Ranking All 8 Mission: Impossible Films

      How does Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning stack up against its predecessors in the Tom Cruise action franchise? Quite favorably, as evidenced by our ranking of all eight Mission: Impossible films.

      Dating back nearly thirty years, the Mission: Impossible series stands as the most reliable action franchise, in our opinion. While some entries are stronger than others, there are no outright failures. When the films shine — and Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning certainly shines — they deliver an exhilarating cinematic experience.

      Here’s our ranking of all the Mission: Impossible movies (spoilers for previous films ahead, but not for The Final Reckoning).

      **Mission: Impossible II (2000)**

      Credit: Paramount

      The chemistry between Tom Cruise and Thandiwe Newton in Mission: Impossible II is outstanding, and Ethan Hunt’s exploding sunglasses create a memorable visual. The film features remarkable motorcycle stunts and impressive rock-climbing scenes filmed in Utah, showcasing both Cruise and a stunt double.

      Cruise is known for collaborating with top talent, and hiring Hong Kong action director John Woo was a brilliant move.

      If there's a critique of Mission: Impossible II, it's that it feels very much of the year 2000 (complete with Limp Bizkit's rendition of Lalo Schifrin’s Mission: Impossible theme), making it less timeless compared to other films in the series.

      **Mission: Impossible (1996)**

      Credit: Paramount

      The first film had significant expectations — why was Tom Cruise revamping a late ’60s-early ’70s television show? To elevate it, Cruise enlisted some of Hollywood’s finest, including director Brian De Palma, who was better known for genre-defining thrillers than action movies, and renowned screenwriter Robert Towne, along with skilled writers David Koepp and Steven Zaillian.

      The original Mission: Impossible is filled with twists and complexities — elements that became hallmarks of the franchise — but culminates in an elegantly simple heist sequence during the Langley break-in, which remains one of the greatest heist scenes captured on film: the iconic moment of a black-clad Cruise descending into a white room.

      The Final Reckoning makes significant references to this scene — along with many others from the series — and features a deeply affecting exploration of its unforeseen outcomes.

      The supporting cast, which includes Jon Voight, Henry Czerny, Emmanuelle Béart, Jean Reno, Ving Rhames, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Vanessa Redgrave, is exceptional. Rhames is the only other actor, besides Cruise, to appear in every Mission: Impossible film, and Czerny made a surprising return in the last two installments.

      **Mission: Impossible III (2006)**

      Credit: Paramount

      Mission: Impossible III represented a considerable improvement over the previous two films, primarily due to the remarkable performance by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman as the despicable arms dealer Owen Davian. This character forces Hunt to find something called The Rabbit’s Foot, which intriguingly ties back to Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning.

      The film opens with a highly dramatic introduction of Ethan Hunt’s enduring fiancée, nurse Julia Meade (Michelle Monaghan). This emotional and shocking moment ignited a now-frequent screenwriting trend of starting films with high stakes and then flashing back to the preceding events.

      Mission: Impossible III also introduced the charming character Benji (Simon Pegg), who became a long-standing member of Ethan's team alongside Luther.

      We consider this film to be J.J. Abrams' finest work to date. It’s a favorite of ours.

      **Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol (2011)**

      Credit: Paramount

      Ditching the roman numerals, Ghost Protocol brought aboard Brad Bird, director of Pixar’s The Incredibles, who infused the film with an energetic sense of limitless possibilities reminiscent of great animation.

      When the Impossible Missions Force is blamed for the Kremlin bombing, Ethan and his crew must go off the grid, forgoing their usual resources as they strive to clear their names and save the day.

      The film's standout moment is a breathtaking, edge-of-your-seat sequence where Ethan showcases his climbing skills outside the world's tallest building, Dubai's Burj Khalifa.

      **Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation (2015)**

      Credit: Paramount

      Rogue Nation was the first film in the franchise directed by Cruise's frequent collaborator, Christopher McQuarrie, leading to a dynamic synergy between them. McQuarrie, known for crafting iconic movie twists in The Usual Suspects, resonates perfectly with the ever-evolving tone of Mission: Impossible.

      The addition of British MI6 agent Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) is another highlight for Rogue Nation. She appears as Ethan’s ideal counterpart, bringing both vibrant energy and classic Hollywood allure to the franchise.

      In our view, Ilsa is the best character in the Mission: Impossible series next to Ethan, which is why we feel dispirited about her fate in the following