Every Mission: Impossible Ranked, Including Dead Reckoning

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is now playing in theaters, which is the perfect excuse to revisit the first six films of the franchise. Tom Cruise first took on the part of Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible in 1996, and he returned to the role in Mission: Impossible II in 2000, Mission: Impossible III in 2006, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol in 2011, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation in 2015, and Mission: Impossible – Fallout in 2018. There have been some franchise staples along the way such as Ving Rhames as Luther Stickell, and many stars have come and gone, but one thing has remained true since the beginning: Cruise knows how to deliver the action-packed goods. You can check out our Mission: Impossible movie ranking below, which now includes the spoiler-free addition of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. 

Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, which premieres in theaters on July 12th. It’s the beginning of the end for the action-packed franchise, as Cruise reteams with longtime collaborator and filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie for more death-defying and breathtaking stunts. Hunt and allies Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames), and Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) attempt to track down a new weapon with the power to tear the world apart. Actors Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, and Esai Morales join the cast for the latest installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise, which is set to wrap up with Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two. 

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7. Mission: Impossible II (2000)

Directed by John Woo, Mission: Impossible II is considered by most fans to be the worst of the franchise. However, “worst” doesn’t necessarily mean “bad.” While this movie has its flaws (someone forgot to tell Woo that Ethan Hunt is not James Bond), there’s also a lot to enjoy. Woo goes all in on his favorite tropes with some extreme slow-motion, birds, and slow-motion birds. That may not be your thing, but we love a man who knows his own style. It’s certainly silly, but after all these years, there’s a level of nostalgia that can’t be denied. 

Mission: Impossible II also has a great supporting cast. Thandiwe Newton is as captivating as ever in the role of Nyah Hall, and Dougray Scott makes for a decent villain (and without his portrayal as Sean Ambrose, we would never have gotten Hugh Jackman as Wolverine). You also can’t forget the inclusion of Anthony Hopkins, Brendan Gleeson, and Richard Roxburgh (the cigar-cutting scene stays with you forever). Most importantly, the return of Ving Rhames set a precedent for the rest of the films, making him the only actor aside from Cruise to appear in every Mission: Impossible movie. 

While Mission: Impossible II leaves a lot to be desired, it still gets a bad rap. The hand-to-hand fight at the end between Cruise and Scott is pretty badass, and the opening rock climbing sequence was one of Cruise’s first notorious stunts. Ultimately, putting the second installment last on our ranking isn’t exactly controversial, but it still deserves a little love. 

6. Mission Impossible III (2006)

Directed by J.J. Abrams, Mission Impossible III is a movie that grows on you over time. The return of Julia (Michelle Monaghan) in Mission: Impossible – Fallout gives more weight to everything she goes through with Ethan in the third installment. It’s also safe to say that this movie has Cruise’s strongest performance of the franchise. Giving Ethan a protégée to avenge and a wife to protect adds more depth to the mission. Of course, this movie also has one very special ingredient: Philip Seymour Hoffman. There’s no question that Owen Davian is the best villain of the franchise, and he also gets the best mask scene (two Philip Seymour Hoffmans!). Hoffman dominates his character’s cruel and menacing nature, which gives Cruise a lot to work with (watch this right after viewing Magnolia to fully appreciate what Cruise and Hoffman can accomplish together). 

While it’s great to see Rhames as Luther back in action, the third movie underutilizes Maggie Q (Zhen), Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Declan), and Kerri Russell (Lindsey). While Lindsey’s death does serve as a believable catalyst for Ethan’s return to the field, it’s a bummer to see her go so soon. As for Zhen and Declan, they’re basically set pieces, and you instantly forget them when the next movie comes along. However, the biggest letdown of this installment is the action. Ethan’s building/parachute escapade is embarrassing once you see what he does outside the Burj Khalifa in the next film. 

No matter how you feel about Mission Impossible III, one thing is for certain… We should all thank Abrams for giving us Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn. 

5. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is currently the highest-rated Mission: Impossible movie of the franchise. While the movie has some stunning action, none of its big moments match up to the achievements of the franchise’s previous three films. The car chase is a ton of fun and the train sequence is a highlight, but the long-awaited motorcycle stunt would have been more thrilling if it hadn’t been in all of the trailers. 

McQuarrie also neglects some of the franchise’s most beloved characters, including those he championed in his last two installments. While Hayley Atwell is undeniably great in the movie, she only gets to thrive at the expense of characters we’ve grown to love over the years. It was also an odd decision to insert the new villain, Gabriel (Esai Morales), into Ethan’s pre-IMF backstory. This choice feels unnecessary when 30 years of Ethan’s history already exists and could be mined for more emotional callbacks.

