5 Best Tom Cruise Sci-Fi Movies, Ranked

He might seem to defy the laws of physics and human nature with just about every film he's been in for the last decade or so, but every so often there have been movies Tom Cruise has starred in that even go beyond his usual limits. Science fiction has a tendency to do that, and in the case of the box-office-hauling Cruise missile, there are a handful of movies he's taken the lead in that haven't just been great movies, but have also ended up being some of the best in his entire filmography.

During his brief sci-fi stint, Cruise has braved futuristic worlds, squared off against all manner of interplanetary dangers, and had steamy head trips that even the audience wasn't fully aware he was on to begin with. Taking all these into careful consideration, we've put together a ranking of the greatest Tom Cruise science fiction films to find out which is the best. It's been a tough job, but the great thing about one of Hollywood's biggest movie stars is that you're always going to get something to watch and take something away with you. Unless, of course, someone dares to mention "The Mummy," which no one should ever do. Not ever.

Looking at Tom Cruise's small selection of science fiction films means including a cult classic mostly remembered for a single sequence rather than for the film it's part of. A sci-fi movie in disguise, Cameron Crowe's "Vanilla Sky" casts Cruise as David Aames, Jr., a playboy whose world turns upside down with the arrival of Sofia (Penélope Cruz, reprising her role from the original film, "Abre los ojos," which this is a remake of). From there, things go a bit wild, leading to cryogenic suspension, mysterious companies, and a shoehorned cameo from Steven Spielberg. In between, there's a very strange soundtrack, appearances from a heartbroken and unhinged Cameron Diaz, Jason Lee stepping in as the template best bud, and Cruz as the girl of Aames' dreams.

There might be some films on this list that balance blending genres well, but unfortunately, "Vanilla Sky" isn't one of them. It's a romance, thriller, and science fiction film with very few likable characters in it, all babbling around in circles. It doesn't matter, though, because there's that impressive opening dream sequence that sees Cruise running through a deserted Times Square that had shut down 20 blocks for its production. It's the kind of visual that wouldn't be repeated until Will Smith went tearing through "I Am Legend," which was far more entertaining, even though it involved a dog dying.

Long before Joseph Kosinski got in the director's chair to be Tom Cruise's wingman in "Top Gun: Maverick," the two teamed up in the often visually impressive, yet slightly vapid sci-fi "Oblivion." Tom Cruise is one of the last caretakers of an abandoned Earth, leaving him forced to monitor what's left of a husk of our planet. Things get spicy, though, when he crosses paths with Olga Kurylenko and Morgan Freeman, who assures him he's far from alone on the planet after all.

Much like when Kosinski took on the "Tron" universe, "Oblivion" is great to look at, but chipping beneath the surface just ends in disappointment. There's really not much to a story that doesn't have much to say, and the supporting stars are phoning it in just as much as Cruise is. In a time when post-apocalyptic worlds were trending thanks to the likes of "I Am Legend" and "The Book of Eli," "Oblivion" tried to get in on the action but was far too cold to prove its worth with the rest. The one positive of what might be one of Cruise's best of a bad bunch is that it led to the partnership which gave us their cinema-saving jet-powered sequel. With a third "Top Gun" film on the way, and a new "Days of Thunder" recently confirmed, it's a safe bet that the world of "Oblivion" is one absolutely not worth revisiting.

The second team-up with Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg dared to take on one of the most influential science fiction stories ever written. Giving H.G. Wells' tale, "War of the Worlds," a modern setting, Cruise took the lead in the alien invasion story, but not as the savior of Earth, instead as an innocent bystander trying desperately to take care of his family. Unfortunately, Spielberg's terrifying depiction of the tripods' alien invasion stops him at every turn, often through nail-biting set-pieces with hundreds of extras screaming for their lives.

"War of the Worlds" might make for a refreshing watch compared to the last decade's worth of work, simply because he's not some living lethal weapon, or a highly skilled individual. Instead, he's venturing into the rarely ventured territory of just being a guy trying to keep himself and his kids alive. Could the role have gone to anyone else? Probably. But Cruise applies the charisma that has defined his career, and it fits just right here. The tension and drama get ramped up not just by Cruise trying to avoid being abducted, but by the young Dakota Fanning, who, still riding on the incredible performance of "Man on Fire," gave the same deer-in-headlights turn that has you terrified whenever the family has a close encounter.

Though marred by its own horrific bit of marketing, "Edge of Tomorrow" aka "Live Die Repeat" is arguably the most action-packed entry in the small selection of Cruise's sci-fi movies. Based on the Japanese light novel, "All You Need Is Kill," Cruise is a war-dodging public affairs officer, Major William Cage, who finds himself on the battlefield of a war with alien invaders that can see into the future. After a close encounter, Cage finds himself with the ability to die and be resurrected again in the past. Thankfully, he's not the only one, as Emily Blunt's battle-hardened, big-sword-wielding badass, Sergeant Rita Vrataski, turns Cruise's zero into the standard level of hero we know he can be.

Besides being a brilliant time-loop movie, "Edge of Tomorrow" is darkly funny in parts, with Cruise playing on the comedic bite of being killed over and over again and becoming the alien eradicator audiences would expect him to be. The reason it gets silver instead of gold on this list, though, is because this simply isn't his movie. His name might be at the top of the poster, but it's outshone by the effortlessly brilliant Blunt, who makes the movie her own. Worn down by the war that she's been killed in repeatedly, Vrataski evokes the scene-stealing draw of Ellen Ripley or Sarah Connor. She's an absolute force to be reckoned with that, for once in a Tom Cruise film, the star can't compete with, and it's clear he's happy to step back and let her win because of it.

The first collaboration between Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise was one that not even H.G. Wells' tripod could compete with. "Minority Report" was one of the many Philip K. Dick tales adapted for the screen, telling of a future with a nearly perfect system and the hero who is forced to bring it down. Set in the year 2054, Cruise plays John Anderton, the lead detective in a special police division that uses psychics to predict murders before they happen. Things are running relatively smoothly until Anderton discovers he's a future criminal, set to be charged with a crime he has yet to commit. From here, we get some top-tier Tom Cruise sprinting, a whydunit that has yet to happen, and an early, exceptional performance from "The Odyssey" star, Samantha Morton, as the one telepath who has the answer.

There's no doubt that Spielberg loves an alien-based adventure, but this is one of the rare worlds of tomorrow where outside interference isn't needed. Instead, "Minority Report" stands as one of the best films from both director and star, who are giving it their all in a wickedly smart detective story with brilliantly handled sci-fi elements that still hold up. From police wielding sick sticks and spiders to showing shockingly accurate glimpses of things like personalized ads and driverless cars, "Minority Report" is one of Cruise's most underappreciated movies of his career.