USA TODAY US Edition

Tom Cruise, ‘Fallout’ take stunts to impossible heights

We rank the franchise films, including “Fallout.”

- Kelly Lawler

Sixth “Mission: Impossible” installmen­t might be the most thrilling yet as star tackles more showstoppi­ng feats.

Tom Cruise is off on an impossible mission. Again.

“Mission: Impossible – Fallout,” the sixth entry in the “M:I” franchise, hits theaters this weekend with as many death-defying stunts and imaginary gadgets as ever.

And while Cruise is off trying to take down new villains the Apostles and John Lark, our mission, which we definitely choose to accept, is to rank the five very good movies (and one that’s not so good) in the spy franchise. No death-defying stunts were attempted in the creation of this ranking.

6‘ Mission: Impossible II’ (2000)

Unfortunat­ely, “MI:II” just isn’t a great film, especially compared with the rest of the franchise. It relies too much on the hacky mask gag to move the plot along and, even for an action movie, has far too many battles in the final act. It’s the “Mission: Impossible” franchise without the heart or the winks. Too much action, too complicate­d a plot and not enough fun. And don’t get us started on the slow-motion doves.

5‘ Mission: Impossible III’ (2006)

“MI:III” is J.J. Abrams’ chance to try his hand at the franchise, and it has plenty of his signature shaky-cam and a part for Felicity herself, Keri Russell. It’s a perfectly fine entry, even if Ethan’s wife (Michelle Monaghan) exists only so the movie can put her in danger, an unfortunat­e trope. Plus, it has the late Philip Seymour Hoffman as its villain, and he chews the heck out of every scene he’s in. (Even when he’s playing Cruise playing him wearing one of those ridiculous masks.) It just doesn’t quite rise as high as some of the other films, so falls this low on our list.

4‘ Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ (2018)

Christophe­r McQuarrie, who directed “Rogue Nation,” returns for the latest installmen­t, and you can tell there’s some consistenc­y behind the camera. The film is a continuati­on of the “Rogue Nation” plot, bringing characters back and using an extension of the same villain. It feels very different from the other “Impossible” films, but it’s a bold new direction for the franchise while still maintainin­g the important traits.

3‘ Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation’ (2015)

The only thing “Rogue Nation” suffers from is that it came after “Ghost Protocol,” which was pretty hard to beat. The film is just delightful all around, propulsive and genuinely intriguing, and featuring the best female co-star for Cruise (Rebecca Ferguson) in all of the movies. Cruise may not hang off the side of a building, but he does hang off a plane and hold his breath for a really long time. And it’s definitely the funniest of the “M:I” films, featuring not only the comedic stylings of Simon Pegg but also some hilarious back-and-forth between Alec Baldwin’s and Jeremy Renner’s characters. Come for the stunts, stay for the witty dialogue and everything Ferguson does.

2‘ Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol’ (2011)

We have to admit, back in 2011, a new “Mission: Impossible” movie might have sounded a little dated. Enter Brad Bird, director of the absolutely wonderful “The Incredible­s,” who gave the “Impossible” franchise the fresh coat of paint it needed. You want more comedy? Let’s raise Pegg’s role. You want higher stakes? The bad guy wants to start a nuclear war. You want more impossible stunts? Well, here’s Tom hanging off the side of the tallest building in the world. The film is slick and fun, and it was totally unexpected.

1‘ Mission: Impossible’ (1996)

The original and the best. There’s a reason each subsequent movie has had to work so hard to raise the stakes and make the missions even more impossible. That image of Tom Cruise hanging from the ceiling of the CIA headquarte­rs is just so iconic. The movie had just enough of the camp from the old TV series and made all the right choices when it came to casting (Tom Cruise plays Tom Cruise! Vanessa Redgrave plays an arms dealer!), director (the one and only Brian De Palma), and heart-stopping action. This is the movie that gave us Tom Cruise: Action Star. You’re welcome, universe.

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 ?? MURRAY CLOSE/PARAMOUNT PICTURES ?? Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt isn’t one to just hang around in the original “Mission: Impossible.”
MURRAY CLOSE/PARAMOUNT PICTURES Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt isn’t one to just hang around in the original “Mission: Impossible.”
 ??  ?? He’s a hard man to catch in “Mission: Impossible II.”
He’s a hard man to catch in “Mission: Impossible II.”
 ??  ?? He teams with Rebecca Ferguson in “Rogue Nation.”
He teams with Rebecca Ferguson in “Rogue Nation.”

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