TAGGED AS:

(Photo by Universal/ courtesy Everett Collection)

Cillian Murphy Movies and Shows Ranked

We’re ranking the movies and shows of Cillian Murphy! We start with his Certified Fresh films, including zombie movie revival 28 Days Later, his collaborations with Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins, Inception), Ken Loach’s The Wind That Shakes the Barley, and horror sequel A Quiet Place Part II. His executive produced show Peaky Blinders has proven an enduring, involving hit. His Rotten films with positive Audience Scores include teen drama Disco Pigs and action-thriller Anna. —Alex Vo

#1

Oppenheimer (2023)
Tomatometer icon 93%

#1
Adjusted Score: 122575%
Critics Consensus: Oppenheimer marks another engrossing achievement from Christopher Nolan that benefits from Murphy's tour-de-force performance and stunning visuals.
Synopsis: During World War II, Lt. Gen. Leslie Groves Jr. appoints physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer to work on the top-secret Manhattan... [More]
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon
Directed By: Christopher Nolan

#2
#2
Adjusted Score: 109902%
Critics Consensus: A nerve-wracking continuation of its predecessor, A Quiet Place Part II expands the terrifying world of the franchise without losing track of its heart.
Synopsis: Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family must now face the terrors of the outside world as they... [More]
Starring: Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe
Directed By: John Krasinski

#3
#3
Adjusted Score: 94356%
Critics Consensus: Bleak and uncompromising, but director Ken Loach brightens his film with gorgeous cinematography and tight pacing, and features a fine performance from Cillian Murphy.
Synopsis: In 1920s Ireland young doctor Damien O'Donovan (Cillian Murphy) prepares to depart for a new job in a London hospital.... [More]
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Padraic Delaney, Liam Cunningham, Orla Fitzgerald
Directed By: Ken Loach

#4

Inception (2010)
Tomatometer icon 87%

#4
Adjusted Score: 102645%
Critics Consensus: Smart, innovative, and thrilling, Inception is that rare summer blockbuster that succeeds viscerally as well as intellectually.
Synopsis: Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a thief with the rare ability to enter people's dreams and steal their secrets from... [More]
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elliot Page, Tom Hardy
Directed By: Christopher Nolan

#5

28 Days Later (2002)
Tomatometer icon 87%

#5
Adjusted Score: 95161%
Critics Consensus: Kinetically directed by Danny Boyle, 28 Days Later is both a terrifying zombie movie and a sharp political allegory.
Synopsis: A group of misguided animal rights activists free a caged chimp infected with the "Rage" virus from a medical research... [More]
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Noah Huntley, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson
Directed By: Danny Boyle

#6

Batman Begins (2005)
Tomatometer icon 85%

#6
Adjusted Score: 96257%
Critics Consensus: Brooding and dark, but also exciting and smart, Batman Begins is a film that understands the essence of one of the definitive superheroes.
Synopsis: A young Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) travels to the Far East, where he's trained in the martial arts by Henri... [More]
Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes
Directed By: Christopher Nolan

#7

The Party (2017)
Tomatometer icon 82%

#7
Adjusted Score: 90606%
Critics Consensus: Old-fashioned charm meets sharp wit and modern social satire in The Party, a biting comedy carried by a shining performance from Patricia Clarkson.
Synopsis: A comedy of tragic proportions.... [More]
Starring: Patricia Clarkson, Bruno Ganz, Cherry Jones, Emily Mortimer
Directed By: Sally Potter

#8

Red Eye (2005)
Tomatometer icon 80%

#8
Adjusted Score: 87228%
Critics Consensus: With solid performances and tight direction from Wes Craven, Red Eye is a brisk, economic thriller.
Synopsis: In the wake of her grandmother's funeral, hotel manager Lisa Reisert (Rachel McAdams) is waiting to fly back home when... [More]
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Cillian Murphy, Brian Cox, Jayma Mays
Directed By: Wes Craven

#9

Sunshine (2007)
Tomatometer icon 76%

#9
Adjusted Score: 82606%
Critics Consensus: Danny Boyle continues his descent into mind-twisting sci-fi madness, taking us along for the ride. Sunshine fulfills the dual requisite necessary to become classic sci-fi: dazzling visuals with intelligent action.
Synopsis: In the not-too-distant future, Earth's dying sun spells the end for humanity. In a last-ditch effort to save the planet,... [More]
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Chris Evans, Rose Byrne, Michelle Yeoh
Directed By: Danny Boyle

