Buzz
1. Anthropoid
Anthropoid is a 2016 war film directed by Sean Ellis, featuring Cillian Murphy, Jamie Dornan, Charlotte Le Bon, Anna Geislerová, Harry Lloyd, and Toby Jones. Based on real events, the film depicts the assassination attempt against SS General Reinhard Heydrich, known as the third man of Hitler's regime. Heydrich becomes the target of a Czech resistance group while overseeing a major Nazi operation. The film is filled with tense, gripping moments, with Murphy's performance adding to the intensity of the story.
Set against the backdrop of the real-life Operation Anthropoid, the film recounts the secret mission to assassinate Reinhard Heydrich, one of Hitler's top commanders and the Nazi leader in occupied Czechoslovakia. Jamie Dornan plays Jan Kubiš, a Czech soldier in exile, while Murphy portrays his comrade Josef Gabčík. Together, they parachute into their homeland with limited weaponry to carry out the mission against one of the most feared men in the Third Reich.
Genre: Historical, Thriller, War
Director: Sean Ellis
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Charlotte Le Bon, Jamie Dornan
2. In the Heart of the Sea
*In the Heart of the Sea* (2015) is based on the true story narrated in Nathaniel Philbrick's book of the same name, telling the events of 1820. While out fishing, the ship Essex, commanded by the young Captain George Pollard (Benjamin Walker) and the seasoned First Mate Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth), is attacked by a massive whale. No one could have anticipated that the normally peaceful creatures would harbor such hatred toward humans. This event inspired Herman Melville to write the famous novel *Moby-Dick*.
The film explores this true event, depicting the crew's struggle for survival against nature's fury and the challenges of their harrowing journey. Despite its star-studded cast and historical foundation, the film received mixed reviews and performed modestly at the box office, earning just $93 million against a $100 million budget.
Genre: Historical, Thriller, Adventure
Director: Ron Howard
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker
3. Inception
*Inception* (2010) is a mind-bending sci-fi action film directed, produced, and written by Christopher Nolan. The film features a star-studded cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Elliot Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ken Watanabe, Tom Hardy, Dileep Rao, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, and Michael Caine. DiCaprio plays Dom Cobb, a master thief who specializes in economic espionage by infiltrating the subconscious minds of his targets. Cobb is offered a chance to redeem his troubled past with an impossible task: 'Inception'—planting an idea deep within someone's mind, rather than stealing it.
Cobb, played by DiCaprio, is a skilled 'extractor,' capable of stealing secrets buried in the subconscious of his subjects while they dream. His rare ability makes him a sought-after asset in the intelligence and criminal underworld, but it also turns him into an international fugitive, forcing him to live far from his family and children. Everything changes when Cobb is given a chance to return to a normal life by pulling off the perfect crime—one that involves implanting an idea instead of taking it.
In the film, Cillian Murphy portrays Robert Michael Fischer, the heir to a vast business empire and the target of Cobb's team. Murphy described Fischer as a 'petulant child desperately seeking his father's approval,' someone who has everything materially but lacks emotional connection. The actor also drew inspiration from Rupert Murdoch's children, noting that living under the shadow of a powerful figure can have a profound impact.
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Marion Cotillard, Elliot Page, Cillian Murphy
4. Dunkirk
*Dunkirk* (2017) is a gripping war film written, co-produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan. The film features a stellar cast, including Fionn Whitehead, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jack Lowden, Harry Styles, Aneurin Barnard, James D'Arcy, Barry Keoghan, Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, and Tom Hardy.
The film dramatizes the pivotal Operation Dynamo during World War II, a strategic military evacuation that took place between May 26 and June 4, 1940. With the British Expeditionary Force surrounded by German troops in Dunkirk, France, and facing annihilation, the mission's goal was to rescue as many soldiers as possible from the beaches. Civilians, fishermen, and even small boats were enlisted in the daring operation, which ultimately led to the escape of 218,000 British soldiers, along with 120,000 French and Belgian troops, despite the heavy toll of casualties and prisoners taken by the Germans.
Genre: War, Historical, Drama
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Fionn Whitehead, Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy
5. In Time
*In Time* is a compelling sci-fi thriller that explores a future where time is the ultimate currency. In this dystopian world, people stop aging at 25, but are forced to buy time to survive. The wealthy can live for centuries, while the poor struggle to make it day by day. A young man and a wealthy woman, however, decide to challenge the system, becoming modern-day Robin Hoods. Cillian Murphy plays a relentless officer tasked with hunting down these rebels in this high-stakes, action-packed adventure.
The film imagines a world where time is literally traded as money, and people are trapped in a society where reaching 25 years old means your time is running out unless you can afford to buy more. The story follows a man who becomes the prime suspect when he inherits decades of time from a wealthy victim who is mysteriously killed.
Main Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Justin Timberlake, Cillian Murphy (as Raymond Leon)
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
Director: Andrew Niccol
Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Justin Timberlake, Cillian Murphy
6. 28 Days Later
*28 Days Later* redefined the zombie genre, creating a world where an uncontrollable virus, known as ‘Rage’, turns humans into crazed killers. Within just 28 days, the virus devastates the UK, and the government fails to control the outbreak. The story follows Jim (played by Cillian Murphy), a man who wakes up from a coma to find the country in ruins. As he ventures through the abandoned streets of London, he encounters a few survivors (played by Noah Huntley and Naomie Harris), and together they search for a cure and attempt to understand the origins of the virus.
