The newest Mission: Impossible movie, Dead Reckoning, hit theaters not too long ago after an extensive five years since the previous installment. Tom Cruise is back, and he brings his usual bag of death-defying stunts and insistence on practical visuals with him. After spending some time reflecting on his latest movie and reviewing it earlier this week, I wanted to attempt an impossible mission that I tasked myself, should I choose to accept – ranking each of the seven released movies in this franchise so far.
Before I begin, I want to make one small note about the Mission: Impossible franchise and the films that have built it out through the past 25+ years. All seven of them are *certified* good, so while I’m making tough choices about where to rank each, just know that putting something at seven or six doesn’t mean that I don’t think the movie works. I think they all work.
But some feel more necessary than others, and some are inherently bolder than others given technological advances (in front of and behind the screen) since the first movie premiered in 1996, as well as the cast of characters they’ve introduced with each new entry. I can’t wait to watch them all again and read this over and realize how foolish I was with my ordering. That’s another piece for another time. Here’s the ranking I’m currently thinking for them:
7. Mission: Impossible II
With an over-the-top soundtrack, scenic globetrotting, and a relentless commitment to John Woo’s vision, Mission: Impossible II is an outlier in every way. It may be the least essential Mission: Impossible movie, but it’s far from disposable. In a franchise that has evolved into one of the most reliable action brands in cinema, this film stands as an ambitious detour. Tom Cruise returns to star as IMF agent Ethan Hunt.
Read our review of Mission: Impossible II
6. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
While Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation may not be the franchise’s high point, it’s an essential chapter that deepens the mythology and shifts the series into a new gear. Its confidence, intelligence, and flair for inventive action make it far superior to most action movies of its era. It’s the kind of film that only gets better on repeat viewings—smart, stylish, and thoroughly entertaining.
Read our full review of Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
5. Mission: Impossible III
Mission: Impossible III marks a pivotal turning point in the franchise, not just because it’s the directorial debut of J.J. Abrams, but because it introduces what is arguably the series’ most compelling villain. While it doesn’t break the genre mold or completely revolutionize the formula, it delivers a sharp, engaging entry with standout moments—mostly anchored by a powerhouse performance from Philip Seymour Hoffman.
As Owen Davian, Hoffman brings a chilling performance that elevates Mission: Impossible III far above what its fairly conventional script might otherwise achieve. Davian is not a cartoonish arms dealer or an overly elaborate schemer—he’s cold, calculating, and terrifyingly human. It’s one of the rare times in the Mission: Impossible series that a villain not only matches Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt but threatens to overshadow him. The dynamic between the two creates a real sense of stakes, which isn’t always a given in this globe-trotting, high-stakes franchise.
Read our review of Mission: Impossible III
4. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning
Dead Reckoning surpasses many recent action movies, using Tom Cruise’s death-defying stunts as a reason to see them by themselves. Despite a few nitpicks, nothing compares to the practicality that the new Mission: Impossible movie offers.
Read our review of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning
3. Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible isn’t the most polished or emotionally resonant film in the series, but it’s a thrilling, stylish origin from Director Brian De Palma that’s stood the test of time. It introduced one of the defining action heroes of the modern era—Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt—and showed that genre filmmaking could be both smart and wildly entertaining.
Read our review of Mission: Impossible
2. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is not just one of the best entries in the franchise—it’s one of the best action films of the 2010s. It reenergized the series with a bold new direction by Brad Bird, brought in a fresh ensemble, and delivered set pieces that rival anything else in modern blockbuster cinema. Tom Cruise returns once again as Ethan Hunt.
Read our review of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
1. Mission: Impossible – Fallout
Mission: Impossible – Fallout isn’t just the high point of its own franchise—it’s a modern action masterpiece, arguably one of the greatest action films ever made. As the sixth installment in the Mission: Impossible series, Fallout takes everything that made the previous films thrilling and dials it up to a level that almost feels physically exhausting—in the best possible way.