Netflix’s new spy movieBack in Actionis an exciting comedy with fast-paced scenes that will keep audiences at the edge of their seats.Back in Action’s cast is led by Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx as Emily and Matt, two spies turned parents who are forced to go back to their old profession 15 years after retiring. The movie centers on the couple and their children as they are forced to reclaim a weapon that nearly got them killed 15 years ago and is now creating trouble again.
WhileBack in Action’s reviews have only given the movie a moderate rating, it is an undeniably fun watch. Diaz and Foxx leadBack In Action’s cast as parents trying to balance their responsibilities with their former lifestyle. What’s more,Back in Actionmarks Cameron Diaz’s return to acting after she retired a decade ago.Cameron Diaz retired from actingto follow her other passions, but withBack in Actionand several other films lined up, she has certainly returned with a splash. Luckily, after watching the entertaining spy movie, there are several great follow-ups, including some featuring the stars themselves.
The Spy Next Door
Cast
The Spy Next Door is a family action-comedy film directed by Brian Levant. The movie stars Jackie Chan as Bob Ho, an undercover CIA super spy who decides to retire and settle down with his next-door neighbor and girlfriend. However, he faces the challenge of caring for her three children, who are unaware of his covert lifestyle, while handling a last mission involving a clandestine Russian plot.
The Spy Next Dooris a great movie for fans ofBack in Actionwho most enjoyed the family-centered aspects of the film.TheSpy Next Doorstars Jackie Chan in the lead role of Bob Ho, an undercover spy tasked with babysitting his girlfriend’s three children. After his enemies discover his location, Bob along with the kids must fight to protect themselves, learning some important lessons about family along the way, and leading to a happy ending.
ThoughThe Spy Next Doorwas not reviewed well by some critics, it is certainly an entertaining watch thanks to Jackie Chan’s reliability as an action star and the film’s consistent humor. WhileBack in Actionmay feature some language that is inappropriate for very young audiences,The Spy Next Dooris a family action movie that does work well for younger kids. This makes it perfect for the family movie night that Diaz’s character Emily so desires to have with her daughter inBack in Action.
Day Shift
To provide for his family, Jamie Foxx works for a pool cleaning service, which happens to be a front for a vampire hunting union in San Fernando, California. Jamie Foxx, alongside Snoop Dogg and Dave Franco, will work together as they slowly chip away at the vampire hierarchy led by a real estate magnate portrayed by Karla Souza in the overridden valley.
Day Shiftgives Jamie Foxx another secret identity, but this movie has a twist: he is a vampire hunter rather than a spy. While Bud’s (Foxx) family thinks that he is a pool cleaner, he secretly works for a union that kills vampires, preventing them from taking over the world. As Bud hunts vampires with the help of a supervisor, the pair comes to realize that Bud’s family is in even more danger than he previously thought after they are abducted by a vampire named Audrey, leading Foxx’s character to do everything he can to get to them in time.
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Along with Jamie Foxx in the leading role,Day Shiftfeatures several well known cast members, including Dave Franco, Meagan Good, and Snoop Dogg. With such a great cast and unique plot, it is unsurprising that the film works so well as a horror comedy. The Netflix movie is rated R, so while it might not be best for kids, it is a great follow-up toBack in Actionfor fans of Jamie Foxx and off-beat undercover comedies.
Spy
Written and directed by Paul Feig, 2015’s Spy features Jason Statham, Jude Law, and Melissa McCarthy in an Action, Comedy, and Spy setting. McCarthy plays a CIA employee relegated to a desk that helps her field agent partner remotely until she’s forced into action to help keep everyone safe.
Paul Feig’s 2015 movieSpyis one of thebest comedy roles of Melissa McCarthy’s careerand was a massive success at the time of its release.The movie holds a very impressive 95% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes to match its box office success.Spywas also nominated for multiple awards, including two notable nominations at the Golden Globes.Spyis well worth a watch for any fans of adult action comedies, especially given its masterful performances and direction.
Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Melissa McCarthy
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
The comedy film follows McCarthy’s Susan Cooper McCarthy, a desk agent for the CIA who enters the field after believing that her field agent partner (played by Jude Law) has been killed. Susan soon becomes entangled in a case that is far beyond her skill set, leading to lots of laughs for audiences, but surprising success for Susan.The film features a few unexpected twists and additions to the traditional spy movie, making it feel freshcompared to many of its genre companions.
Spies Like Us
Spies Like Us is a 1985 comedy about two inept government employees, played by Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd, who mistakenly believe they are U.S. spies. Their mission, initially unbeknownst to them, involves serving as decoys in an elaborate nuclear war scenario.
