Tom Cruise is about to face his most brutal critical attack yet in a new magazine article about his loyalty to Scientology.

A doctored photograph of the actor in his underwear appears on the front cover of Radar, with five arrows appearing to pierce his skin, suggesting the article inside, by investigative journalist Kim Masters, will leave him wounded.

In the controversial article, 'Risky Business: the untold story of Scientology's movie-star martyr', Masters speaks to former Scientologists and acquaintances of Cruise, who all link the actor's recent passion for the controversial religion to the fact he has risen through the Church to a level just under leaders like his close friend and Scientology chief David Miscavige.

One former Scientologist, who worked closely with the religion's celebrity members, claims Cruise is close to becoming a member of the Church's mythical Sea Org level or something similar. She says, "You feel so good, it's like you're high on coke. If you look at him, he has that dedicated glare that Sea Org members have." 

Levy also tells Masters that Spielberg was upset when he saw Cruise's famous sofa leaping episode on Oprah. "When Spielberg later watched Cruise's manic declaration of love, Levy says, he sensed that the film's carefully orchestrated media plan might be slipping off the rails."