My mission, and I do choose to accept it, is to rank all eight Tom Cruise “Mission: Impossible” movies to mark the saga’s 30th anniversary. Ranging from the early days of email to the onset of artificial intelligence, the story of Ethan Hunt and his Impossible Missions Force started as a spy story with a bit of action and morphed – to almost universal praise – into an action saga with a backing of spy stuff.
It has featured some of the most memorable action sequences of this century, with Cruise famously often doing his own stunts. Even an IMF agent is entitled to a comfortable retirement, though, and that seems to be the case with Cruise’s Hunt, so it’s a perfect time to rip off the false face and reveal my rankings:
8. “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” (2025)
Directed by Christopher McQuarrie; written by McQuarrie and Erik Jendresen
It’s unfortunate that “M:I” saves its wildest misfire till the last movie. In retrospect, I wonder if the writers accidentally raised fascinating issues and theories in part one (“Dead Reckoning”), because this concluding chapter is impossible to comprehend. And it lacks fast pacing to distract us; I had time to sit in the theater thinking “I have no idea what’s going on” as exposition is still being spouted deep into the film. The actors strain to make this into a character piece (never an aggressive focus of the saga; rather, we soak up their friendship between the lines). It’s OK for films to require YouTube “Explained” videos to get the full picture, but here you need them just to get the plot itself. The action is spectacular, but I reckon everything else is flawed.
Iconic sequence: Hunt and the villain fight in midair in an old two-seater propeller plane.
7. “Mission: Impossible II” (2000)
Directed by John Woo; written by Robert Towne (screenplay), Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore (story)
Surprisingly, it’s not the Brian De Palma entry that borrows from Hitchcock, but the one helmed by Woo, already experienced with face-swaps. The Sydney-centered plot unapologetically comes from “Notorious,” including a suspenseful sequence at a horse race. It’s a wise homage, as modern action smoothly slides into the Hitchcockian structure of a woman (peak hotness Thandie Newton) infiltrating the sanctum of a love interest (Dougray Scott) she has soured on, but it’s crucial he thinks she’s an ally. The point at which the movie strays from the “Notorious” plot – the all-out action of the third act, highlighted by a motorcycle chase – is also the point it loses its way. The action is stuck in the 2000 style, wherein Woo tries to blend with American sensibilities – something that has aged poorly. But Hunt’s pursuit of a COVID-type of virus that the baddies aim to unleash for monetary gain rings increasingly true.
Iconic sequence: Hunt parachutes to a roof of a skyscraper, dodging nighttime surveillance, and must infiltrate via an elevator shaft from the top.
6. “Mission: Impossible III” (2006)
Directed by J. J. Abrams; written by Abrams, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman
It’s “the one with Philip Seymour Hoffman,” especially now that Hoffman turns are finite. At the height of his cachet, Abrams and his “Alias” co-writers structure this like a TV episode, notably with the cold open that’s a sneak preview of a later scene. Admittedly, the TV structure makes this a purist entry for fans of the Sixties and Eighties series, but it also feels smaller than what will come later. Emotionally, it’s nice that Hunt has a wife (Michelle Monaghan) and a close friend on his team (Keri Russell); we enter “This time it’s personal” territory. Usually the mission-planning roundtables aren’t sources for memorable moments, but I love Laurence Fishburne’s zinger at his own expense: “It’s unacceptable that chocolate makes you fat, but I’ve eaten my share and guess what?” Hunt’s face-swap with Hoffman is also hilarious. The Rabbit’s Foot is the purest maguffin of the saga; we just know it’ll be really, really bad if the bad guys get it.
Iconic sequence: Hunt swings from one Shanghai skyscraper to another at night.
5. “Mission: Impossible” (1996)
Directed by Brian De Palma; written by David Koepp (screenplay, story), Towne (screenplay) and Steven Zaillian (story)
The story is not crisp despite the all-star writers, but it does reward close attention. De Palma’s film looks great, starting in brick-laden Prague, and has an appealing simplicity to the action compared to later films. The teamwork begins to coalesce, especially with Ving Rhames, the only actor besides Cruise to do the complete run. This happens even amid a backdrop wherein there is in an enemy in their midst. Ethan’s perusal of early internet databases and use of early email is strikingly dated, a contrast to how modern most of the film is – except, admittedly, the compositing on the train chase. The continuity is a bonus perk: Before Ethan Hunt, other agents pursued missions in two TV series, and – though it’s not widely realized and not necessary to one’s enjoyment of the story – the first film does include a major tie-in that confirms this is one continuous saga.
