My Favourite Mission: Impossible Movies of All-Time

Few franchises about impossible missions are as iconic as Mission Impossible. Ever since Tom Cruise lit the fuse, the Mission Impossible movies have made headline news. With awe-inspiring stunts, compelling storytelling and phenomenal acting, the series has earned a huge following. Arguably, the greatest strength of the franchise is Tom Cruise. Through his commitment, Cruise has created unforgettable entertainment. Listed below are my picks for the greatest movies of a franchise that deserves to be celebrated.

1. Mission: Impossible – Fallout

It isn’t easy to recover from a leg injury. Several years ago, my life hit a crushing low when I suffered a devastating leg injury causing sorrow. A result of excessive exercise, the leg injury left me unable to engage in physical activity that I had grown to prize. An inevitable injury, it resulted from the risky business of running. It was hard to accept the impossible mission that I couldn’t run. Few films I’ve ever seen have captured the fallout of a leg injury as powerfully as “Mission: Impossible – Fallout”. Ever since its release in 2018, Tom Cruise’s movie has stood the test of time as the best MI movie. Packed with awe-inspiring action, engaging storytelling and phenomenal acting, the film delivered everything that a fan could have possibly asked for. At the centre of it all is an extraordinary performance by Tom Cruise, who showcases his strong commitment to entertainment. Cruise showcased an extraordinary commitment shooting “Fallout” proving why he’s a great actor. In the sixth instalment of the series, Cruise broke his ankle jumping across rooftops of buildings. A career-ending injury, the stunt put the actor’s future in uncertainty. Nevertheless, nothing in the whole world could stop Cruise from pursuing his passion for filmmaking. Ultimately, what makes “Fallout” the greatest Mission Impossible movie is its emotion. The film gives Ethan Hunt a strong emotional arc missing from previous films in the franchise. Unlike most movies in the franchise, it finds a strong balance between character development and action. Nearly 10 years following the release of an iconic film about hunted spies facing a fallout, it’s a riveting reminder of an actor that remains one of the world’s finest stars without a doubt whose films deserve to be talked about.

2. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

The Middle East is a country that shaped my identity. I recall with nostalgia joyous memories of growing up in Saudi Arabia. Whether it’s the gorgeous desert landscapes or prosperous oil economy, I grew up to value a country that I regarded highly. I admired the sand of a land where I didn’t think terrorism would be planned. As someone that loves to recall joyous memories of a country that has shaped my identity, I loved “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”. Released in 2011, Tom Cruise’s fourth movie in the long-running franchise paid tribute to Middle Eastern countries. The main highlight of the Mission Impossible franchise has always been its awe-inspiring stunts, and they are clearly evident in “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”. For instance, the scene in which Ethan Hunt climbs the Burj Khalifa in Dubai is one of the greatest action sequences of the franchise. The film centres around a set-piece in which Tom Cruise climbs the tallest building in the world The Burj Khalifa. A monumental building in the Middle East, the Burj has become an important landmark of the country. Cruise does an excellent job of celebrating the Middle East by awe-inspiring action. Ultimately, what makes “Ghost Protocol” a great movie is its depiction of the Middle East. Unlike most blockbusters that portray the Middle East as a land of terrorism, it offers a positive depiction of a misunderstood country. As gorgeous as the Burj Khalifa, it’s a remarkable reminder of a film franchise with endless stamina that has stood the test of time as an iconic piece of Cinema.

3. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation

Mission Impossible is a spectacular spy franchise that shaped my father’s identity. Several years ago, I formed a strong bond with a father that adored a franchise about spies facing sorrow. A huge fan of Tom Cruise, he loved movies that made headline news. We would always spend valuable time watching Mission Impossible movies together in the theatre. Through his love for the franchise, my father inspired me to make my film criticism dreams come true. My father adored all the films in the spy franchise but his favourite film that he regarded with the most affection was “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation”. Released in 2015, Tom Cruise’s most entertaining mission found the actor performing his most awe-inspiring stunts. Whether he’s dangling from the side of an airplane, holding his breath underwater for six seconds or riding motorcycles without helmets, Cruise performed his most inspiring stunts in the fifth instalment. Ultimately, what makes “Rogue Nation” stand out in the series is its positive portrayal of women. Unlike previous MI films that portrayed women as damsels in distress, the movie offered a strong portrayal of female spies. Through the character of Ilsa Faust, the brought a fresh feminist point-of-view into a male-dominated franchise. As awe-inspiring as airplanes from which Ethan Hunt is dangling, it’s a groundbreaking reminder of an entertaining franchise that is definitely without a doubt worth celebrating.

4. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1

There’s nothing in the world quite as exciting as seeing a movie-star in person at a film screening. During the Summer of 2023, I had the pleasure of seeing Tom Cruise in person at a screening for his film “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1”. It was truly an incredible experience that I will never forget. I recall the crowd of movie-goers in my theatre bursting into a round of applause as Tom Cruise showed him out of nowhere. An unannounced visit that wasn’t at all expected, it left my theatre full of movie-goers extremely excited. The excitement in the room was palpable at seeing an icon in the world of entertainment. After the exciting appearance of Tom Cruise at the screening, I finally got a chance to see a blockbuster that I had long been awaiting. Tom Cruise’s most recent instalment in the Mission Impossible franchise is a thrilling blockbuster that delivered on every level imaginable. Packed with awe-inspiring action, engaging storytelling and phenomenal acting, “Dead Reckoning Part 1” was a perfect summer blockbuster. At the centre of it all is Tom Cruise, who has never been better as Ethan Hunt. With the seventh instalment, Cruise achieved the impossible mission of creating awe-inspiring action surpassing previous films in the franchise. Ultimately, what made it special was its strong message. The film delivers a profound message about dangers of AI technology which would resonate with everyone. As powerful as the speeding train Ethan Hunt seeks to stop, it’s a riveting reminder of an actor that hasn’t lost abilities to entertain.

5. Mission: Impossible III

Determination is a strong trait that has shaped my personality. As far back I can remember, I have always been a person with a strong sense of determination. During high school, I developed a strong determination to succeed in challenging classes posing obstacles that were cruel. My strong determination allowed me to achieve dreams of graduation. Determination has always been a key theme throughout the Mission Impossible franchise. In each film, Ethan Hunt has always been determined to accomplish a mission that seems to be impossible. This theme of determination is most evident in the third instalment “Mission: Impossible III”. Released in 2006, Tom Cruise’s third mission found the hunted agent embarking on a mission to save the world with determination. In his third outing as the hunted spy, Cruise brought out an emotional vulnerability to the character that was missing from the previous movies. For instance, the opening scene in which Ethan struggles to keep his cool watching his wife threatened at gunpoint is one of the best moments in the franchise. At the centre of it all is an extraordinary performance from Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who embodies a menacing villain without humanity in one of his greatest roles before he tragically passed away. Ultimately, what makes “Mission: Impossible III” stand out is its strong message. The film delivers a powerful message about determination which would resonate with everyone. As powerful as Ethan Hunt’s determination to accomplish his mission, it’s a dazzling reminder of a franchise filled with unforgettable movies that are worthy of celebration.

6. Mission: Impossible

When it comes to the greatest movies ever made about missions that are impossible, it’s worth discussing the original “Mission: Impossible”. Released in 1996, Tom Cruise’s first film lit the fuse for a famous franchise that has made headline news. There’s no denying the huge impact that the first film had in establishing the high stakes of the rest of the series. Brian de Palma created an iconic blockbuster that launched a long-running franchise. What stands out most about the first film in the series is the action sequences. Brian de Palma staged awe-inspiring action sequences which set the stage for the franchise. For instance, the iconic scene in which Ethan Hunt infiltrates a top-secret security vault remains one of the greatest action sequences of the franchise. At the centre of it all is an exceptional performance by Tom Cruise, who established himself as a formidable movie-star with a bright future. Ultimately, what makes “Mission: Impossible” stand out in the spy franchise is its simplicity. Unlike later films that get bogged down by complicated stories, the first film stands out because it took a simple approach to storytelling. Although there are aspects of the movie that feel outdated today, it remains a classic that is worth watching. For all its flaws, it’s a film that deserves to be celebrated for launching a franchise that audiences have appreciated. As precious as the security vault that Ethan Hunt seeks to infiltrate, it’s a remarkable reminder of a franchise that hasn’t lost its abilities to captivate producing movies audiences appreciate.

7. Mission: Impossible II

Sometimes, the sign of a great actor comes across when they are bright spots in bad movies. Tom Cruise is one of those rare actors with abilities to elevate every movie regardless of its poor quality. Cruise’ ability to elevate movies that are a chore to sit through is clearly evident in “Mission: Impossible II”. Released in 2000, Tom Cruise’s second film in the MI franchise was a disaster that didn’t work on any level. Packed with over-the-top action, nonsensical storytelling and cardboard characters, it’s easily the worst movie in the franchise. As I watched the film for the first time recently, I was taken aback by how bad it was. Outdated in every way, “Mission: Impossible II” can’t live up to the high bar set by later films in the franchise. That being said, the movie isn’t a total disaster. Cruise’s sheer commitment to performing every stunt in the world regardless of the risks makes it a valuable piece of entertainment. Whether he’s riding motorcycles through fire or climbing rocks that are dire, Cruise proves why he’s one of the world’s greatest movie-stars that audiences admire. While it’s admittedly a flawed movie, Cruise’s great performance makes “Mission: Impossible II” worth watching. As powerful as missions Ethan Hunt seeks to accomplish, it’s a breathtaking reminder of an actor that hasn’t lost abilities to astonish whose unforgettable movies I will forever treasure for motivating me to achieve dreams of film criticism I cherish.