After 29 years and eight films filled with death-defying stunts, Tom Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible” franchise is taking its final bow.
“Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,” the eighth film in the successful action franchise about the adventures of IMF (Impossible Missions Force) agent Ethan Hunt, is allegedly the series’ last. Having grossed over $4 billion at the worldwide box office, the spy films — based on the 1960s-’70s TV show — survived five presidents, a global pandemic and the SAG-AFTRA actors’ strike.
Considered one of the best action film franchises of all time, the series has showcased Cruise’s amazing stuntwork, from climbing the tallest building in the world to perilously hanging off a biplane in the latest installment. With every new stunt, each movie grew into a must-see, big-screen event.
As the franchise appears to draw to a close, Rebecca Kivak and Joe Baress accepted the mission of ranking all eight films in the franchise, from worst to best.
Rebecca’s Take
8. “Mission: Impossible II” (2000)
As far as I’m concerned, there are no bad “Mission: Impossible” movies — including “Mission: Impossible II.” Though the film has been criticized by fans and critics alike, I liked director John Woo’s action-focused entry. It’s a fine film, although average by the franchise’s standards. Cruise’s rock climbing in the introductory sequence is exhilarating, and there’s a thrilling motorcycle chase. Cruise also shared great chemistry with Thandiwe Newton, whose clever thief Nyah helps Ethan in his mission.
We also have this movie to thank for Hugh Jackman being cast as beloved X-Men antihero Wolverine. Dougray Scott originally won the part of the clawed mutant, but the actor was tied up shooting “Mission: Impossible II,” became injured and had to give up the role. However, Scott’s villain, IMF turncoat Sean Ambrose, is one-note, and the development of the film’s characters lacks.
Because of the criticisms levied against “Mission: Impossible II,” future installments worked to improve upon them. As a result, the franchise reached far greater heights.
7. “Mission: Impossible III” (2006)
Under the direction of mystery-loving J.J. Abrams, the third film helped get the franchise back on track after the unloved “Mission: Impossible II.” The entry introduces Ethan’s wife, Julia (Michelle Monaghan), kicking off an emotional throughline for the superspy that plays out in future films. Ethan must constantly balance his devotion to his duty with his dedication to his loved ones — including his wife and colleagues — even when they’re at odds. It’s a conflict that Ethan faces throughout the franchise as he tries to protect those around him and the world at large.
This entry also brings in Simon Pegg’s Benji Dunn, the smart and funny IMF tech wiz who becomes a vital part of the franchise and eventually graduates to field agent.
The film’s greatest legacy is the late Philip Seymour Hoffman’s fearsome villain, arms dealer Owen Davian. Because of Hoffman’s commanding performance, the malicious Davian is the best villain in the franchise.
6. “Mission: Impossible —The Final Reckoning” (2025)
Though the newest film in the franchise appears in the bottom half of this list, don’t let that dissuade you. “Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning” is a solid and entertaining movie. It contains some of the best stunts in the series: Cruise stuns in a wordless submarine sequence, and the actor excels in a jaw-dropping biplane stunt that had me on the edge of my seat. At 62 years old, the daring Cruise is still on top of his physical game. In a brilliant move, the installment also brings back an intriguing character from the first film, and it closes out the franchise with a heart-stopping finale.
But at two hours and 49 minutes, it’s a long haul. The film’s first half is weighed down by a lot of exposition, from explaining what the characters are doing to integrating connections to past films. When the movie lays off the explosion and lets the action breathe, it finds its footing in the second half.
Despite the film’s flaws, the good in “The Final Reckoning” is so good that it outweighs the negatives. If this really is the last outing, then the “Mission: Impossible” franchise is going out with a final flourish that it can be proud of.
5. “Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation” (2015)
Before the franchise’s fifth film, each entry was helmed by a different director, allowing each to put his own stamp on the series. That changed when Christopher McQuarrie came on board as director/writer for “Rogue Nation.” After the film’s success, McQuarrie directed and penned the next three films in the series (that’s half of the franchise), leading up to and including “The Final Reckoning.” He added a unified look across the films and a cohesion among the storylines, characters and set pieces that had previously been missing.