Peaky Blinders (2013)
Tomatometer icon 93%

#10
Synopsis: Britain is a mixture of despair and hedonism in 1919 in the aftermath of the Great War. Returning soldiers, newly... [More]
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Natasha O'Keeffe, Paul Anderson, Sophie Rundle
Directed By: Otto Bathurst, Anthony Byrne

#11

Intermission (2003)
Tomatometer icon 73%

#11
Adjusted Score: 75881%
Critics Consensus: An edgy and energetic ensemble story.
Synopsis: After Dublin resident John (Cillian Murphy) attempts a trial breakup with his girlfriend (Kelly Macdonald), she starts dating a middle-aged... [More]
Starring: Colin Farrell, Shirley Henderson, Kelly Macdonald, Colm Meaney
Directed By: John Crowley

#12
#12
Adjusted Score: 79126%
Critics Consensus: Visually arresting, but the story could be told with a bit more energy.
Synopsis: When her father goes blind, Griet (Scarlett Johansson) must go to work as a maid for painter Johannes Vermeer (Colin... [More]
Starring: Colin Firth, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Wilkinson, Judy Parfitt
Directed By: Peter Webber

#13

Free Fire (2016)
Tomatometer icon 70%

#13
Adjusted Score: 81167%
Critics Consensus: Free Fire aims squarely for genre thrills, and hits its target repeatedly and with great gusto -- albeit with something less than pure cinematic grace.
Synopsis: When a black-market arms deal goes outrageously wrong, Justine finds herself caught in the crossfire, forced to navigate through a... [More]
Starring: Sharlto Copley, Armie Hammer, Brie Larson, Cillian Murphy
Directed By: Ben Wheatley

#14
#14
Adjusted Score: 41490%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Two couples in suburban Dublin appear to live in marital bliss until an altercation between one of the couples occurs,... [More]
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Andrew Scott, Eva Birthistle, Catherine Walker
Directed By: Mark O'Rowe

#15

On the Edge (2001)
Tomatometer icon 63%

#15
Adjusted Score: 21019%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: When a young man suffering from depression after the death of his father is committed to a mental institution, it... [More]
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Tricia Vessey, Jonathan Jackson, Stephen Rea
Directed By: John Carney

#16

Anthropoid (2016)
Tomatometer icon 67%

#16
Adjusted Score: 71391%
Critics Consensus: Anthropoid completes its mission rather unevenly but delivers a historically illuminating story with great performances to back it up.
Synopsis: In December 1941, two Czech soldiers (Cillian Murphy, Jamie Dornan) parachute into their occupied homeland to assassinate Nazi officer Reinhard... [More]
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Jamie Dornan, Charlotte Le Bon, Anna Geislerová
Directed By: Sean Ellis

#17

Broken (2012)
Tomatometer icon 61%

#17
Adjusted Score: 62813%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A girl witnesses a violent attack committed by a neighbor in one of three interconnected stories in a British housing... [More]
Starring: Tim Roth, Eloise Laurence, Cillian Murphy, Rory Kinnear
Directed By: Rufus Norris

#18

Retreat (2011)
Tomatometer icon 62%

#18
Adjusted Score: 36012%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: On an isolated island, a couple's attempt to recover from a personal tragedy is shattered when a stranger washes ashore... [More]
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Jamie Bell, Thandiwe Newton, Jimmy Yuill
Directed By: Carl Tibbetts

#19

Breakfast on Pluto (2005)
Tomatometer icon 58%

#19
Adjusted Score: 62132%
Critics Consensus: Well-acted if monotonous drama about a transvestite prostitute in London during the 1970s.
Synopsis: As a baby, Patrick (Cillian Murphy) is left by his mother on the steps of the rectory in their small... [More]
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Liam Neeson, Stephen Rea, Brendan Gleeson
Directed By: Neil Jordan

#20

Waveriders (2008)
Tomatometer icon 56%

#20
Adjusted Score: 40274%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: The untold story of Irish big wave surfing.... [More]
Starring: Cillian Murphy
Directed By: Joel Conroy

#21

Perrier's Bounty (2009)
Tomatometer icon 53%

#21
Adjusted Score: 54023%
Critics Consensus: It has interesting characters and a strong cast, but Perrier's Bounty ultimately fails to do anything original with them.
Synopsis: A petty crook (Cillian Murphy), his ailing father (Jim Broadbent) and a pretty neighbor go on the run from an... [More]
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Brendan Gleeson, Jim Broadbent, Jodie Whittaker
Directed By: Ian Fitzgibbon

