The best “Mission: Impossible” movie? We’ve ranked them
The “Mission: Impossible” franchise is one of life’s greatest wacky pleasures. The seventh movie, “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One” — one of the most anticipated movies of Summer 2023 — hits theaters July 12, giving me the perfect excuse to rewatch the six movies in the franchise
Here’s my very personal – and somewhat controversial – ranking of the series so far.
6. “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” (2015)
The syndicate, led by stern mole man Solomon Lane (Sean Harris), causes enough mischief to dismantle the Impossible Mission Force (IMF). Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) gets the help of Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), a mysterious woman with amazing fighting skills.
Director Trademark: Christopher McQuarrie is primarily interested in enabling Tom’s very unhealthy and wonderfully entertaining obsession to outdo his outrageous “Mission: Impossible” stunts. This time, Tom Cruise dangles under a helicopter as well as in real life.
Zaanste set-piece: A slightly out-of-it Ethan – who’s just, you know, short died on an underwater mission — hapless field agent Benji (Simon Pegg) drags along for a roaring chase through the streets of Casablanca.
Coolest Gadget: A gun made from a whistle is free vibrant (Sorry).
Most out of hand moment: Ethan’s too late to make it go inside the plane carrying the nerve agent, so it just jumps on the plane. And did Tom do this IRL? What do you think?!
Is there running? He has to get on the outside of that plane somehow!
Tom Cruise’s hair: “I’m too busy stopping murders at the opera to go to the hairdresser regularly.”
5. “Mission: Impossible II” (2000)
A deadly virus has been stolen and Ethan is called upon to recruit a wise thief Nya (Thandiwe Newton) to help him recover it, “Notorious” style.
Director Trademark: John Woo’s constant slow-motion shots. (Seriously, you could make a drinking game of how often he slows down the celluloid for dramatic effect.)
Zaanste set-piece: Ethan and Nya have a sick car chase slash makeup. (More slow-motion; have a drink.)
Coolest Gadget: This episode has a really ridiculous amount of dramatic mask reveals, so if this is your favorite returning “Mission: Impossible” bits, this is the sequel for you.
Most out of hand moment: Two motorcycles collide head-on.
Is there running? This is a less itinerant episode, but there’s a precious moment where Ethan blows a hole in the wall of a skyscraper and pops out.
Tom Cruise’s hair: The longest mane in the franchise.
4. “Mission: Impossible III” (2006)
Ethan tries to settle down with a cute nurse (Michelle Monaghan), but is drawn back into a life of spies when his old boss needs help taking down a terrifying arms dealer played by slum-but always brilliant-Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Director Trademark: JJ Abrams creates a lighter, funny tone helped along with a cheerful Michael Giacchino score.
Zaanste set-piece: Ethan and team (which includes Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Maggie Q, who make their only appearances on the series) must smuggle the arms dealer out of a Vatican cocktail party, complete with body doubles and car explosions.
Coolest Gadget: The villain is constantly putting explosives in people’s noses. Ouch.
Most out of hand moment: Ethan runs up the Vatican Wall via some kind of abseiling rope device, rolls on top of the wall, looks straight into the camera and says, “Humpty Dumpty was on a wall.” Well actually yes.
Is there running? There one for 30 seconds tracking shot of Ethan booking the net through a busy market. (We timed it.)
Tom Cruise’s hair: Back to a shorter crop, as befits a middle-ranking government employee and sweet undercover Virginia family man.
3. “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” (2011)
Someone blew up the Kremlin and they blame Ethan! He and his friends must track down the villain and stop a nuclear war. Officer Jane Carter (Paula Patton) and Benji tag along, plus grumpy pencil pusher William Brandt (Jeremy Renner). Bonus: the terrifying shark calmness of Léa Seydoux, a hitman paid in diamonds.
Director Trademark: The movie opens with a light-hearted Russian jailbreak to Dean Martin’s “Ain’t Love a Kick in the Head,” which encapsulates Brad Bird’s whimsical sensibilities.
Zaanste set-piece: The team must intercept a dropout of nuclear codes, with Ethan crawling on the outside of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. The series is edited tighter than Hitchcock.
Coolest Gadget: The climbing gloves that Ethan wears to climb straight up 10 floors.
Most out of hand moment: Ethan and Benji dress up as Russian officers and set up a portable video screen to hide their entry into a Kremlin vault.
Is there running? Ethan hurtles through a downright sandstorm in search of an opponent.
Tom Cruise’s hair: Long, luxurious and living la vida layers.
2. “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” (2018)
Ethan must track down a briefcase of plutonium so it doesn’t fall into the hands of the Apostles’ assassins. He is also saddled with the CIA’s colossal buzzkill August Walker (Henry Cavill).
Zaanste set-piece: Ethan and Agent Walker team up to expose a rogue cop in a pristine white club bathroom in Paris, leading to the now-iconic moment when Walker “clenches” his fists for battle. Glorious!
Most out of hand moment: The only way to sneak into France unnoticed? Well, a HALO jumps out of a plane, of course. During sunset.
Is there running? This movie features an extended sequence of Ethan sprinting across the rooftops of London at top speed, culminating in a moment when he actually breaks his ankle in half on the side of a building. He walks away like a champ, all of which is captured on film and used in the final cut. (I love it.)
Tom Cruise’s hair: It’s established in a sensible older man’s cut: not too spunky, but not shaved short either. Older statesman vibes.
1. “Mission: Impossible” (1996)
Grandfather handler Jim Phelps (Jon Voight) leads a team of undercover cops, including handsome superspy/savvy grin Ethan, his suspiciously beautiful French wife (Emanuelle Béart), and a fun-loving team of sassy cops (funny cameos REDACTED). Things go wrong when they try to prevent a valuable list of secret agent names from becoming public. Canadian treasure and human hunting dog Henry Czerny is, as usual, the fun police.
Director Trademark: Brian De Palma brings the wacky close-ups, ominous music and plenty of twists and turns, plus a shudder of sexual tension between Ethan and the suspiciously beautiful Frenchwoman.
Zaanste set-piece: Ethan descends from the ceiling into a security vault, instantly creating one of the series’ most beloved trademarks.
Coolest Gadget: Chewing gum that doubles as an explosive? Jamie.
Is there running? Ethan must escape a giant wall of water full of fish. (The stunt was dangerous enough in real life De Palma worried that Cruise might not survive.)
Most out of hand moment: What’s cooler than a chase atop a speeding bullet train? A chase on top of a speeding bullet train in a tunnel with a helicopter trying to kill you at the same time!
Tom Cruise’s hair: An almost military-esque style: smooth, aerodynamic – and very 1990s.
