Sign up for The Queue
Discover the best movies and TV shows streaming now, with handpicked recommendations from Boston.com.
Every ‘Mission: Impossible’ movie, ranked
See how the new "Mission: Impossible" movie stands against the rest.
You’re reading The Queue, Boston.com’s guide to streaming. Sign up to get the latest industry news, free streaming movie and TV recommendations, and more in your inbox every week.
Tom Cruise has proven to be one of the most durable movie stars in the long history of Hollywood. As he approaches his 63rd birthday, Cruise is still leading multiple movie franchises, including this weekend’s “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” and claims he will keep making action movies for decades.
Even the handful of A-listers in the conversation with Cruise — Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt, Denzel Washington, Will Smith — can’t match Cruise’s resume. No one else has been a consistent box office draw in every decade from the 80s to the present day.
Advertisement:
Of that group, only Hanks matches Cruise’s longevity. And while Hanks has now graduated into elder statesman roles, Cruise keeps dangling himself out of planes for our entertainment.
In honor of Cruise’s Herculean efforts to keep the magic of movie theaters alive, I’m ranking the entire “Mission: Impossible” franchise, from worst to best.
All the ‘Mission: Impossible’ movies, ranked
8. “Mission: Impossible 2” (2000): The only movie in the franchise that gets a “skip” from me, there are nevertheless a few enjoyable moments, including that iconic rock climbing intro. (Paramount+)
7. “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” (2025): It tells you how much I love this series that this mess of a movie still got 2 ½ stars in my recent review. Despite an incomprehensible first hour, Tom Cruise will make you a believer by the time the credits roll. (In theaters)
Advertisement:
6. “Mission: Impossible 3” (2006): Philip Seymour Hoffman is a superlative villain, matching Tom Cruise’s intensity vein for vein. But seriously, what exactly was the Rabbit’s Foot? (Paramount+)
5. “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning” (2023): Heavy-handed AI metaphors aside, Tom Cruise does some absolutely insane stunts in this movie. Come for the motorcycle jump, stay for Ethan Hunt being chased by a runaway piano. (Paramount+)
4. “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” (2015): Cruise liked what director Christopher McQuarrie did so much in this film, he’s directed every “M:I” movie since. “Rogue Nation” also introduced us to Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), the best female counterpart Ethan Hunt has ever had. (Paramount+)
3. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011): Hypothetical: If you sub Philip Seymour Hoffman in for the forgettable Russian villain in this film (director Brad Bird’s only one in the franchise), does it contend for the top spot? The Burj Khalifa sequence would suggest yes. (Paramount+)
2. “Mission: Impossible” (1996): The one that started it all, and the one that’s most unlike the rest of the franchise. Brian De Palma’s film prioritizes the cerebral over the sensational, even though the action scenes in this film are top-notch. The suspense of the laser room scene is second to none. (Paramount+)
Advertisement:
1. “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” (2018): This one has it all: A frenetic pace, a bombastic musical score, a worthy villain in Henry Cavill, and maybe the best mask gag of the franchise. The standard by which all other “M:I” movies are judged in my book. (Paramount+)
Play or Skip
Have a show you can’t stop watching? Email me about it at [email protected], and your recommendation may appear in a future edition of The Queue.
Press play on these new movies and shows:
“Cheers”: In honor of the late George Wendt, take a stroll down memory lane with “Cheers,” where the Second City veteran did his greatest work. Or if you’re pressed for time, watch this supercut of every one-liner he ever uttered when entering the bar where everyone knew his name. (Paramount+, Pluto TV)
“Nonnas”: There’s nothing spectacular about this true story of a man (Vince Vaughn) who opens an Italian restaurant with grandmothers (Talia Shire, Lorraine Bracco, Brenda Vaccaro and Susan Sarandon) as chefs. But it’s a warm, comforting watch that will leave you smiling and satisfied. (Netflix)
“Sirens”: Julianne Moore and Glenn Howerton are the biggest names in this WASP-y mystery, but it’s a pair of siblings played by Milly Alcock and Mass. native Meghann Fahy that gives this series a bruising, crackling energy. (Netflix)
Advertisement:
“Tucci in Italy”: After CNN canceled his similarly named Italian food and travel show in 2022, the actor has returned with a new series and a renewed focus on Italian cuisine, its origins, and the people who bring it to life. (Disney+ and Hulu)
But go ahead and skip this one:
“Nine Perfect Strangers” Season 2: Despite losing showrunner David E. Kelley and running out of source material from Liane Moriarty’s novel, Hulu decided to give us a second season of Nicole Kidman playing a wellness guru with a healthy supply of psychedelics and a serious consent problem. Bad choice. (Hulu)
End Credits
That’s a wrap on this edition of The Queue. If you’re a fan, please consider recommending this newsletter to your friends.
Until next time, good stream hunting, everyone!
— Kevin
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com