"MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE" RANKED!
- May 27
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 3
The "Mission: Impossible" Movies Ranked – By a Fan Who Loves Them All
With the release of what might be the eighth and final entry in the Mission: Impossible series, I figured now was the perfect time to do what any self-respecting action movie lunatic would do—rank 'em.
Now let me be absolutely clear right from the top: I love this franchise. LOVE. As in, deeply, passionately, unapologetically. In my opinion, Mission: Impossible is the greatest action franchise of all time. Yep, I said it. It’s the most consistent, most inventive, and flat-out most entertaining series in the genre's history.
Every single film in the franchise is good. Many of them are great. A couple? They're nothing short of masterpieces—some of the greatest action movies ever made.
This series has been thrilling audiences for nearly 30 years now, ever since Tom Cruise first dangled from the ceiling of that CIA vault in 1996. Since then, we’ve had eight films filled with spectacular set-pieces, iconic music (thank you, Lalo Schifrin), unforgettable characters, masks, twists, double-crosses, and insane, jaw-dropping stunt work that sets a new gold standard for blockbuster filmmaking.
And it all started with a little TV show from 1966 created by Bruce Geller. Who could’ve guessed that a reboot of a '60s spy show would blossom into one of the most exhilarating, durable, and spectacular franchises in movie history?
And it’s all anchored by Tom Cruise—movie star, adrenaline junkie, and maybe the most committed stunt performer in the world. Say what you will about his personal life (and yes, I know, there’s... stuff), but the guy cares about movies. He’s a producer, a performer, a showman, and a risk-taker who’s done more to keep the theatrical experience alive than almost anyone else in modern Hollywood.
After COVID nearly brought the industry to its knees, Cruise refused to release Top Gun: Maverick or Dead Reckoning to streaming. He held the line, knowing these were movies meant to be seen on the big screen. And he was right. He literally helped save cinema. Respect.
Over eight films, we’ve had five composers, five cinematographers, a rotating cast of supporting players, and some of the best directors working today. From Brian De Palma’s sharp, twisty original, to John Woo’s operatic (and yes, slightly ridiculous) second entry, to the point where Christopher McQuarrie took the reins and turned the franchise into an intricate, ambitious, heart-pounding saga, this series just keeps topping itself.
And the crew? Amazing. Ving Rhames has been there from the start. Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Michelle Monaghan, Vanessa Kirby, Angela Bassett, Alec Baldwin—they’ve all contributed to making this world feel alive and evolving.
And let’s talk about those stunts. Cruise has scaled the Burj Khalifa, hung from the side of airplanes, jumped out of planes at 30,000 feet, and done more motorcycle work than Evil Knievel ever dreamed of. Every movie ups the ante, and every time, I sit there grinning like a lunatic in a dark theater, wondering how the hell they pulled it off.
The best-reviewed entry in the series is probably Fallout. The least loved? M:I-2. And that alone should tell you how high the bar is—because even Mission: Impossible 2, often called the weakest, was directed by John Woo, one of the greatest action filmmakers to ever pick up a camera. The low point of this series is still better than most other action movies on their best day.
So here it is—my personal ranking of the Mission: Impossible franchise, from my absolute favorite to my least favorite. But make no mistake: even the film at the bottom of this list is still terrific, better than 95% of the loud, empty action junk that clogs up the summer box office. And the one at the top? One of the greatest action films ever made. Period.
I love this series. I love these movies. And now… let’s light the fuse.
"MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE"...RANKED! in order of my preference:
Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie
Without question, the best of the series. This thing does not stop. It's perfectly paced, loaded with every kind of action set piece you can imagine—brutal hand-to-hand combat (that bathroom fight with Cavill and Cruise? One of the best ever filmed), death-defying stunts, high-speed chases, and the kind of tension that puts your stomach in knots. McQuarrie cements his place as one of the best action directors working today. This is a high point not just for the series—but for the entire genre.
Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie
McQuarrie’s first time in the director’s chair for the franchise, and he hit the ground running. This movie is sleek, smart, full of twists, and really tight in execution. The IMF is disbanded and Ethan Hunt is on the run (again), but this is where the series found its rhythm—a perfect mix of brains and bravado. It’s stylish, exciting, and it introduced Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa Faust, one of the best characters in the whole damn series.
Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie
The first half of the supposed finale, and it’s packed with jaw-dropping moments. That train sequence? Unreal. They somehow top the bullet train scene from the first film, and I didn’t think that was possible. The stakes are high, the emotional beats land, and the movie has the guts to kill off major characters. This is how you do a sprawling, intelligent blockbuster.
Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie
And here we are—the finale. What a wrap-up. McQuarrie and Cruise go all out with some of the most incredible set pieces in the series. The biplane aerial battle near the climax is just... wow. And what’s truly impressive is how they manage to make dialogue-heavy exposition scenes feel like action scenes. This is how you close out a franchise—with fire, flair, and full throttle brilliance. An absolutely worthy finale.
Directed by: Brian De Palma
It says a lot that a film directed by one of my top three favorite filmmakers of all time lands at number five. But that’s just how strong this franchise is. De Palma brought his signature flair—those split diopters, those incredible angles—and made a paranoid, twisty, and very stylish spy thriller. The CIA vault heist remains a masterclass in tension. It launched Cruise as an action star and built a foundation for everything that followed.
Directed by: Brad Bird
This is where Tom Cruise truly went full Cruise. Hanging off the Burj Khalifa? That’s when the world went, “Oh... this guy’s nuts.” And we loved it. Brad Bird, making his live-action debut after The Incredibles, directed the hell out of this. It’s colorful, high-energy, and feels like a live-action cartoon in the best way possible. A blast from start to finish and proof that Brad Bird can do anything.
Directed by: J.J. Abrams
Before Star Trek. Before Star Wars. J.J. got his first shot at the big screen right here. He took the spy elements from Alias, his Felicity-era charm, and gave us a solid, grounded entry with emotional stakes. Philip Seymour Hoffman is terrifyingly good as the villain. And hey, it’s got Keri Russell, so I’m automatically onboard. This movie paved the way for J.J.’s blockbuster career and holds up well today.
Directed by: John Woo
Yeah, this one’s at the bottom. But I still really like it. It’s the weakest of the bunch, sure—too many mask reveals, a muddled plot, and Woo’s signature style feels a little diluted compared to his Hong Kong masterpieces. But even when he’s coasting, John Woo is still John Woo. It’s over-the-top, it’s melodramatic, it’s loaded with doves (of course)—and yet, it’s still better than most action movies out there. Even bad M:I is still damn good.
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