20 Best Spy Movies On Netflix In Australia [Updated 2022]

Best-SPY-Movies-on-Netflix-Aug-2022-AU

Spy flicks usually show dashing agents who stride into high-stakes situations, visit exotic locales and become involved in sensual and risky partnerships.

These are the main elements that captivate audiences’ attention. In the best spy movies on Netflix in Australia, viewers can expect mind-blowing surprises, heart-pounding action sequences, and eye-popping technology.

Netflix provides too many movie options in this genre, which can leave you feeling overwhelmed and unable to make a choice on what to watch. So, before you end up confused, we present you with the best movies on Netflix in Australia to watch in no particular order.

1. The Good Shepherd (2006)

The-good-shepherd-au

Director: Robert De Niro
Writer: Eric Roth
Cast: Alec Baldwin, Matt Damon, Billy Crudup
IMDB Rating: 6.7/10
Run Time: 2h 47m
Genre: Drama

Matt Damon’s ascent through the expanding machinery is followed by a hint of John Le Carre’s moral scalpel in the film. It is an ambitious but confusing study of America’s intelligence agency and its ongoing need for adversaries.

While Angelina Jolie is forced into a supporting position as a married woman, Damon’s true connection is one of deceit and institutional suspicion.

2. Operation Finale (2018)

Operation-finale-au

Director: Chris Weitz
Writer: Matthew Orton
Cast: Lior Raz, Oscar Isaac, Ohad Knoller
IMDB Rating: 6.6/10
Run Time: 2h 2m
Genre: Drama

Based on a real incident, the movie stars Oscar Isaac, who plays the character of Peter Malkin, an Israeli spy of Polish descent. His top-secret assignment is to apprehend Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi war criminal and architect of the Holocaust.

Eichmann retreated to Argentina at the end of World War II, where he has been hiding ever since. Malkin and his crew decide to prosecute him once they come upon him. This is one of the best Spy movies on Netflix in Australia.

3. The Coldest Game (2019)

The-coldest-game-au

Director: Lukasz Kosmicki
Writer: Lukasz Kosmicki
Cast: James Bloor, Bill Pullman, Corey Johnson
IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
Run Time: 1h 42m
Genre: Thriller

The Coldest Game, a 2019 movie, centers on an American-based mathematician, Joshua Mansky, who is compelled to work as a government spy during one of the most difficult periods of the Cold War.

The film, set during the Cuban Missile Crisis, follows the alcoholic Mansky as he trains for and plays in a chess tournament in Warsaw while trying to covertly learn as much as possible about the Soviets.

4. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)

The-man-from-UNCLE-au

Director: Guy Ritchie
Writer: Guy Ritchie
Cast: Alicia Vikander, Henry Cavill, Luca Calvani
IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
Run Time: 1h 56m
Genre: Action

This action movie on Netflix follows Guy Ritchie’s reimagining of the classic vintage television series and pairs Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer as American and Russian foes from the Berlin War. They work together to thwart Nazi revivalists.

The 1960s setting and high society glitter are infused throughout. The best villain honours go to Elizabeth Debicki for her sophisticated villainy, with Alicia Vikander as the third wheel, one step ahead of their irony-filled heroism. This movie is definitely one of the top spy movies on Netflix in Australia.

5. Body Of Lies (2008)

Body-of-lies-au

Director: Ridley Scott
Writer: William Monahan
Cast: Oscar Isaac, Russell Crowe, Ali Suliman
IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
Run Time: 2h 8m
Genre: Action

In circumstances where a person’s life is worthless compared to the facts, it may yield, Roger Ferris is the ideal man for U.S. intelligence on the ground. During missions that take him around the globe, Ferris’ next breath frequently depends on the voice on the other end of a secure phone line—C.I.A. veteran Ed Hoffman.

Hoffman is pursuing a new terrorist leader who planned a bombing attack while evading the most sophisticated intelligence network in the world and plotting from a laptop in the suburbs.

