All 4 Henry Cavill Spy Thriller Movies, Ranked Worst to Best

Henry Cavill has been in a fair share of spy thriller movies throughout his Hollywood career. From his early days in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. to his 2024 flick The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, the movies have been numerous but not all of them have been… great.

Naturally, we decided to rank all 4 Henry Cavill spy thriller movies from worst to best. Kicking off the list is a 2012 film that largely remained unpopular during its release, as well as afterwards.

4 The Cold Light of Day Was a Cold Flop For Henry Cavill

By far the weakest entry in this list, Henry Cavill’s The Cold Light of Day was a generic film that barely featured Bruce Willis in it. Critic’s consensus stated that Sigourney Weaver’s potential was completely wasted in it, and the film is mostly a forgettable spy thriller.

This movie was also released before Cavill’s feature in Man of Steel, which led many people to believe that the star wasn’t ready for a leading-man presence. In fact, the movie’s Rotten Tomatoes score remains at 4% even after 14 years!

The Cold Light of Day is available to stream on Apple TV.

3 Argylle Was Not the Greatest Spy Movie

Despite an impressive cast consisting of Bryce Dallas Howard, Dua Lipa, Henry Cavill, Sofia Boutella, and more, Argylle was an underwhelming flop.

Although acclaimed director Matthew Vaughn (from Kingsman fame) was helming the director’s chair, the film felt overstuffed and repetitive. Too many twists and too little payoff in the end, Argylle felt like a sense of déjà vu from rewatching a mix of Matthew Vaughn’s previous works.

All of it combined, the movie received a score of 34% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and remains a largely ignored film.

Argylle is available to stream on Apple TV.

2 The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Was a Dud

Although not a terrible film, Guy Ritchie and Henry Cavill’s second collaboration received an average rating from critics and audiences alike. Some time after its release, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare did receive audience love, sitting at 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 68% critics’ score.

Cavill is clearly seen having a blast as Gus March-Phillips, and the film’s scrappy energy won a lot of people over, even if critics found it a bit slight compared to some of Ritchie’s best work.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is available to stream on Prime Video.

1 The Man From U.N.C.L.E is The GOAT

Being the first collaboration between Henry Cavill and Guy Ritchie, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is a pure spy outing. Style-wise, Guy Ritchie takes it to the next level with smooth cinematography that feels quite gentlemanly.

Set during the events of the Cold War, the pairing of Cavill and Armie Hammer, 60s production design, and a playful tone that critics and audiences both responded to with love, the film has it all.

The movie received praise and critical acclaim, with the majority of fans agreeing that a sequel would be the most delightful thing. Although it sits at a rating of 68% on Rotten Tomatoes, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. remains Cavill’s best spy thriller movie of all time.

Do you agree with our picks? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is available for rent on Apple TV.