There’s plenty to love about Dead Reckoning Part One ranging from the many nods to Brian de Palma’s 1996 Mission: Impossible to the addition of Pom Klementieff as Paris. There’s no denying it’s one of the best action movies of the last five years, but that’s because it’s the only Mission: Impossible film to be released during that time. Dead Reckoning may be a good time, but it’s not a better time than the rest of the movies on this list… 

4. Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)

Directed by Brad Bird, Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol is undeniably fantastic. This movie saved the franchise, which will probably make its place on our ranking controversial. There is so much to love about the fourth installment. The Burj Khalifa sequence features the best stunts of the franchise, the prison break scene is delightful, and the Kremlin sequence rules. Not to mention the addition of Jeremy Renner’s Brandt (bring him back!) and the brilliant idea of making Pegg’s Benji a field agent. So, why did we rank the movie at number four?.. 

First, Luther gets the least amount of screen time in Ghost Protocol, and that earns an automatic drop on the list. Luther forever! Second, this movie has the most forgettable villain in the franchise. Can you think of his name? The actor who plays him? Probably not! Although, we will shout out Michael Nyqvist’s Hendricks for having an incredibly gruesome death. It’s not every day a villain in an action movie commits suicide by leaping from the top of an automated car park. Third, Paula Patton’s Jane is a welcome addition because she gets to be on the team AND have a personality, but the fact that they never bring her back makes the whole phone ceremony at the end lose some value. Once you know about the bonds formed in Rogue Nation and Fallout, it’s easy to forget Jane was ever there. Also, as a LOST fan, it’s hard not to get butt-hurt over the fact that Josh Holloway opens the movie and then immediately dies. 

Ultimately, Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol is an amazing film, but something needed to go in fourth place.  

3. Mission: Impossible (1996)

Directed by Brian de Palma, Mission: Impossible is the movie that started it all, so we must put some respect on its name. While it may not have action sequences as impressive as its 2010s counterparts, the first installment is an important part of film history. de Palma is an incredibly stylish director and his techniques allow the first film to stand on its own. There are so many bold moves in the film from killing off Ethan’s entire team at the beginning (raise your hand if Emilio Estevez’s death traumatized you as a kid) to the way the movie elevates components of the original series (which is currently streaming on Paramount+). Cruise figured out who Ethan Hunt was from the get-go and while he’s gained near superhuman abilities over the past 25+ years, he’s always been the righteous man we know and love.

Of course, you can’t talk about Mission: Impossible without bringing up the Langley sequence. The way Cruise enters the CIA vault to steal the NOC list has become one of the most iconic movie scenes of all time. Sure, he’s not dangling from the biggest building in the world or motorcycling off a cliff, but the scene’s simplicity brings realism to the franchise. The way de Palma builds tension is unmatched, and that scene still manages to thrill us all these years later. 

And we haven’t even mentioned the cast… every single character in this film is textured and interesting, and every actor plays off of Cruise’s stoicism perfectly. Not to mention this is the movie that gave the world Luther Stickell. We can’t wait to revisit the original film after Dead Reckoning brings back Henry Czerny as Kitteridge. Hopefully, Part Two will include Rolf Saxon as CIA Analyst Willian Donloe (has he been in Alaska this whole time?!). 

2. Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation shocked fans by managing to improve on Ghost Protocol. McQuarrie created relationships that elevated the franchise while treating fans to some of the coolest action scenes to date. Luther is back in a bigger role and teaming up with Brandt while Benji and Ethan embark on a rogue mission with the help of franchise newcomer, Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson). Ilsa and Ethan’s first scene together is a meet-cute for the ages, and every moment between them that follows makes you forget they haven’t known each other for years. Everything about the opera sequence is deeply polished and filled with style, making it stand out as one of the best parts of the franchise. Solomon Lane (Sean Harris) is a big improvement on the previous film’s villain, and Alec Baldwin’s Alan Hunley is a well-intentioned but frustrating addition who serves as a fun opposition to the team. 

It’s obvious why McQuarrie was the first director to return to the franchise. He and Cruise are a force to be reckoned with which is why there was only ever one option for the number one spot on this list… 

1. Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

Directed again by Christopher McQuarrie, Mission: Impossible – Fallout is a non-stop thrill ride that’s easily one of the best action films ever made. Not only did McQuarrie top the set pieces of his previous outing, but he made us care about the characters in a whole new way. Ethan has always loved his team, but this movie starts with him putting them before the mission, and everything that follows showcases his bond with Luther, Benji, and Ilsa. Julia coming back also adds emotional weight to the story and gives us the closure we never knew we needed. Not to mention that Fallout is the first time in the franchise a returning character dies. RIP Hunley. 

As if all of the returning characters weren’t great enough, the movie also introduces Vanessa Kirby as the White Widow (Max’s daughter!), Angela Bassett as Erika Sloane (we’re still so sad she couldn’t be in Dead Reckoning), Henry Cavill as August Walker AKA John Lark (we can’t forget to mention his iconic mustache), and Wes Bentley as Julia’s sweet but clueless husband. 

In addition to having immense depth and great characters, Fallout has continuous excitement. There are unforgettable moments like Cavill getting his arms locked and loaded during the bathroom brawl, and extreme sequences such as the heist to retrieve Lane in France. However, nothing tops the third act, which sees the team working to diffuse two bombs while Cruise and Cavill have an insane helicopter showdown on the side of a mountain. 

Fallout is proof that Christopher McQuarrie was the best thing to happen to Mission: Impossible.