June 22, 2025

Tracks (2025) is a gripping, introspective action-thriller that finds Tom Cruise stepping into one of his most grounded and emotionally complex roles in years. Set against the sweeping backdrop of the American Southwest, the film blends existential road drama with high-stakes espionage, resulting in a tense and unforgettable cinematic journey.

Cruise stars as Jack Merrick, a disavowed intelligence officer who’s been off the grid for a decade—traveling the country by freight train, haunted by a failed mission that cost innocent lives. But when a journalist (Ruth Wilson) uncovers encrypted files linked to Merrick’s past, a global conspiracy is reignited—and the ghosts Jack tried to escape come roaring back to life.

Unlike Cruise’s high-flying blockbusters, Tracks is a slow burn. The action is sharp but minimal, grounded in realism: brutal hand-to-hand combat, stealthy takedowns in rail yards, and a tension-filled chase atop a moving train in the Mojave Desert. But it’s the psychological weight that sets this film apart. Merrick isn’t a superhero—he’s a man burdened by choices, seeking redemption at the end of the line.

Director Denis Villeneuve (in this imagined scenario) brings his signature atmospheric style to Tracks, using vast, lonely landscapes and haunting silence to build mood. The cinematography is stunning—sunsets over empty tracks, abandoned towns, and shadowy train corridors that feel as isolating as they are beautiful.

Cruise delivers one of his most vulnerable performances in years—weathered, quiet, but still burning with the intensity that made him a star. Ruth Wilson is the perfect foil: sharp, determined, and unwilling to let Jack disappear without facing the truth.

The final act delivers both emotional payoff and moral ambiguity. It’s not about saving the world—it’s about saving your soul. With a haunting score, layered characters, and a finale that leaves more questions than answers, Tracks is a bold departure for Cruise and a masterclass in restrained, thoughtful action storytelling.

A reflective, haunting ride through the wreckage of one man’s past, Tracks proves that sometimes, the most dangerous journey… is the one back home.