“Rogue Nation” is an exciting and tight entry that executes more eye-popping stunts. Cruise amazes in a sequence where he dangles off a flying airplane. There’s another great motorcycle chase and a tense underwater sequence. However, the ending involves more talking than I would have preferred from a “Mission: Impossible” film.
The fourth movie introduces one of the best characters in the franchise: the fearless Ilsa Faust, played by the impeccable Rebecca Ferguson. The actress and Cruise shared a palpable chemistry onscreen. A superspy herself, the brave and resourceful Ilsa is Ethan’s equal. She matches Ethan in intelligence and physicality. Like Ethan, she’s willing to put everything on the line for her work. The addition of Ilsa — and Ferguson’s perfection in the role — made the franchise better.
4. “Mission: Impossible” (1996)
For some reason, I didn’t see the first film in the franchise until before 2023’s “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning.” So I’m proof that 1) You can watch most of these movies out of order (though that gets complicated with the later films) and 2) The original holds up really well. Director Brian De Palma’s stylish vision and Cruise’s willingness to do his own stunts result in a thrilling and suspenseful actioner that set a high bar for the series.
The film starts with a bang, killing off most of its cast — including some big names — within the first 20 minutes or so. The shocking development subverts the audience’s expectations and puts viewers on Ethan’s side immediately as he works to clear his name. The film also includes Ving Rhames’ awesome and loyal hacker, Luther Stickell. Rhames joined Cruise as the only other actor to appear in all eight “Mission: Impossible” films.
The marvelous action set pieces still look great after almost 30 years. There’s the iconic CIA vault heist, where Cruise is suspended from the ceiling. The outstanding finale, set on top of a moving train besieged by a helicopter, is pulse-pounding and breathtaking. The excellent “Mission: Impossible” set a solid road map for future entries to follow.
3. “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning” (2023)
The seventh entry in the series further demonstrates Cruise and McQuarrie’s dedication to the series’ sense of spectacle. The sheer scope of the stunts is awe-inducing. Cruise thrills in a heavily-hyped motorcycle jump. But an even better set piece is a suspenseful train sequence, which features the film’s main characters hanging off a cliff.
The franchise makes some great additions to its team, including two Marvel Cinematic Universe alumni: The fantastic Hayley Atwell joins as Grace, a cunning thief who seeks a better life for herself, and Pom Klementieff as Paris, a menacing and deadly mercenary.
The series also shows its relevance by having its main villain be an AI — the threatening Entity, whose evil aspirations carry over into “The Final Reckoning.” Unfortunately, its human villain, Gabriel (Esai Morales) is grating, which carries over into the next film, as well.
2. “Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol” (2011)
The groundbreaking fourth film marked a pivotal turning point for the franchise. Under director Brad Bird, “Ghost Protocol” took the series to new heights — literally and figuratively — when Cruise scaled the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. The masterful sequence is still the best in the franchise. It was the beginning of the films being marketed for Cruise’s must-see stunts.
Exciting and engaging, “Ghost Protocol” is my favorite film in the series. Not only does it feature incredible action set pieces, but its cast works together really well. In addition to the return of Cruise, Rhames and Pegg, Jeremy Renner and Paula Patton added enthusiasm and physical prowess. I had hoped we’d get more films with this crew, and I thought they jived better than the “Rogue Nation” crew.
“Ghost Protocol” is not only one of the best “Mission: Impossible” films, but one of the best action films ever. It set a new standard that only one other film in the franchise could top. And that film is …
1. “Mission: Impossible — Fallout” (2018)
As much as I love “Ghost Protocol,” “Fallout” is even better, improving upon what was the series’ high point. The sixth film showcases the franchise at its peak. The action is stunning all around. The character relationships are developed in meaningful ways, the villain is capable of going toe-to-toe with Ethan and the cast is at their very best.