6. Wasp Network (2019)

Wasp-network-au

Director: Olivier Assayas
Writer: Olivier Assayas
Cast: Ana de Armas, Penélope Cruz, Wagner Moura
IMDB Rating: 5.9/10
Run Time: 2h 7m
Genre: Crime

It was in the early 1990s in Cuba. René González, a pilot from Cuba, stole a jet and fled the country without his wife and children. In Miami, he embarks on a new life. Other Cuban defectors immediately established a spy network.

They want to join the militant anti-Castro organizations that are behind the terrorism on the island. Deliveries of flyers are made across Cuban airspace.

Gerardo Hernández, also known as Manuel Viramontez, is the leader of a Red Avispa, a covert organization in Cuba commonly referred to as the “Wasp Network.” This is one of the best crime movies on Netflix to watch with your family.

7. My Spy (2020)

My-spy-au

Director: Peter Segal
Writer: Erich Hoeber
Cast: Chloe Coleman, Greg Bryk, Dave Bautista
IMDB Rating: 6.3/10
Run Time: 1h 39m
Genre: Action

In the movie My Spy, Dave Bautista plays JJ, a C.I.A. veteran who has been demoted and placed in Sophie (Chloe Coleman), a smart 9-year-old, at her mercy after being reluctantly deployed underground to spy on her family.

When Sophie learns her apartment has hidden cameras, she utilizes her digital know-how to determine where the monitoring system is installed. Sophie persuades J.J. to spend time with her and train her as a spy in return for keeping her secret and his cover intact.

8. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)

Jack-Ryan-Shadow-recruit-au

Director: Kenneth Branagh
Writer: Adam Cozad
Cast: Kevin Costner, Chris Pine, Alec Utgoff
IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
Run Time: 1h 45m
Genre: Action

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, London School of Economics student Jack Ryan enlists in the U.S. Marine Corps. He fights in Afghanistan, where he suffers a serious spinal injury when his helicopter is shot down.

He meets Thomas Harper, a C.I.A. employee who recruits him, and Cathy Muller, a medical student helping him regain his ability to walk while recovering.

Ten years later, Ryan is working secretly for the C.I.A. on Wall Street in search of suspicious financial transactions that may be signs of terrorist activity. This is one of the best Spy movies on Netflix in Australia.

9. Total Recall (2012)

Total-recall-au

Director: Len Wiseman
Writer: Kurt Wimmer
Cast: Jessica Biel, Colin Farrell, Bill Nighy
IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
Run Time: 1h 58m
Genre: Action

Disgruntled assembly-line worker Douglas Quaid seeks help from memory-implant company Recall Inc. to stop having horrific, recurring nightmares about his secret-agent role and a stunning, unnamed woman.
Unfortunately, the strategy doesn’t work, and Douglas finds himself entangled in a clever scheme and on the run from the police instead of enjoying the ideal virtual vacation.

Now that someone wants him dead, shots start to fly. But how can you tell what is real and what is fake? Will Douglas ever understand the meaning behind his strange visions and who the terrifying brunette in his dreams is?

10. The Cold Light Of Day (2012)

The-cold-light-of-day-au

Director: Mabrouk El Mechri
Writer: Scott Wiper
Cast: Bruce Willis, Henry Cavill, Joseph Mawle
IMDB Rating: 4.9/10
Run Time: 1h 33m
Genre: Action

Will Shaw, a young trader on Wall Street, is shocked when his family is kidnapped while they are sailing in Spain by some formidable adversaries.
Now, a stolen briefcase attracts savage kidnappers. They are prepared to take considerable measures to recover the enigmatic valise.
This draws Will and his father, Martin Shaw, into a dangerous cat-and-mouse game stoked by a diabolical government scheme. As Martin and Shaw’s situation becomes more and more precarious, long-kept family truths slowly start to surface. Its thrilling suspense-filled action sequence makes it one of the best spy movies on Netflix in Australia.

11. RED 2 (2013)

Red-2-au

Director: Dean Parisot
Writer: Jon Hoeber
Cast: Helen Mirren, Bruce Willis, Lee Byung-hun
IMDB Rating: 6.6/10
Run Time: 1h 56m
Genre: Action

In R.E.D. 2, the high-octane action-comedy follow-up to the global sleeper blockbuster, retired black-ops C.I.A. agent Frank Moses assembles his improbable squad of elite operators for a worldwide search for a lost portable nuclear bomb.

