In 1996, American screenwriter and directorBrian De PalmareleasedMission:Impossible, an adaptation of the ’60s television show of the same name. Led byTom Cruiseand also starringJean Reno,Jon Voight, andVanessa Redgrave,Mission: Impossiblewas a box-office hit that introduced moviegoers to a new world of espionage. Nearly three decades later, theMission: Impossiblefranchise is still going strong, with an eighth entry expected next year.
Regarding quality and rewatchability,M: Iis among themost consistent movie franchises ever made. Every entry has a little bit of something for everyone: comedy, drama, suspense and, of course, action. As the movies have gone on, the action setpieces and real-life stuntwork have only grown more impressive. Each entry is spectacular in its right, but it’s undeniable that some movies are better executed than others.This is everyMission: Impossiblemovie ranked by the quality of the action, with each proving they are leagues above most other similar movies.
7’Mission: Impossible' (1996)
Directed by Brian De Palma
Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) leads an Impossible Mission Force on a covert operation to halt the theft of classified documents. When the mission goes horribly wrong and leaves most of his team dead, Hunt is forced into hiding as the CIA believes him a traitor. Now, without the assistance of any government organization, Hunt must find allies that can be trusted to help him clear his name.
Mission: Impossibleis considerably more low-key than any other movie in the franchise. In this entry,the action takes a backseat to espionage, making it much more in line with the television series that it’s based on and closer toBrian De Palma’s directorial sensibilities.Mission: Impossibleisn’t devoid of action; however, a climactic setpiece involving a helicopter chasing a train is thoroughly exciting, and the much-referenced scene where Hunt infiltrates a high-security room with a wire is perhaps the franchise’s most iconic. All this considered,Mission: Impossibleisa solid movie that has since been outdone by its successors.
Mission: Impossible
6’Mission: Impossible 2' (2000)
Directed by John Woo
When the creator of an incredibly lethal Chimera virus is murdered, and the antidote is stolen, Ethan Hunt is recruited to recover it and intercept the sale of the virus, destroying it once and for all. The target is a rogue IMF agent (Dougray Scott) and his ex-girlfriend (Thandiwe Newton), whom Hunt believes can be used as an undercover asset.
Mission: Impossible 2isa high-stakes, slick action thrillerfromlegendary Hong Kong directorJohn Woo; still, most would agree that it is the sore thumb of the franchise. While not unwatchable,Mission: Impossible 2is the only movie in the franchise that could be deemed “bad.” Woo’s heavily stylized action flourishes simply isn’t the right fit for the franchise, and the narrative doesn’t do much to make up for it. Still,there is more action here than inMission: Impossible, but it’s largely weightless and not particularly exciting.
Mission: Impossible 2
5’Mission: Impossible III' (2006)
Directed by J.J. Abrams
Legendary IMF agent Ethan Hunt, now retired from combat missions and living a quieter life with his fiancé Julia (Michelle Monaghan), is forced back into conflict when a maniacal arms dealer murders one of Hunt’s agents. The arms dealer, Owen Davian (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), is particularly sadistic and makes it his mission to kill both Hunt and Julia.J.J. Abramsmakes his directorial debut in this third entry to theMission: Impossibleseries.
Mission: Impossible IIIis when the Mission: Impossible franchise found its groove. In terms of both its slick action and sleek presentation, it deliversconsistently exciting and explosive setpieces. One particular standout sequence finds Hunt in the midst of an ambush taking place on a bridge. The stakes are high, with Hoffman’s Owen Davin ranking as one ofthe best villains in theMission: Impossibleseries.Mission: Impossible IIIset a precedent for future entries in the franchise, and while it has since been surpassed in terms of scale and execution, it’s still a more than worthwhile action thriller.
Mission: Impossible III
4’Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)'
Ethan Hunt is tasked with identifying and apprehending terrorist Kurt Hendricks (Michael Nyqvist), who is plotting a nuclear attack on the United States. An effort to stop Hendricks leads to the Kremlin being decimated with the IMF being implicated. As a result, the IMF is forced to initiate the Ghost Protocol and disavow all active agents while shutting down operations. Hunt, now a wanted man and rogue agent, takes it upon himself to form a team and eliminate Hendricks.
Mission: Impossible - GhostProtocolcontinued the franchise’s upward trend and delivereda terrific action adventurethat’s lighter in tone thanMission: Impossible 3but doubles down on the spectacle. This entrytakes advantage of multiple exotic locations, most notably Duba’s Burj Khalifa, which sawCruise perform one of the most daring stuntsof his career. Standout moments include a prison breakout and a pulse-pounding fistfight in an automated parking garage.Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocolis an exciting ride that serves upa generous amount of inspired action.
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
Directed by Christopher McQuarrie
A Russian stealth submarine utilizing advanced AI is destroyed and as a result, the two halves of a key used to control the AI become the most sought-after assets in the world. Ethan Hunt and his IMF team are tasked with tracking down and securing both halves of the key before an enemy from Hunt’s past can use it for evil.
In what is the longest entry in the franchise,Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Oneconsistently deliverssome of the series' most breathtaking and memorable setpieces. Car chases, foot chases, a sweeping sword fight, and navigating a train teetering off the edge of a bridge;Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Onesports some serious variety when it comes to the action. The sheer volcanic spectacle here is proof that the series is reaching its apex,making the wait for part twoall the more difficult.
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
Watch on Amazon
2’Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)'
A Senate committee deems the IMF inefficient and wreckless and disbands it. Naturally, Hunt isn’t one to give up on a mission and continues his pursuit of a dangerous, shadowy organization known as the Syndicate. A fugitive of the CIA, Hunt must coordinate his allies in secret as shady British agent Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) enters the fray with mysterious motives.
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nationcontinued the globetrotting adventure trend ofGhost Protocolbut offered evenmore expertly choreographed and visually stunning action. A particularly exciting sequence sees Hunt ditch a car for a freeway motorcycle chase that doesn’t even allow him the luxury of a helmet. As always, Cruise performs his own stunts, includingthe now-iconic underwater vault stunt. It never gets old watching him dangle from the side of a plane as it takes off from a runway, makingRogue Nationone of the series' most thrilling and adrenaline-pumping entries.
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
1’Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)'
Formed from the remnants of the Syndicate, the Apostles are a criminal organization planning a multipronged nuclear attack that threatens the lives of millions. Once again under scrutiny for their operational procedures, Ethan Hunt and the IMF are forced to collaborate with hardheaded CIA agent August Walker (Henry Cavill). Old enemies and allies alike throw their hats into the ring in a race for plutonium cores.
Not only the strongest movie in the franchise,Mission: Impossible - Falloutis one ofthe best action movies of all time. Relentlessly paced and packed with standout sequences that make up many of the series' best,Mission: Impossible - Falloutdemonstratesaction movie filmmaking at its most breathless and visually impressive. An immaculately choreographed bathroom fight scene between Cruise, Cavill, andLaing Yangstands as the best hand-to-hand combat the series has seen so far. Meanwhile, a climactic helicopter chase sequence through snow-capped valleys seals the deal onMission: Impossible - Falloutproviding the best action the franchise has to offer.