The 1985 comedy movieSpies Like Usstars comedy legends Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd in its leading roles as desk agents for the US government, Emmett and Austin. The pair are sent out as decoys while other agents are handling the actual mission of stealing a nuclear missile from the Soviet Union. However, when one of the real agents is killed, Chase and Aykroyd’s characters take up the mantle.The movie leans into the chaos of the two characters and their inexperience, creating funny moments throughout.
Many of the current genre conventions, stereotypical characters, and sometimes even the plots of specific movies bear a striking similarity to the 1985 spy film.
Spies Like Uscan be seen as the predecessor to many modern spy comedies. Many of the current genre conventions, stereotypical characters, and sometimes even the plots of specific movies bear a striking similarity to the 1985 spy film. WhileSpies Like Usgarnered mixed reviews from critics due to some feeling the screenplay was lackluster at times,its stars delivered the type of memorable performances that they are known for. WhileBack in Actionfeatures more emphasis on Matt and Emily’s family dynamics, their unexpected return to espionage is similar to Emmett and Austin’s surprising success in the profession.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a romantic comedy action film that follows a married couple who discover that they’re both assassins after years of maintaining a false relationship for cover when John and Jane discover on a hit job that they both have the same target, the failed mission results in the discovery that they’re both assigned to different agencies. Now tasked with eliminating one another, the two engage in a darkly comedic battle where they soon begin to fall in love - for real, this time.
While Matt and Emily inBack in Actionare hiding their identities from their children and the world,Mr. and Mrs. Smith are hiding their secret identities from each other.Mr. & Mrs. Smithstars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt as a married couple who are unknowingly both spies and working for different agencies. After a mission seemingly goes wrong, the two are given orders to assassinate each other, but their dedication to their marriage makes that more difficult than initially expected, leading to them finally acknowledging their true feelings for each other inMr. & Mrs. Smith’s ending.
LikeBack in Action,Mr. & Mrs. Smithis currently streaming on Netflix.
Mr. & Mrs. Smithwas a massive box office success at the time of its release, opening at number one and grossing over $50.3 million in its opening weekend alone (viaBox Office Mojo). Beyond its initial success, due to its availability on various streaming services,Mr. & Mrs. Smithhas remained popular and even found new audiences. The film even inspired a new TV series of the same name. The amazing chemistry between Jolie and Pitt inMr. and Mrs. Smithand the non-stop action make it one of the best-loved spy movies of the 2000s.
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Based on the comic book series of the same name, Kingsman: The Secret Service tells the story of rebellious teen Eggsy (Taron Egerton) as he’s inducted into a top-secret spy agency by a man codenamed Galahad (Colin Firth). After learning that billionaire Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) plans to destroy the world, Eggsy and Galahad set out to avert international disaster and uncover widespread corruption that threatens to consume the Kingsman agency itself.
Kingsman: The Secret Serviceis the perfect paring withBack in Actionfor audience members who like the latter’s action and comedy, butwant something a little more adult and intense.Kingsman: The Secret Serviceis not particularly dark or gory, but its language and humor is not fully appropriate for younger audiences either, making it best for adult fans ofBack in Action. The film follows Eggsy, played byCarry-OnandRocketmanstar Taron Egerton, who becomes a spy for the British government and works to take down a terrorist hoping to kill a large percent of the world’s population.
Kingsmanis a really fun watch, with Taron Egerton proving himself a talented leading man. Upon its 2015 release,the film was met with a largely positive critical response and box office success. What is even better is thatKingsman: The Secret Servicealso has a 2017 sequel and a 2021 prequel for fans who want even moreKingsmancontent.TheKingsmanseriesis a great choice for a spy comedy movie marathon, and the first movie especially is a great example of an action movie that mixes talented performances and humor.
Knight and Day
Written by Patrick O’Neill and directed by James Mangold, Knight and Day is an Action and Comedy that satirizes secret agent-style films. The premise follows Tom Cruise as an agent on the run from the CIA who ends up protecting a woman who is mistaken for his associate.
The 2010 movieKnight and Daysaw Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz team upfor a high-octane adventure. In contrast to herBack in Actioncharacter, who is all too ready to return to her former career as a spy,Knight and Daycast Cameron Diaz as June, a mechanic who is reluctantly into the world of espionage by Cruise’s character, Roy. The film marked their second collaboration, and it was directed by James Mangold, who is currently gaining a lot of attention as the director behindA Complete Unknown,proving that the entireKnight and Dayteam is incredibly talented.
The movie is far better than its mediocre critical reviews suggest due to the charismatic performances of its leads and fast-paced plot, which certainly make it worthwhile for action fans.