To prevail, they will have to stave off a horde of vicious killers, ruthless terrorists, and power-crazed government leaders who are all vying for the next-generation weapon. Frank and his ragtag group travel to Paris, London, and Moscow as part of the assignment.

12. Legacy Of Lies (2020)

Legacy-of-lies-au

Director: Adrian Bol
Writer: Adrian Bol
Cast: Yuliia Sobol, Scott Adkins, Leon Sua
IMDB Rating: 5.0/10
Run Time: 1h 41m
Genre: Thriller

In Legacy of Lies, Adkins takes a break from his collaborative relationship with director Jesse V Johnson. They have, however, worked together as a team on several fantastic action movies, which gives them a sense of comfort.

Legacy of Lies exudes mystery under the direction of writer/director Adrian Bol. Adkins plays an ex-MI6 agent who is haunted by his wife’s death due to a poorly executed mission. He currently has a 12-year-old daughter who is intelligent and a single parent. After a long time, a breathtaking thriller movie on Netflix.

13. The Red Sea Diving Resort (2019)

The-Red-sea-diving-resort-au

Director: Gideon Raff
Writer: Gideon Raff
Cast: Sizo Mahlangu, Motsi Tekateka, Masasa Mbangeni
IMDB Rating: 6.6/10
Run Time: 2h 9m
Genre: Drama

True heroic tales have long been transformed by Hollywood into tense dramas. This is the best drama movie on Netflix. The best of them can take frightening tales of peril and make viewers in theaters or, increasingly, on their sofas relatable.

The Red Sea Diving Resort recounts the actual account of a team of Mossad operatives who, in the early 1980s, saved hundreds of Jewish immigrants from Ethiopia by bringing them first to Sudan and then back to Israel. This is one of the best Spy movies on Netflix in Australia.

14. American Made (2017)

American-made-au

Director: Doug Liman
Writer: Gary Spinelli
Cast: Sarah Wright, Tom Cruise, Lola Kirke
IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
Run Time: 1h 55m
Genre: Action

Late in the 1970s. Pilot Barry Seal works for the commercial airline TWA. Seal seizes the opportunity when “Schaffer,” a C.I.A. operative, calls him and offers him a job flying covert surveillance over South America.

A pilot quickly realizes that the CIA’s request for him to conduct covert missions in South America is a perfect opportunity to smuggle narcotics into the U.S.A. To keep his operation going, he must play the C.I.A., drug cartels, law enforcement, and even the White House against one another.

15. Knight And Day (2010)

Knight-and-day-au

Director: James Mangold
Writer: Patrick O’Neill
Cast: Jordi Mollà, Paul Dano, Tom Cruise
IMDB Rating: 6.3/10
Run Time: 1h 49m
Genre: Action

In this espionage tale, a woman becomes entangled in some action but is unaware of what is going on. Roy Miller, portrayed by Tom Cruise, accidentally runs into June Havens, portrayed by Cameron Diaz, in an airport. June is erroneously believed to be a member of June’s team by the attack squad that is out to murder Roy.

Roy and June board a different plane when their first aircraft is delayed. Unusually, it’s vacant. Roy battles with everyone else on the plane, including the pilots, when June uses the lavatory on the aircraft.

16. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

The-Bourne-supremacy-au

Director: Paul Greengrass
Writer: Robert Ludlum
Cast: Brian Cox, Matt Damon, Karl Urban
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
Run Time: 1h 48m
Genre: Action

Jason Bourne believed he had left his past behind two years ago. But now that the C.I.A. threatens to destroy Jason Bourne’s new existence, the past is catching up with him. Bourne and Marie have sacrificed permanency to sustain their covert, clandestine existence.

Bourne moves from city to city, propelled by fragmented nightmares and haunted by a past he cannot remember, trying to stay one step ahead of the threat implied in every stranger’s glance and every “wrong number” phone call.
He knew that at that moment, without warning, he might be pulled back into the world he hoped he had left behind.

