part mystery, part thriller, and all spectacle. And perhaps that’s the movie’s detriment. In its attempt to pay homage to the popular tropes of 80s and 90s sci-fi, the movie ends up lacking originality, is predictable, and progresses at a dull pace.

Oblivion grossed $286 million at the worldwide box office, making a profit against its $120 million production budget, but critics panned it for being overly ambitious. As for Cruise, the actor gives this gorgeously filmed romantic thriller his best. His perceptive performance brings subtle humanity to a man coming to terms with his reality and reassessing the meaning of his existence. But the dramatics and complexities of his character keep him underutilized, making Oblivion the least exciting sci-fi movie of his career.

5Vanilla Sky (2001)

In Vanilla Sky, Tom Cruise’s David Aames, the owner of a large publishing company, has it all – wealth, looks, and popularity. But after a car accident leaves his face severely damaged, he finds his mind trapped in a surreal state of dreams. He grapples with his reality and chooses to undergo reconstructive surgery, using science for his own personal gain. However, his post-surgery life is stranger. He experiences delusions and the line between reality and memory blurs. David finds it hard to understand just how much control over his fate he had and it affects his business and relationships.

A Trip Down the Rabbit Hole of a Warped Reality

Cameron Crow’s twisted and hard-to-follow psychological thriller is a remake of Alejandro Amenábar’s 1997 Spanish film Open Your Eyes. It plunges viewers into the disorienting reality of its protagonist, whom Cruise plays by abandoning his charm. Paired with co-stars Penélope Cruz and Cameron Diaz, as well as Crowe’s savvy direction, Cruise navigates complex motives and uncanny situations by showcasing vulnerability and desperation in equal measure.

Vanilla Sky is a daring swing at the genre as it tries to bring heavy themes of consent and consciousness to life with the help of surreal plot twists and beautifully engaging visuals. But it left audiences and critics polarized. They acknowledged the ambition but deemed the plot an “incoherent jumble,” and also pointed out that the movie was “a betrayal of everything that Crowe has proved he knows how to do right.” While it is hard not to compare it to Cruise’s collaboration with Stanley Kubrick in 1997’s Eyes Wide Shut (which is undeniably better), Vanilla Sky has gained a cult status over time.

4Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

It’s true, none of the Mission: Impossible movies are technically sci-fi, but with this latest installment, the franchise steers into time-relevant concepts and incorporates artificial intelligence as the villain. In Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Ethan Hunt and his IMF team embark on their most death-defying assignment yet. They must track down a terrifying new weapon that can destroy all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands. The journey takes Ethan across the globe – from the busy streets of Rome to the icy landscapes of Norway, all while facing off against the Entity, a powerful rogue AI.

A Stunt Spectacle That Tops all the Movies in the Franchise

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is a direct sequel to Mission: Impossible – Fallout. It stands out for its intricate storytelling and breathtaking action sequences. McQuarrie’s direction is impeccable; it weaves together the suspense, drama, and high-octane chases in a way that upholds the bar for action cinema. Cruise also delivers a stunning performance and is supported by a talented cast including Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, and Simon Pegg.

Another blockbuster in the franchise, it keeps the saga feeling fresh over 25 years later, and not just because Crise performed yet another dangerously thrilling stunt, but also because it stepped out of the action genre and infused elements of science fiction into the narrative. It revolves around an advanced AI system capable of manipulating and controlling global events, posing a threat to humanity. The use of CGI to make stunts more innovative and seamless also calls for admiration.

3War of the Worlds (2005)

A loose adaptation of H. G. Wells’ 1898 novel of the same name at the hands of Steven Spielberg, War of the Worlds opens with a narration from Morgan Freeman, who states that the extraterrestrials are plotting against humanity. We follow Ray Ferrier, a divorced American dockworker, who finds himself in a rut when his ex-wife drops his two kids off at his house for the weekend. When mysterious lightning strikes the area and kickstarts the events of an alien invasion, Ray tries to protect his two children and embarks on a journey to reunite them with their mother.