Cruise is magnificent as he goes all out for the stunts, such as a dramatic HALO jump and a run across rooftops — including a humorous shortcut through an office building. There’s an intense fight scene in a men’s bathroom between Cruise, Ferguson and Henry Cavill that is brutal, entertaining and funny, all at the same time. Then there’s the heart-stopping finale, which features a helicopter battle and a fight-to-the-death on a cliff. Through it all, Ethan weighs the demands of his job alongside the demands of his heart, ultimately choosing between the two.
In addition to the M:I regulars, “Fallout” features new and returning faces. Ferguson makes a welcome return as Ilsa, showing the character’s strength and prowess. Cavill gives one of his best performances as ally-turned-enemy August Walker. The mesmerizing Vanessa Kirby excels as the White Widow, a role she returns to in “Dead Reckoning.” And Monaghan returns, allowing Ethan and Julia to find closure.
“Fallout” found the right ingredients and made movie magic, joining the ranks of the best action films.
Joe’s Take
8. “Mission: Impossible 2” (2000)
I’m a nu metal fan, so I shamelessly enjoy Limp Bizkit’s “Mission: Impossible 2” theme — “Take a Look Around” — but this is the worst “Mission: Impossible” movie and it’s not particularly close. I actually struggled to get through this movie with its unnecessary slow motion, and only saw it once when it came out. The film just didn’t suit legendary action director John Woo, although some of the stunts — including the knife scene where it was wired to stop a quarter of an inch short of Tom Cruise’s eye — lived up to what the franchise became. The best thing this film did was keep Dougray Scott tied up in the film to clear the way for Hugh Jackman to become Wolverine — one of the most iconic castings in film history that is still ongoing.
7. “Mission: Impossible III” (2006)
This is a solid film and great work by director J.J. Abrams to give the franchise a boost after the disappointing second installment. This is sort of an insult to put this film all the way down here, but this franchise has seven good films and one bad one. One of the films has to be in the seven spot, and this isn’t what “Mission: Impossible” is to me. It’s too dark, with Lindsey Farris (Keri Russell) — a member of Ethan Hunt’s team — dying a brutal death and Ethan’s wife Julie (Michelle Monaghan) in danger. It has the best villain in the series, Owen Davian (the late Philip Seymour Hoffman), but it’s more of a J.J. Abrams movie than a “Mission: Impossible” movie. That certainly doesn’t make it bad, but I’d rather return to others.
6. “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” (2025)
After giving this an underwhelming review last week by the franchise’s standards, I saw the final installment a second time and enjoyed it quite a bit more. Knowing what happens helped that enjoyment, as my points still stand. The movie is too dark and tries way too hard to connect everything that ever happened in the series. Still, there are great stunts, and it proves a fun time at the theater. If you want to read my full review from last week, click here.
5. “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning” (2023)
This movie is a great start to what originally was supposed to be a Part I and II to cap the series. I guess “Dead Reckoning” and “The Final Reckoning” still work as that, but I appreciated that even though it was a Part I at the time, it still was a complete film that didn’t just stop in the middle. I went back and forth with this and my No. 4 pick. I flopped them three times. In the end, I remember this as the film that killed off my favorite character in the franchise — Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson). Obviously, this is also a little darker than the other films, and lays the groundwork for the much darker “The Final Reckoning.” Also, I never thought an artificial intelligence enemy — The Entity — was the greatest choice for a villain. It’s weird to say that they went a little too impossible with the last two films, but at least the other films ground the plots enough to where they make sense in how they come together. It just seems like there should be no way to stop The Entity. All that being said, it’s an incredible film with outstanding stunts. I enjoy the train sequence with the cars falling off a cliff one by one the most, even though the remarkable motorcycle base jump was the scene that got all the hype. I have some issues with it, but there’s no doubt this film is incredible and gives fans what they want from a “Mission: Impossible” film.