Iconic sequence: Ethan needs to access a high-security room and must not touch the floor; even a drop of sweat could sound the alarm. He dangles on wires millimeters above it in a sequence masterfully edited by “Star Wars’ ” Paul Hirsch.
4. “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” (2015)
Directed by McQuarrie; written by Drew Pearce and McQuarrie
Joining the fray is Hunt’s new potential love interest Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson), debuting in a spectacular Vienna opera house assassination sequence that parallels the event that started World War I. McQuarrie takes the reins, meaning a mild step down in action directing from part four but a step up in writing quality. He explores the thematically rich question of whether black-book agencies do more harm than good, an especially pressing question since they seem to often create problems. Sometimes they even lead to entire spinoff groups that aim to do evil rather than good. The sci-fi tech arguably goes a little too far here in a sequence where tech expert Benji (Simon Pegg) is mind- and voice-controlled by the villain, but it’s not enough to derail the ride.
Iconic sequence: Hunt must hold his breath to access an underwater vault that’s purposely designed so you can’t hold your breath that long. The nervousness in Cruise’s performance leading up to the insane task seems genuine.
3. “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” (2018)
Directed by McQuarrie; written by McQuarrie
Henry Cavill – as a CIA liaison who may or may not be a good guy – looks good with a mustache, thus also making him look bad with a blurred-out mustache as Superman in “Justice League” (2017). The latter movie is joked about more; this one is simply a modern action gem, though that modern feeling of exhaustion from movies that leave the 2-hour mark in the dust creeps in. McQuarrie gets interested in continuity, not only connecting the villain with “Rogue Nation” but also bringing back a key past character. He makes good use of his ensemble, allowing Benji to finally wear a mask (and dang if he doesn’t absolutely nail his Wolf Blitzer impression) and adding a touch of winking humor, like when Ethan’s sprint takes him amid a church congregation and he politely slows down a bit.
Iconic sequence: Hunt hangs from the cargo net of a helicopter leading to a final showdown with the villain amid treacherous, snowy mountains in Eastern Europe.
2. “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” (2011)
Directed by Brad Bird; written by André Nemec and Josh Appelbaum
A high point in the saga – and you’ll understand why that’s a play on words when you see the iconic sequence – launches “M:I” from good to great. It’s around this point that people noticed it was bucking the trend in long-running movie sagas and improving as it goes along. Hunt has a largely new team, including Jeremy Renner (part of his perhaps accidental mission of appearing in all the major franchises) and the underrated Paula Patton. They globe-hop to Russia and a (dangerously) sandy Middle East that hasn’t looked this epic on a widescreen since “Lawrence of Arabia.” This is an incredibly fun movie amid the tension, taking advantage of Pegg’s comedy chops and devising original sequences such as the slow movement of a surveillance-fake-out screen along a Kremlin hallway.
Iconic sequence: Hunt scales the 130th floor of a skyscraper with suction cups – the only way to get from one floor to another, undetected – as the wind picks up.
1. “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning” (2023)
Directed by McQuarrie; written by McQuarrie and Erik Jendresen
The marketing made it clear ahead of time this would be particularly epic: part one of two. And it is. The saga keeps adding great actors to its gallery. I particularly love the interplay between Hunt and noble (and attractive) thief Grace (Hayley Atwell). This is the most philosophical sci-fi entry of the saga, probing the danger of central control of artificial intelligence, built around a mysterious villain (Esai Morales). This is one of the most brisk 2-hours-plus movies ever crafted, perfectly balancing its weighty end-of-the-world theme with the notion that we can still have a good time, illustrated by the goofy-fun car chase wherein Hunt and Ferguson’s Ilsa are handcuffed together inside a tiny automobile.
Iconic sequence: Hunt and Grace tumble and try to hang on in the interior of a series of train cars going over a cliff, with pianos and other items falling toward them.
Also of interest: Shaune’s thoughts on the “Mission: Impossible” saga.