In bothBack in ActionandKnight and Day,Cameron Diaz brings her usual lovable charm and good humor and applies her skills as an action star. While June is at first reluctant to work with Roy, she eventually gets invested in clearing his name and continuing the adventure with him. Overall, the movie is far better than its mediocre critical reviews suggest due to the charismatic performances of its leads and fast-paced plot, which certainly make it worthwhile for action fans.
Spy Kids
Spy Kids, directed by Robert Rodriguez, follows siblings Carmen and Juni as they discover their seemingly ordinary parents are retired secret agents. When their parents are forced back into espionage due to the disappearance of former colleagues, the children unexpectedly join the family’s adventurous mission.
While Robert Rodriguez may be best known for his gritty action movies, his foray into children’s movies was just as successful in 2001 with the release ofSpy Kids. Since its premiere,Spy Kidshas grossed $147.9 million on a budget of $35 million (viaBox Office Mojo) and it has maintained a 92% Rotten Tomatoes critics score.To this day,Spy Kidsremains one of the most iconic kid’s movies of the 2000sdue to its incredibly creative and unusual story, great cast, and impressive direction.
12 Best Cameos In The Spy Kids Movies, Ranked
While Spy Kids is best remembered for the leading pairs of children, multiple big-name actors made memorable cameos throughout the franchise.
Back in Actionfocuses on the stories of Matt and Emily rather than their children, butSpy Kidscenters on the stories of the kids. After finding out that their parents are spies, much as Emily and Matt’s children do, Juni and Carmen take matters into their own hands and become spies as well. When their parents are captured, Carmen and Juni travel to the villain’s island to find their parents and stop their former spy enemy from taking over the world. Following the success of the first movie, Rodriguez has made severalSpy Kidssequels to enjoy as well.
Charlie’s Angels
Charlie’s Angels is the first movie in the Charlie’s Angels franchise that began in 1976. The film was released in 2000 and starred Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu as the titular “Charlie’s Angels.” The film received a sequel in 2003 titled Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle. Charlie’s Angels was a box office success and received mixed to positive reviews upon release.
Charlie’s Angelsis the quintessential example of what Cameron Diaz can do in an action comedy movie. The 2000 film remains one of the star’s most popular performances to this day, despite its lackluster reviews. While many critics decried the silly nature of the movie, its implausibility is actually part of what makes it so enjoyable to watch.Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu, and Drew Barrymore are very entertaining, and their characters are depicted as being good at their jobs despite the admittedly silly action sequences.
While the stakes for the three leading women never truly seem that high, their iconic agency, outfits, and fighting styles makeCharlie’s Angelsthe perfect watch to get a glimpse of a precursor to Diaz’s role inBack in Action.
WhileCharlie’s Angelsmay not be the perfect choice for viewers who want a very serious and life-like spy movie, it is very fun and shows how charming Cameron Diaz can be as an actor. The three angels are tasked with recovering a supposedly kidnapped CEO but when the tables are turned, they are still able to come out on top. While the stakes for the three leading women never truly seem that high, their iconic agency, outfits, and fighting styles makeCharlie’s Angelsthe perfect watch to get a glimpse of a precursor to Diaz’s role inBack in Action.
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible follows Ethan Hunt, a member of an elite espionage team, who becomes the prime suspect in a failed operation. As he seeks to uncover the true mole within the CIA, Hunt must navigate a complex web of deception to clear his name.
If there is one movie that has come to define the spy action movie genre in the 21st century, it isMission: Impossible. While the original movie was released in 1996, six sequels have been released since then and the eighthMission: Impossiblemovie is set to be released in May 2025, making it one of the most successful franchises of all time. Tom Cruise’s portrayal of Ethan Hunt, and his insistence on doing many of the stunts himself, has become iconic through the years, cementing his legacy as one of the best action stars of all time.
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The best spy movies are full of gripping intrigue, big twists, and heart-pulsing action sequences, and feature brilliant secret agent characters.
Mission: Impossiblefollows IMF agent Ethan Hunt as he attempts to clear his name after he was set up for the murder of several other agents. While on the run from his former agency and external enemies, Hunt builds a team of trusted agents and performs some daring stunts.Brian De Palma’s exceptional direction along with the performances of the film’s stars makeMission: Impossiblea necessary watchfor all fans of action and spy movies and the perfect follow-up to Netflix’sBack in Action.
Back in Action
Back in Action follows former CIA operatives Emily and Matt, who are thrust back into espionage years after retiring to raise a family. Released on June 25, 2025, the film unravels their return to the clandestine world when their identities are exposed.
