Directed by Ben Affleck, who also takes on a leading role in the film, Argo follows Tony Mendez, a CIA agent entrusted with an insurmountable mission that requires him to rescue 52 Americans held hostage by Iranian terrorists. For those who have already savoured it and are hungry for more, here’s a carefully curated list of the top 10 films to take you back to the world of espionage and covert missions.
Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty zooms in on a fictional CIA operative, Maya (Jessica Chastain), on the stubborn, decade-long mission to track down Osama bin Laden post-9/11. Navigating the complexities of intelligence and interrogations, the film climaxes with the daring Navy SEAL Team 6 raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
Balancing creativity and professionalism, this historical drama offers a concise, intense portrayal of the challenges and triumphs in the pursuit of justice. Argo reveals the CIA’s clever rescue mission during the Iran hostage crisis, while Zero Dark Thirty focuses on the intense hunt for a notorious terrorist leader.
Captain Phillips (2013)
Captain Phillips is the kind of movie that’ll keep you hooked from start to finish. This Paul Greengrass thriller recounts the true story of the Maersk Alabama, hijacking by Somali pirates. Follow Captain Richard Phillips, played by Tom Hanks, and his crew as they get caught in a high-stakes hostage situation led by Somali pirate Abduwali Muse.
The film takes you through the intense psychological battle between Phillips and Muse as they treacherously cross the waters off the coast of Somalia. With the U.S. Navy entering the scene, the tension escalates to a dramatic standoff and a nail-biting rescue mission. Both Captain Phillips and Argo follow everyday people stuck in intense situations, with all the drama and suspense you can imagine.
Black Hawk Down (2001)
Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down is a real-life war story set in 1993 during the Battle of Mogadishu. It’s about a U.S. mission in Somalia to nab a warlord, but things get quite intense when two American helicopters are shot down. What follows is an overnight showdown between U.S. forces and Somali militia right in the heart of Mogadishu.
The movie throws you into the chaos, bringing you face to face with the courage and struggles of the soldiers caught up in the middle of it all. Both films show the disarray and unpredictable nature of operations on the ground while praising the bravery and tenacity of soldiers on the ground.
Munich (2005)
This Steven Spielberg historical drama takes us back to the aftermath of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre. We follow Avner Kaufman (Eric Bana), a Mossad agent, and his team on a mission to hunt down and destroy those behind the killing of 11 Israeli athletes by the Palestinian group Black September. As the team takes on covert and morally challenging assignments, they wrestle with both the personal and political fallout of their actions.
Munich and Argo are like spy cousins. Argo follows the CIA in the Iran hostage crisis, while Munich is all about Mossad’s revenge after a terrorist attack.
The Hurt Locker (2008)
Another Kathryn Bigelow masterpiece on the list, The Hurt Locker, is set during the Iraq War and tracks Staff Sergeant William James and his team that has to deal with dangerous bombs, and improvised explosives. The job is tough and dangerous, trying to disarm bombs in the risky streets of Baghdad.
As the team faces the physical and mental toll of the work, James’s way of doing things and taking risks creates some tension in the group. The Hurt Locker is a real nail-biter, showing the challenges of war and teamwork. Both movies show how mentally taxing deployments can be while also highlighting the need for courage, risk-taking, and selflessness in the face of danger.
Body of Lies (2008)
Ridley Scott’s political thriller, Body of Lies, follows CIA operative Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) as he tries to track down a big-shot terrorist leader in the Middle East. But things get tricky as Ferris teams up with his not-so-friendly CIA boss, Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe). The movie explores the challenges of fighting terrorism, the role of technology, and the thin line between trust and trickery.
Body of Lies and Argo explore the world of espionage, secret sessions, and the accompanying danger. Argo covers the real-life Iran hostage crisis, while Body of Lies is a made-up story set in today’s counterterrorism world.
The Insider (1999)
This Michael Mann film traces the true story of Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe), who becomes a whistle-blower from the tobacco industry. Wigand, a former big shot at Brown & Williamson, decides it’s time to spill the beans on the industry’s secrets about smoking dangers and nicotine manipulation. When he teams up with Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino), it sparks a fierce legal and personal battle.
Powerful forces try to stop the truth from getting out, making it an exciting story tale of one man against a whole industry. The Insider and Argo may talk about different stuff, but they’re on the same wavelength. Both explore everyday people facing tough moral choices, putting everything on the line to dribble the truth.
Blood Diamond (2006)
Believe it or not, Edward Zwick’s Blood Diamond is his best work so far! The movie follows not one but three characters during the Sierra Leone Civil War: Danny Archer wants a valuable diamond, Solomon Vandy is a fisherman separated from his family, and Maddy Bowen is a journalist covering the war. Their lives get mixed up in the dangerous world of conflict diamonds and rebel atrocities.
It’s a haunting masterpiece that will have you glued to your seats till the credits roll. Blood Diamond and Argo are two sides of the same coin, drilling into the clutter of geopolitical conflicts and how regular people get caught up in the mess.
Not Without My Daughter (1991)
Sally Field’s Betty finds herself in a tough spot in this Brian Gilbert film. She’s an American married to an Iranian doctor named Moody (Alfred Molina). The plan was just a short visit to Iran, but things take a turn when Betty discovers Moody doesn’t want them to go back to the United States.
The film brings us face to face with Betty’s struggle as she faces both cultural and legal challenges, trying to protect herself and her daughter while attempting to break free from the oppressive situation they’re in. Argo pulls off a hostage rescue, while Not Without My Daughter tells the story of an American woman fighting for freedom in Iran. Different tales, but both deal with some serious challenges.
Green Zone (2010)
Paul Greengrass’s military drama Green Zone is set in the early stages of the highly controversial Iraq war. Matt Damon’s character, Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller, is in charge of a squad that searches Iraq for WMDs, but when Miller starts to doubt the facts supplied by higher-ups, he finds a network of lies and misleading data.
Green Zone proves how challenging it is to understand the workings of war and how laborious it is to tell the difference between political objectives and the truth. Both Argo and Green Zone see their respective protagonists, Tony Mendez and Roy Miller, questioning and challenging information given to them by their bosses.
And there you have it, our picks for the top 10 films like Argo. Did your favorite make the cut? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments below.