17. Damascus Cover (2017)

Damascus-cover-au

Director: Daniel Zelik Berk
Writer: Daniel Zelik Berk
Cast: Olivia Thirlby, Igal Naor, Aki Avni
IMDB Rating: 5.3/10
Run Time: 1h 33m
Genre: Mystery

During an undercover assignment in Syria, a spy must negotiate the treacherous landscape of love and survival. Damascus Cover will only be remembered as the last film in which the eminent actor John Hurt, who is now deceased, appeared.

What a mess to end on, but happily, it’s just a small part for him. What we have here is a typical spy plot that adheres to every genre cliché possible but does not do any of them well. The presence of John Hurt makes this one of the best spy movies on Netflix in Australia.

18. The Interpreter (2005)

The-interpreter-au

Director: Sydney Pollack
Writer: Martin Stellman
Cast: Sean Penn, Jesper Christensen, Nicole Kidman
IMDB Rating: 6.4/10
Run Time: 2h 8m
Genre: Crime

When U.N. translator Silvia Broome claims to have witnessed a death threat against an African head of state being expressed in a unique dialect that only Silvia can understand, the situation escalates. In an instance, Silvia’s world is flipped upside down as she hears the killers threaten that “The Teacher will never leave this room alive.”

As Tobin Keller, a federal agent, is put in charge of protecting Silvia, her nightmare situation only worsens. Keller became increasingly concerned that one of his eyewitnesses, who has a mysterious world of international connections, maybe a part of the plot as he looked further into her past.

19. Unknown (2011)

unknown-au

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Writer: Oliver Butcher
Cast: January Jones, Liam Neeson, Bruno Ganz
IMDB Rating: 6.8/10
Run Time: 1h 53m
Genre: Suspense

After being involved in an automobile accident in Berlin, Dr Martin Harris awakens to find that his wife has suddenly forgotten who he is and that another man has taken his place. He finds himself alone, exhausted, and on the run from doubting authorities and unknown killers.

With the help of an unusual ally, Martin dives headfirst into a dangerous mystery that will make him doubt his identity, his sanity, and the lengths he will go to get the truth. The best suspense movie on Netflix with someone who loves to watch movies with you.

20. Penguins Of Madagascar (2014)

Penguins-of-Madagascar-au

Director: Eric Darnell
Writer: Michael Colton
Cast: Chris Miller, Conrad Vernon, Tom McGrath
IMDB Rating: 6.6/10
Run Time: 1h 32m
Genre: Animation

Super espionage teams are made, not born. Learn the trade secrets of Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, and Private, the four best and funniest covert avians in the world of espionage.

These elitists have teamed up with The North Wind, a stylish, covert organization. Led by the voice of Benedict Cumberbatch’s Agent Classified, a gorgeous and husky character (we could tell you his name, but then…you know). They must work together to prevent the evil Dr. Octavius Brine, played by John Malkovich, from eradicating the world as we know it.

It is the best adventure movie on Netflix to watch anytime and also it one of the best Spy movies on Netflix in Australia.

Conclusion

Pretty much every single child remembers playing spy when they were little with fondness. We jumped from one roof to another while pretending to be on the hunt for a global drug smuggler, trading the worn-out, cheap beads from mom’s ornament collection for priceless African diamonds.

If your interests involve listening in on your roommates while leaning up against a wall or using binoculars to spy on bystanders, spy movies on Netflix in Australia have great content for you.

Chris Mack

Chris Mack

Meet Chris Mack, your go-to expert for the best of BBC iPlayer with a twist—he's also a cybersecurity enthusiast. Whether you're into British entertainment classics or searching for hidden gems, Chris has you covered, always with an eye for secure streaming practices. Beyond the screen, Chris blends his love for reading and exploring the outdoors with a passion for staying ahead in the world of cybersecurity, ensuring a safe viewing experience. If you're looking for top British TV picks or tips on keeping your digital viewing secure, Chris is your guide. Dive into the drama of British TV with Chris!


Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *