For nearly thirty years, the espionage-action franchise “Mission: Impossible” has thrilled audiences with the exploits of Impossible Mission Force (IMF) agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise). But after eight entries in the series, it seems Hunt’s adventures are coming to a close. Though Cruise has been cagey about the details, “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” is ostensibly the conclusion to this era of the franchise. The film was released on May 23, so it’s time to commemorate the series and see how “The Final Reckoning” stacks up to the rest of the films in the franchise.
8. Mission: Impossible II
“Mission: Impossible II” was a major misstep for the series. The movie centers on Hunt’s romance with Nyah Nordoff-Hall (Thandiwe Newton), a professional thief recruited by the IMF to spy on her ex-husband and rogue IMF agent Sean Ambrose (Dougray Scott). The problem is that “M:I-2” hinges firmly on this underdeveloped romance, forgoing any major action sequences until over halfway through the film’s runtime. And what’s more, the action sequences in the film are some of the least memorable in the series. It certainly doesn’t help that Ambrose is undoubtedly the most insufferable and generic “Mission: Impossible” villain ever. “M:I-2” has a certain early 2000s charm, but considering the heights the series would later reach, it might be best to leave this one in the past.
7. Mission: Impossible III
“Mission: Impossible III” might have been a bit of an overcorrection from the meandering “M:I-2,” but it put the series back on track to become the action-genre mainstay it is today. The movie is packed with almost non-stop action, which serves both to the film’s benefit and detriment. On one hand, it leads to the fantastically staged Vatican City heist and Hunt’s intense final encounter with the film’s villain Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman). However, the sequences lose a tangible sense of danger because of the oversaturation of action, making Hunt feel almost invincible. Sure, the action is still exciting, but it makes Hunt’s mission feel a bit less impossible.
6. Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning
“Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” unfortunately doesn’t place too high on this list, but that’s certainly not to say that it’s bad. “The Final Reckoning” features some of the most jaw-dropping and masterfully crafted set pieces ever put to screen. Two standouts are an eerie sequence set in a rotating derelict submarine reminiscent of the science fiction film “2001: A Space Odyssey” and a truly epic extended sequence in which Hunt hangs onto a barreling biplane. However, the movie is bogged down by a sizable amount of exposition, table-setting and plot-repositioning that set up Hunt’s most impossible mission yet and stifle excitement before the action even begins. The movie also opts for a somber and serious tone. While it makes sense for the story, the fun and adventurous tone of the series is definitely missed.
5. Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation
“Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation” is probably the most unremarkable “M:I” film in the series, which is strange because it has a lot going for it. It features the best lineup of supporting characters, including series mainstay Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames), the best written female character of the series Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), tech wiz turned field agent Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) and CIA agent William Brandt (Jeremy Renner). It also has the amazing opera house sequence and one of the best car chases of the franchise. But, honestly, it just doesn’t have that it-factor. The film is a fun adventure, but the following few entries on this list are much more memorable and essential installments of the series.
4. Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning
“Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning” may have initially been marketed as the “Part One” to the conclusion found in “The Final Reckoning,” but this movie stands alone as one of the most entertaining escapades in the series. In “Dead Reckoning,” Hunt must locate and destroy “The Entity,” an evil AI with the ability to penetrate global cybersecurity networks and therefore control the world’s military arsenals. The Entity, like the film itself, is pure cheesy action movie fun. From a slapstick car chase through the streets of Rome in a Fiat 500, to a sequence in which Hunt must climb through the cars of a plummeting passenger train, “Dead Reckoning” features some of the series’ greatest thrills and moments of pure cinematic joy.
3. Mission: Impossible
Chunky tech, less-than-convincing prosthetic masks and Tom Cruise in his prime — it doesn’t get more ’90s than this. “Mission: Impossible” might feel a little quaint compared to the over-the-top action that the series has come to be known for, but the movie is one of the most concise, artful and well-crafted romps in the franchise. In the film, legendary director Brian De Palma bridges the gap between the 1950s espionage thrillers the series is based on and the modern action movie. De Palma gives the film an old-school charm that has largely disappeared from the series. One would be remiss without also mentioning the film’s Langley heist, one of the simplest, yet most iconic sequences in the entire franchise.
2. Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol
“Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol” reinvented the series’ look and tone, setting a precedent for the feel of modern “M:I” movies. The film has a slick style reminiscent of a Steven Spielberg action film. “Ghost Protocol” is also “M:I” at its pulpiest, with extensive use of Bond-like gadgets such as sticky gloves, magnetic hovering technology and a complex projection device with the ability to render its user invisible. To top it off, “Ghost Protocol” boasts one of the most flashy stunts in the series in which Hunt climbs the Burj Khalifa — the tallest building in the world. The stunt is made all the more impressive by the fact that Cruise is known to do many of his own stunts in these films. “Ghost Protocol” might be the fourth film in the franchise, but no entry since has replicated its fun and classic energy.
1. Mission: Impossible — Fallout
“Mission: Impossible — Fallout” is the perfect “M:I” movie because the filmmakers used the series’ strengths to their advantage. The film has just enough story and intrigue to hold it all together, well-placed character moments that make the movie emotionally fulfilling and as much action as possible. “Fallout” has some of the most memorable action sequences of the 21st century, and what’s more impressive is that they span the gamut of the entire genre. From fist fights to gun fights to car chases and moments of pure spectacle, the film does it all and does them each in a class of its own. “Fallout” also features the most artful cinematography and direction of the franchise, giving the film a prestigious quality difficult to find within the genre. The “Mission: Impossible” series has always sought to push the boundaries of action filmmaking, but “Fallout” stands alone as an achievement in the wider realm of cinema.
Drew Askeland is a 2024-2025 Arts & Entertainment Assistant Editor. He can be reached at daskelan@uci.edu.
Edited by Joshua Gonzales