In August, we asked you – the people of Aotearoa – for your favourite Tom Cruise in all of the Tom Cruises that have ever existed in cinema.
Thanks heaps to those that voted. You did not disappoint. Behold your carefully crafted ranked list below, followed by selected comments from those who took part.
Vote in this month’s poll: what is the greatest quote from Predator?
10. Lestat (Interview with the Vampire)
Tom Cruise played a vampire who bit Brad Pitt in this Oscar-nominated thriller, only for Pitt to blab on about it to a reporter years later.
“He should play villains more often! He excels at them but does them so rarely. Lestat was an amazing and very different performance for him.” -Shannon from Waikato
9. Frank “TJ” Mackey (Magnolia)
A flurry of characters search for connection, forgiveness, and purpose in this three-hour epic from Paul Thomas Anderson, whose screenplay earned an Academy Award nomination alongside Tom Cruise’s OTT performance.
“The closest Cruise has ever come to self-parody? Or one of his gutsiest performances in one of his gutsiest choices as a movie star? Both, I like to think. Smashed it.” -James from Wellington
8. Charlie Babbitt (Rain Man)
Tom Cruise played a self-centered SOB who was less than chuffed to be reunited with his estranged autistic brother, played by Dustin Hoffman.
“Such an enjoyable film and so well acted. Kept me rivited.” -Pamela from Auckland
Available on DVD and On Demand
7. Vincent (Collateral)
Tom Cruise went against type as a villainous contract killer in Michael Mann’s thriller, forcing innocent cab driver Jamie Fox to drive him around LA over the course of a single night.
“It’s rare to see Tom playing the villain rather than the hero, but he pulls it off surprisingly well. His trademark charm is still there, but it becomes the thing that makes him so sinister, resulting in an elegant but merciless hitman whose interactions are fascinating to observe.” -Hayley from Canterbury
6. Jack Reacher (Jack Reacher)
Tom Cruise managed to defy (some) of the #NotMyReacher backlash by delivering a badass performance in Christopher McQuarrie’s crime thriller based on Lee Child’s book character.
“It was a tough choice between Reacher and Hunt, but Reacher is straight up hard. Love those movies.” -Shayne from Canterbury
Available on Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand
5. Cage (Edge of Tomorrow)
Tom Cruise dies repeatedly in Groundhog Day fashion until he stops being a coward and learns to fight an alien menace alongside the brave and noble Emily Blunt in this 2014 time-travel action sci-fi.
“Die enough times, go from piece of shit to total hunk.” -Matt from Auckland
Available on Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand
4. Jerry Maguire (Jerry Maguire)
Tom Cruise is a sports agent who’s a stone’s throw away from rock bottom, forcing him to oversee the career comeback of his struggling football player client Ron Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr. in his Oscar-winning role).
“Peak Charisma for Cruise, just an all round great performance in an even better movie.” -Barrie-John from Auckland
Available on DVD and On Demand
3. Les Grossman (Tropic Thunder)
In a comedy full of actors playing pompous Hollywood elites, Tom Cruise slid his way up to the top of the slime hill as the shouty, pot-bellied, balding, act-now-think-later, clogged-up asshole appropriately named Grossman.
“So out of character for him and he did such a great job. The dance scene at the end is fantastic! Would love to see him in more roles that aren’t so Tom Cruise-ish.” -Marcella from Canterbury
2. Maverick (Top Gun)
In an iconic role he’ll reprise in the 2020 sequel, Tom Cruise played a hotshot pilot whose skills in an aircraft were matched only by his skills in the volleyball sandpit.
“A man in uniform … sigh.” -Lancy from Auckland
Available on Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand
1. Ethan Hunt (Mission: Impossible series)
Tom Cruise anchors one of the biggest action franchises out there as super spy Ethan Hunt. Two decades on, Cruise is still willing to hurl his body at great speeds and massive heights all for the sake of our entertainment.
“It’s a character he’s played more times than any other he’s done and for good reason. Plus the real life stunts he pulls off with each new M:I movie are worth the price of the movie ticket alone.” -Brad from Canterbury
“I’ve never seen a more committed actor to a character than Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt. Case and point, M:I – Fallout. Possibly my top action flick pick of all time now.” -Jono from Hawke’s Bay
“Mission: Impossible is an iconic series, which I have watched all the movies for. It is also what I think of first when I think of Tom Cruise.” -Shivaash from Wellington
“As Ethan, the character is not a doosh, too cocky, weird, or stupid. He’s just The Man.” -Christina from Manawatu-Whanganui
Available on Blu-ray, DVD, On Demand and in cinemas
