When Tom Cruise accepted his first mission as Ethan Hunt, I bet the star never thought that he’d still be playing the character nearly thirty years later, with the release of what may (or may not) be the last instalment of the series, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. But, as any franchise fan can tell you, not all Mission: Impossible movies are created equal, and we’re going to try to break them down from worst to best in our Mission Impossible movies ranked list!
8- Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025):
This potentially final instalment of the series is divisive, with some calling it an action movie masterpiece, while others (myself included) feel like it’s too crowded with fan service and melodrama. My issue is that by doubling down on the AI villain, “The Entity,” and embracing a kind of quasi sci-fi vibe, they’ve gotten too far away from the spy movie aspect of the franchise that always worked so well. Even still, the bar has been set so high by the franchise that at its worst, it’s still pretty darn good – and the last major action sequence is an all-timer.
7 – Mission: Impossible II (2000):
Here’s the thing – many people hate this movie. I honestly don’t know why. Even if its dated and a little cheesy, there’s still plenty to like about it. Arguably, John Woo was the one who transformed Tom Cruise into an action hero, as we’d never really seen him do big action scenes before this movie. While the first hour is dull (it’s basically an unconvincing riff on Alfred Hitchcock’s Notorious), and the film relies way too much on the IMF’s mask tech (always my biggest problem with the franchise), the last hour has some dazzling action. This includes (for my money) the franchise’s best mano-a-mano scrap, between Tom Cruise and Dougray Scott. Plus, Thandie Newton is great, as Hunt’s love interest in this one is great, and Hans Zimmer’s score is excellent.
6 – Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2023)
This is one of the most perfectly mounted action thrillers ever made, with action sequences so thrilling that, well, if you aren’t having fun, you may not have a pulse. That said, its ranking as far as the series goes has fallen off for me a bit because I didn’t love the payoff we got in The Final Reckoning. Even still, it’s so much fun, with Hayley Atwell a great addition to the franchise.
5 – Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015):
Rogue Nation is certainly one of the most influential films in the franchise, as it was the first time Christopher McQuarrie sat in the director’s chair and introduced us to Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa Faust. My only real issue with the movie is that it blows its load too early, with the motorcycle chase so breathtaking that the movie’s conclusion can’t help but feel slightly anti-climactic. Even still, the action sequences are next level, and to some have never been topped by any of the sequels.
4 – Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011):
While this one has my favourite Tom Cruise stunt of all time (Cruise scaling the Burj Khalifa in Dubai), like Rogue Nation, the ending feels a little anti-climactic, with Cruise’s hand-to-hand opponent (the late Michael Nyqvist) not quite imposing enough. It’s also overstuffed with characters (despite coming up short in the Ving Rhames department), with Simon Pegg, who joined the franchise in the previous film, getting expanded screen time and new additions including fan favorite Paula Patton and Jeremy Renner’s Brant. The reason for this is that, at the time, Cruise’s career was on a downslide, and many thought Renner, who was a rising star, was being poised to take his place as the lead. That said, the second Cruise dangled from the top of the Burj Khalifa; there was never any doubt that the franchise would always be his. Also, director Brad Bird gives the movie a cinematic scope thanks to some well-shot IMAX sequences that cemented the series as a must-see on the big screen. If only Paramount would release the IMAX version of this movie on streaming or Blu-ray!
3 – Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018):
Another massive production that features some staggering action, including a terrific bathroom brawl early on that introduces Henry Cavill as Hunt’s new ally turned antagonist. Unlike many villains in the series, Cavill is a legit physical threat to Cruise, making their climactic helicopter battle a nail-biter. It also gives Hunt a nice full-circle moment with a bittersweet payoff to his relationship with Michelle Monaghan’s Julia. More on her later…
2 – Mission: Impossible (1996):
I like this movie so much because it’s the only one that feels like an episode of the show. The action is lower key, the face masks are realistic, and Hunt isn’t quite the Superman he’d become in later instalments. It also has the best-set piece in any of the films, the vault break-in, superbly mounted by director Brian De Palma. My only issue is that it comes up pretty short as far as action goes, and the plot is pretty complicated. Still, it’s a great introduction to Hunt.
1 – Mission: Impossible III (2006):
This brings me to the third film in the franchise. While this was the worst-performing entry financially, it features Cruise’s best performance as Hunt. What’s great about this movie is that it grounds the action by giving Hunt a legitimately affecting love interest, with Michelle Monaghan’s Julia, the doctor he wants to give up the IMF game for. No other entry has mixed drama, romance and action so well, and it helps that Philip Seymour Hoffman is the best villain the franchise ever had. This movie has it all, including a thrilling bridge shootout that remains one of the series’ best action set pieces. It’s by far the best movie J.J. Abrams ever directed.
What do you think of our rankings? Let us know in the comments!