The pacing of the film is quick enough to keep the tension high but slow enough to allow the audience to grasp the emotional stakes. The film masterfully builds suspense, with a sense of imminent danger hanging over the characters as they navigate the chaos.
Genre: Science Fiction, Horror
Director: Danny Boyle
Cast: Christopher Dunne, Kim McGarrity, Cillian Murphy
7. Red Lights
*Red Lights* (2012) is a psychological horror-thriller co-produced by the US and Spain, directed by Rodrigo Cortés. The film features an impressive cast, including Cillian Murphy, Sigourney Weaver, Toby Jones, Elizabeth Olsen, and Robert De Niro.
The story centers around Dr. Margaret Matheson (played by Weaver), a psychologist, and her colleague, physicist Tom Buckley (Cillian Murphy). Together, they specialize in investigating paranormal phenomena. Their investigation takes a turn when renowned psychic Simon Silver reappears in the public eye after a six-year hiatus. Buckley becomes obsessed with uncovering whether Silver is a genuine medium or a fraud. *Red Lights* explores the fine line between belief and science, as the characters challenge their perceptions of reality in a chilling journey.
The film’s thought-provoking narrative, combined with a strong performance by Cillian Murphy, makes *Red Lights* a must-watch for fans of psychological horror and supernatural mysteries.
Genre: Horror, Supernatural
Director: Rodrigo Cortés
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Sigourney Weaver, Toby Jones, Elizabeth Olsen
8. Peaky Blinders
*Peaky Blinders* is a British crime drama series, first released in 2013 and directed by Steven Knight. Set in post-World War I Birmingham, the show follows the rise of the Shelby crime family in the aftermath of the Great War. The family, loosely based on a real-life gang from the 1890s to the early 20th century, operates in the dark underworld of British society.
The series is centered around the notorious Peaky Blinders gang, led by the brilliant and ruthless Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy), the second son in the Shelby family. The show chronicles Tommy's ambitious rise within the criminal world, using manipulation and ruthless tactics to expand his power. Along the way, viewers encounter key historical figures, including Winston Churchill, and witness events such as the Icelandic resistance against British rule.
Cillian Murphy stars as Thomas "Tommy" Shelby, the mastermind and heart of the Peaky Blinders.
Genre: Action, Crime
Director: Steven Knight
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Helen McCrory, Joe Cole, Paul Anderson, and others.
9. A Quiet Place 2
*A Quiet Place* is a thrilling post-apocalyptic horror film released in 2018, directed by and starring John Krasinski, who co-wrote the screenplay with Bryan Woods and Scott Beck. The film, produced by Platinum Dunes, features Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, and Cillian Murphy. The story follows a family struggling to survive in a world where blind extraterrestrial creatures with highly sensitive hearing hunt humans. The film draws inspiration from classics like *Alien*, *No Country for Old Men*, and *In the Bedroom*.
*A Quiet Place Part II* (2021) is the highly anticipated sequel to the 2018 film, continuing the terrifying tale of the Abbott family. Directed, written, and produced by Krasinski, the movie once again stars Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, and Noah Jupe, with new additions Cillian Murphy and Djimon Hounsou. The plot picks up right after the events of the first film, as the Abbott family ventures into the outside world and faces the brutal challenges of a planet now dominated by alien creatures whose hearing is their deadliest weapon.
This chilling sequel follows Evelyn and her children on a harrowing journey through the dangerous world, desperately trying to find a safe haven. As they fight to survive against the terrifying creatures that hunt by sound, the tension and suspense build, making it impossible to look away from the screen.
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi
Director: John Krasinski
Cast: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Cillian Murphy, and more.
10. Anna (2019)
*Anna* is a 2019 action-thriller film blending French and English, written, produced, and directed by Luc Besson. The movie stars Sasha Luss as the eponymous assassin, along with Luke Evans, Cillian Murphy, Helen Mirren, and Alexander Petrov. In this gripping tale, Anna—a beautiful Russian woman—uses her charm and professional skills to infiltrate the lives of her targets, carrying out lethal missions without leaving a trace. Cillian Murphy plays the role of Lenny Miller, a CIA operative trying to manipulate Anna for his own agenda.
The plot follows Anna, a stunning young woman who rises from the streets of Moscow to become a top model before being recruited as a highly skilled assassin. Using her beauty and unassuming demeanor, she gains access to powerful figures, ultimately embarking on high-stakes missions where nothing is as it seems. However, Anna soon faces a deadly adversary while on a solo mission, and she must use all her wits and abilities to survive and complete her objective.
Cillian Murphy's character, Lenny Miller, is tasked with manipulating Anna and turning her against her own agency, all while attempting to sabotage Russian intelligence. Will Anna fall for Lenny's tricks, or will she outsmart him in the end?
Genre: Action, Thriller
Director: Luc Besson
Cast: Sasha Luss, Helen Mirren, Luke Evans, Cillian Murphy
