Impossible Movie Ranked from Worst to Best

May 9, 20254 Mins Read

Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt is returning for another action-packed mission in the new (and perhaps final) installment of the franchise, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.

The upcoming film serves as the eighth entry in the 29-year-old Mission: Impossible film franchise that started in 1996. Despite its longevity, it continued to be better in each installment and introduced more innovative style and stunts that elevate the action genre.

Here is our ranking of all seven Mission: Impossible films from worst to best to celebrate the upcoming release of The Final Reckoning.

7. Mission: Impossible II (2000)

Despite being directed by action filmmaking master John Woo, Mission: Impossible II has been considered to be the worst entry in the franchise or the least favorite among many fans.

While it has a lot of cool action sequences and stunts, it was let down by the story itself and stale new characters that are not memorable. However, it’s still an entertaining watch and far from the worst movie of any franchise.

6. Mission: Impossible III (2006)

The lower ranking of Mission: Impossible III on this list is not an indictment of its quality. In fact, it is still a pretty entertaining entry that is elevated by the presence of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s scene-stealing villain character.

However, J.J. Abrams’ feature directorial debut doesn’t have the cinematic finesse of the other entries in the franchise, and the action sequences are solid for the most part.

5. Mission: Impossible (1996)

The film that started it all. The first Mission: Impossible film may not have the innovative action stunts that we expect in the franchise today, but it’s still a great debut entry that made Ethan Hunt one of the most formidable heroes in cinematic history.

It has some of the most memorable sequences in the franchise that are still being hailed to this day. The twists and turns in the first act were shocking at the time of the release, as audiences did not expect it to happen. It shows how the franchise is willing to take some big swings in its storytelling.

4. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is the entry that revitalized the franchise to new heights, and it sets up the fast-paced and audacious style that the subsequent installments will follow.

The film also featured the iconic Burj Kalifa action set piece, where Cruise himself managed to climb around the building free solo-style and cemented his status as a fearless performer who is willing to do any kind of dangerous stunts.

3. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2023)

By the time Dead Reckoning was released in theaters, Cruise and his now-frequent collaborator Christopher McQuarrie had perfected the formula for what a great Mission: Impossible movie should look like and how to thrill the audiences.

Just like all the contemporary entries in the franchise, it has epic action set pieces, great new characters that audiences will fall for, and the best of the best when it comes to blockbuster filmmaking.

2. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)

Rogue Nation marked McQuarrie’s first directorial effort in the franchise, and it instantly showed why he has become Cruise’s trusted creative partner in both the Mission: Impossible series and outside.

The film once again has a memorable action set piece, as it features Cruise himself climbing and hanging outside an airplane. He also performed a long-take underwater sequence where he managed to hold his breath for six minutes.

Aside from that, it also marked the introduction of fan-favorite Ilsa Faust (played by Rebecca Ferguson), who becomes a key character in the franchise.

1. Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

Fallout is not just the best Mission: Impossible installment, but it’s also peak action filmmaking at its finest, with gripping set pieces, sleek narrative, and commanding performance from Cruise.

This entry showed why this is one of the top franchises in movie history, why Cruise is still a prime action movie star, and raised the level of action filmmaking that only the likes of Cruise and McQuarrie can achieve.

Henry Cavill’s villainous performance was also praised by critics and fans, and it was seen as a sign for audiences that there is more he can offer as an actor beyond playing the Man of Steel.

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