Thrives on its Atmosphere of Tense Apocalyptic Thrills

War of the Worlds, along with Speilberg’s The Terminal and Munich, is part of an unofficial “trilogy” that captures the terror and hysteria that spread across America after the tragic events of 9/11, but unlike the other two, this sci-fi thriller offers a unique, but horrifying, vision of an alien invasion singularly through the eyes of Tom Cruise’s Ferrier. He delivers a grounded yet gripping performance as a shaken father enduring various levels of fear for the sake of his children. Dakota Fanning and Justin Chatwin are equally impressive in their roles.

The movie, with its gleaming cinematography and grim atmosphere, brings a sense of realism to the Tripods, which tower over urban landscapes and are unflinching in their violence. For packing a haunting punch, Spielberg’s film received widespread acclaim. It grossed $603 million at the global box office, earned three Academy Award nominations, and influenced a new wave of thought-provoking, bleak, and visceral alien invasion thrillers.

2Minority Report (2002)

The first time Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise collaborated, they struck gold. Yes, we’re talking about the sci-fi cyberpunk thriller, Minority Report, which takes place in a futuristic Washington, D.C., where law and order is maintained through the use of three gifted psychics – known as “precogs” – who predict murders and crimes before they are committed.

Precrime chief John Anderton joins the program after his son is abducted and his wife leaves him. When the precogs foresee Anderton’s own killings, he becomes a suspect and goes on the run. At the same time, Anderton tries to discover the truth about his fabricated future and the precogs’ manipulated visions.

A True Benchmark for Visionary Storytelling

Spielberg brought Philip K. Dick’s 1956 novella, The Minority Report, to thriller cinematic life and examined dense themes of free will and predetermination. Cruise’s lead performance is the nexus of the film; his hero is nuanced and willing to explore the deepest philosophical frontiers of Spielberg’s script. Cruise has Colin Farrell’s wry support, who acts as the Department of Justice in the shining metropolis.

Upon release, Minority Report received enormous applause from critics, who simply could not stop gushing over the technical marvels, seamlessly advancing plot, high-octane action, and the balance between futuristic spectacle and profound examinations of justice, ethics, and power. It earned an Oscar nomination for Best Sound Editing and took home four Saturn Awards, including Best Science Fiction Film and Best Direction for Spielberg.

1Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Before an alien race known as “Mimics” invaded Earth in 2015, Major William Cage was a public relations officer lacking any combat experience. He finds himself thrown into a do-or-die war against an alien army that’s well-versed in adapting to attacks.

In a bizarre twist of fate, even after he’s killed in battle, Cage awakens, relives the same morning, and realizes that he’s the only person on Earth who can re-experience the events of the day. The time loop is torturous, but Cage teams up with Special Forces warrior Rita Vrataski, gains the upper hand over the ruthless extraterrestrial, and finally archives victory.

A Cleverly Executed Sci-Fi Thriller

It is a tough call choosing between Minority Report and Edge of Tomorrow since both movies are such excellent edge-of-your-seat thrillers. The latter, under deft direction from Doug Liman, is an adaptation of Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s light novel titled All You Need Is Kill. Liman transforms the source material into a witty and exhilarating blockbuster.

Of course, Cruise forms an electric duo with Emily Blunt as the two traverse the intricate mechanics of the time loop and keep the shocking reveals coming at us. While the action and mecha sequences are fun, Edge of Tomorrow’s real triumph lies in its ingenious take on a beloved trope.

The movie snagged critics’ praise for Liman’s phenomenal direction, Cruise’s work as both an action and a sci-fi hero, as well as the leads’ chemistry. They also made note of the visual mastery and the “expertly designed Mimics,” both of which were effective elements in influencing the genre. Edge of Tomorrow may have had a lukewarm box office reception, but it gained fans steadily and became Tom Cruise’s most entertaining sci-fi movie of all time.