4. “Mission: Impossible” (1996)
The film that kicked off the franchise is still awesome, under the direction of Brian De Palma. The CIA black vault scene is still iconic, with the bead of sweat about to fall off of Ethan’s glasses, the knife falling toward the desk in slow motion and Krieger (Jean Reno) almost dropping Ethan to the floor as Ethan strikes the iconic pose. It also has a gutsy opening where most of Ethan’s team members die. It’s an engaging mystery, and the helicopter sequence at the end is fun. There’s also some great and quotable lines that I still pull out today in random situations like, “Kittridge, you’ve never seen me very upset” or “Red light! Green light!” The franchise needed to evolve from here, and it became better in the later movies. However, this is still a helluva film that laid the groundwork for what was possible.
3. “Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol” (2011)
This film changed the game, not only for other movies in the franchise but also for the film industry in general. Known more for his work in animation (“The Iron Giant,” “The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille”), director Brad Bird transformed the “Mission: Impossible” franchise to what it became under the writing and direction of Christopher McQuarrie over the last four films. He did it with one scene — the Burj Khalifa sequence. Tom Cruise scales the Dubai building — the tallest in the world — and it looks remarkable. It’s masterfully shot with remarkable stunt work from an incredible stunt team. It’s a perfect blend of extreme tension mixed with humor to break up that tension. It’s the greatest scene in the “Mission: Impossible” franchise and one of the most iconic sequences ever. It’s the highlight of a film that’s a lot of fun, is well-crafted and launched the franchise into greatness.
2. “Mission: Impossible — Fallout” (2018)
My top two films complement each other extremely well, with this sixth installment building off “Rogue Nation.” It retains my favorite character, Ilsa Faust, and villain in the franchise, Solomon Lane (Sean Harris), and adds in some awesome actors — none better than Henry Cavill (August Walker/John Lark). Cavill is just a force with his physic, so it’s awesome to simply see him fighting alongside Cruise. He also plays the villain so well, as his strength and power as leader of The Apostles make him a formidable foe. He also brings great humor. Vanessa Kirby (The White Widow) is also a welcome addition. Kirby just always has a great presence and fits well into her shady role. The stunts are absolutely top notch, from jumping out of a plane in a thunder storm, to the helicopter chase, to Cruise breaking his ankle jumping from one building to another in a chase scene. There’s great tension, fun and execution. Again, Ferguson is excellent as Ilsa (more on her later). She spreadheads impressive action sequences, and has a great quiet sequence with Cruise where she tells him, “Don’t make me go through you.” Just a great scene that shows how much she cares about him, but also is confident in her capabilities that Ethan will not be an obstacle. Great movie that “Rogue Nation” laid the groundwork for.
1. “Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation” (2015)
I always thought Ethan Hunt was similar to Harry Potter as characters. Ethan is a great agent and Harry is a great wizard and they gain the edge on others by displaying incredible courage, honor and belief in themselves and others to go above and beyond their capabilities. Harry had Hermione Granger, a better wizard. In this installment, Ethan finally meets a better agent, Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) — the best character in the franchise.
Ilsa goes toe-to-toe with Ethan in combat and intellect. While I believe Ilsa is a better agent than Ethan, they are at least equals, which makes her the perfect foil to Ethan and also the perfect ally. Ethan works best in a team, while Ilsa prefers to work alone. They both evolve in this film as Ethan realizes she’s an independent woman who can more than hold her own in the field, at times saving him. Ilsa realizes she can benefit from being part of a team and letting her guard down to care about others. It’s a relationship that makes perfect sense. They complement each other beautifully throughout their time together onscreen through the next three films.
This is also the introduction of Lane, who I already mentioned is my favorite villain. Harris just has an awesome voice and is naturally intimidating. His setup is also excellent, as he captures Ethan and kills an innocent woman in the beginning of the movie. It makes for the perfectly satisfying conclusion, when the team traps Lane in a bulletproof box just like Lane did to Ethan at the start. It still has great stunts, while remaining somewhat realistic, focusing on some crisp action set pieces that are gorgeously shot — taking advantage of Cruise and Ferguson’s talent in the physicality of their roles. It also perfectly blends tension and humor with the revenge plot.
“Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation” is the ultimate “Mission: Impossible” movie because it takes everything great about the franchise and blends it seamlessly into one film. However, this franchise is so good that I’d find it hard to argue with anybody’s list.