#22

Tron: Legacy (2010)
Tomatometer icon 51%

#22
Adjusted Score: 61127%
Critics Consensus: Tron Legacy boasts dazzling visuals, but its human characters and story get lost amidst its state-of-the-art production design.
Synopsis: Sam (Garrett Hedlund), the son of famous video-game developer Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), has been haunted for a long time... [More]
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner
Directed By: Joseph Kosinski

#23
#23
Adjusted Score: 53467%
Critics Consensus: The admirably old-fashioned In the Heart of the Sea boasts thoughtful storytelling to match its visual panache, even if it can't claim the depth or epic sweep to which it so clearly aspires.
Synopsis: In 1820, crewmen (Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Cillian Murphy) aboard the New England vessel Essex face a harrowing battle for... [More]
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Cillian Murphy, Brendan Gleeson
Directed By: Ron Howard

#24

In Time (2011)
Tomatometer icon 36%

#24
Adjusted Score: 42730%
Critics Consensus: In Time's intriguing premise and appealing cast are easily overpowered by the blunt, heavy-handed storytelling.
Synopsis: In a future where time is money and the wealthy can live forever, Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) is a poor... [More]
Starring: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, Vincent Kartheiser
Directed By: Andrew Niccol

#25

The Edge of Love (2008)
Tomatometer icon 38%

#25
Adjusted Score: 39604%
Critics Consensus: Despite effective performances from Knightley and Miller, The Edge of Love lacks a coherent narrative.
Synopsis: Two women (Keira Knightley, Sienna Miller) are best friends and rivals for the love of poet Dylan Thomas.... [More]
Starring: Keira Knightley, Sienna Miller, Cillian Murphy, Matthew Rhys
Directed By: John Maybury

#26

Anna (2019)
Tomatometer icon 34%

#26
Adjusted Score: 37085%
Critics Consensus: Anna finds writer-director Luc Besson squarely in his wheelhouse, but fans of this variety of stylized action have seen it all done before -- and better.
Synopsis: Beneath a woman's striking beauty lies a secret that will unleash her indelible strength and skill to become one of... [More]
Starring: Sasha Luss, Luke Evans, Cillian Murphy, Helen Mirren
Directed By: Luc Besson

#27

Red Lights (2012)
Tomatometer icon 30%

#27
Adjusted Score: 33740%
Critics Consensus: Wasting the talents of an impressive cast on a predictable mystery, Red Lights lacks the clairvoyance to know what audiences want.
Synopsis: Professional skeptics (Cillian Murphy, Sigourney Weaver) try to prove that a famous psychic (Robert De Niro) is lying about his... [More]
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Sigourney Weaver, Robert De Niro, Toby Jones
Directed By: Rodrigo Cortés

#28

Disco Pigs (2001)
Tomatometer icon 20%

#28
Adjusted Score: 4170%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Pig (Cillian Murphy) and Runt (Elaine Cassidy) born on the same day, in the same hospital, moments apart. Twins, all... [More]
Starring: Elaine Cassidy, Cillian Murphy, Geraldine O'Rawe, Eleanor Methven
Directed By: Kirsten Sheridan

#29

Transcendence (2014)
Tomatometer icon 19%

#29
Adjusted Score: 29654%
Critics Consensus: In his directorial debut, ace cinematographer Wally Pfister remains a distinctive visual stylist, but Transcendence's thought-provoking themes exceed the movie's narrative grasp.
Synopsis: Dr. Will Caster (Johnny Depp), the world's foremost authority on artificial intelligence, is conducting highly controversial experiments to create a... [More]
Starring: Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Paul Bettany, Cillian Murphy
Directed By: Wally Pfister

#30

Aloft (2014)
Tomatometer icon 16%

#30
Adjusted Score: 18263%
Critics Consensus: Glacially paced and ineptly plotted, Aloft crushes the game efforts of a talented cast under a dreary viewing experience whose title proves sadly ironic.
Synopsis: Accompanied by a documentary filmmaker, a falconer (Cillian Murphy) sets out across a frozen landscape to find his mother (Jennifer... [More]
Starring: Jennifer Connelly, Cillian Murphy, Mélanie Laurent, Oona Chaplin
Directed By: Claudia Llosa

Movie & TV News