Since 1996, Tom Cruise has been sprinting across the silver screen as the international superspy Ethan Hunt. Throughout the franchise, there are a plethora of fun and fantastic movies, but it’s crunch time now. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to catch up on 29 years of epic action all within a few hundred words.
The most important movies to watch will be Mission: Impossible (1996), as it is the very first in the series, and Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning (2023). Throughout the films, Hunt works with his team of spies, notably tech experts Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) and Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), to ensure the world stays safe from international threats such as arms dealers, biowarfare, and even nuclear terrorists.
Dead Reckoning left our heroes fighting against a seemingly omnipotent artificial intelligence and an antagonist akin to a ghost, using the A.I. to torment the world without a trace. Ethan must now walk a delicate line. Working to stop “The Entity” whilst also ensuring the key to this world-conquering power does not fall into the hands of any government, including his own. With enemies on all sides and backed into a corner, Ethan must choose who he trusts very carefully to save the world one last time.
Like any movie in this franchise, everyone behind its creation has worked tirelessly to create the masterpiece we see. What truly makes them stand out is the authenticity that permeates each frame.
Not only are all the stunts real (yes, including when Cruise is motorcycling off cliffs and dangling off planes), but unlike many action movies nowadays, the characters are allowed to be humans. Ethan isn’t an unstoppable Terminator or a perfect, suave James Bond type spy. He makes mistakes, he cares for his friends, and he is vulnerable.
While the fast-paced action and insane stunts are incredibly fun, they also know when to slow down and savor the little moments of connection between characters who hold the weight of the world on their shoulders. The characters feel closer to a family than a team of spies, which is both refreshing and also adds much higher stakes. Overall, the Mission: Impossible franchise is hands-down the best spy franchise to ever hit the big screen and Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning will be a blast for both new and returning fans to enjoy. •