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Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning has hit theaters, so it’s time for us to rank the entire franchise! Let us know your ranking @SiftPop!

Mission: Impossible – Fallout marked the first time a director, in this case Christopher McQuarrie, returned for a second installment in the franchise. He and Cruise had crafted a magnificent film in their previous outing, Rogue Nation, and as the sixth entry, Fallout kept that momentum going, while raising the stakes even further. This chapter stands out for a variety of reasons. The intricate layers of espionage keep the story sharp and unpredictable. In order to prevent the sale of nuclear weapons, Hunt must pose as the mysterious terrorist John Lark. Forcing him to walk a fine line, playing the part of an infamously apathetic and ruthless killer while still fighting to protect every innocent life, regardless of the cost. Couple this with perhaps the strongest supporting cast of any Mission entry. Classic companions like Benji (Simon Pegg) and Luther (Ving Rhames) return alongside the elusive Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson). They’re rounded out with Henry Cavill’s cold, focused August Walker and the infamous mustache that derailed an entire DC film. Obviously the stunts excel. From harrowing helicopter hijinks, to the High Altitude Low Opening (HALO) jump which took over 100 skydives, to the staple sprinting sequence that left Cruise with a broken ankle, the action is in peak form. The threat is equal parts personal and cataclysmic. It is everything this franchise can be, so much so that the final entry somewhat mirrors its structure. (Jack Grimme)

It’s hard for me to choose my favorite entry in this stacked franchise, but Rogue Nation may just be it. From the introduction of Ilsa, to this movie being Christopher McQuarrie’s first time directing Mission: Impossible film, everything works beautifully. The opening plane stunt, the underwater sequence, the motorcycle chase sequence… Did I mention Rebecca Ferguson being one of the best things that have ever happened to this franchise? Even the stakes are fairly grounded, as far as this franchise goes, where the threat is significant enough for our team to conquer, but it’s not, “The whole world will explode if we don’t succeed now,” and I prefer those lower stakes. Sure, this might change on a future rewatch of this franchise, but ever since I watched Rogue Nation, I thought it might just be my favorite movie of this action-packed franchise. (Luke Burian)

The Mission: Impossible franchise owes a great deal of gratitude to Ghost Protocol. Five years after the third installment of the franchise, Brad Bird breathed new life into the franchise. This is the installment that popularized some of the most outlandish and crazy stunts you’ll see in the series (and in all of film), like the Burj Khalifa or that sandstorm scenes, expanded the roles of fan favorite Benji, and attempted to introduce characters that hopefully stuck around for a while (looking at you, Jeremy Renner). Ghost Protocol is also a reintroduction to the possibilities of this franchise. The soft reboot that Ghost Protocol did changed the trajectory of the series forever. This new era, featuring outlandish stunts, a consistent team, and style out of this world, made us believe in Mission: Impossible again. If Ghost Protocol didn’t work, we wouldn’t have gotten any of the movies after that. (Mike Hilty)

To follow up Fallout, arguably the peak of the Mission: Impossible franchise, Christopher McQuarrie and Tom Cruise got bigger, bolder, and higher stakes. Dead Reckoning is just the beginning of the biggest, most dangerous mission of Ethan Hunt’s career, as a phantom from his past creeps back, along with an all-powerful artificial intelligence hellbent on taking over the world. Dead Reckoning offers up all you could want from a Mission: Impossible film, with the incredible bike jump from a mountain and the whole train sequence at the climax. There is emotional weight, as a beloved franchise member does not make it out alive, yet Hayley Atwell’s Grace is a welcome addition to the IMF team. The whole world of Mission: Impossible comes together with the world on the brink. Excitement, thrills, heart, and emotion combine to create an incredible cinematic experience. (Shane Conto)

Mission: Impossible recently joined my Five Star Club, and it is very much deserved! The first time I ever watched this movie was on an airplane where you get the little cassette tapes, just like in the movie, and just like in the movie, the one I had self destructed after five seconds, requiring me to ask the flight attendant for another copy. The immersion I felt in that moment has always made this film special. I love how this first movie, in what would become an outstanding spy/action franchise, does so many fun spy clichés in unique and exciting ways, while simultaneously inventing some new tricks of its own. The CIA scene is by far one of the most iconic scenes of the decade, and is still a masterclass in tension building. It has been parodied to death, and was even so important it got to make a cameo in the latest entry. Brian De Palma’s unique style does make the movie stand out as slightly different, with his use of split diopter shots, the ‘90s era CGI, and the focus on spy craft noir over bright flashy action, but in the end, Mission: Impossible was the one that started it all. It will always hold a special place in my heart, and it can in yours too, should you choose to accept it! (Nick Ferro)

Much like his directorial predecessor, J.J. Abrams brings his own flair to the franchise, with a bit better results. Here, Ethan Hunt, now a family man and off active duty, is pulled back in to save a young protégée (Keri Russell) from the clutches of conniving arms dealer Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Sean Harris is great, but for my money, Hoffman gives us the best villain in the franchise. He is absolutely terrifying and truly pushes Ethan to his limit. Having someone he cares about in Julia (Michelle Monaghan) just ups the stakes, too. Though not in its final form, Hunt’s surrounded by a great team. Ving Rhames is here, and we get our introduction to Simon Pegg’s Benji, alongside Maggie Q and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. There’s just a really fun dynamic here. Laurence Fishburne is also a great addition to the rotating cast that takes their turn as the IMF head. Though we’re not quite in the “selling the movie with the stunt” phase of Mission: Impossible movies, the third does give you all the lens flares and Tom Cruise running moments you could ever ask for. (Jake Bourgeois)

Are you ready? The mission to end all missions. An all-powerful and all-seeing artificial intelligence. The Entity is close to control with the world on the brink. The nuclear holocaust is a close reality. There is only one person to save the world and complete the most impossible mission imaginable: Ethan Hunt. The Final Reckoning feels like the conclusion of Ethan’s journey, with Christopher McQuarrie crafting a giant homage to this beloved and game-changing action franchise. This filmoffers up some of the most impressive stunts and action set pieces of the whole franchise, with the submarine and dueling biplanes. Tom Cruise kills it, as he always does, as the unrelenting, driven, brave Hunt who will stop at nothing to save his team and the rest of the world. There is plenty of emotion and real stakes, as not every fan favorite member of the team makes it out of this dangerous mission. The cast comes to play, and the epic scale of this eighth film is awe-inspiring. If this is truly it, they certainly went out in a big way. (Shane Conto)

John Woo takes the helm for the followup to the original, and the results are, frankly, not great. However, that’s not to say there’s no fun to be had here. In the franchise’s attempt to do its best GoldenEye impression, Ethan Hunt must face off with a truly, actually rogue agent (Dougray Scott) with the help of a skilled thief (Thandiwe Newton). Does Anthony Hopkins’s presence as the IMF chief soften me up a bit? Perhaps, but there is a certain kinetic nature to the way Woo shoots action (silly motorcycle joust, slow motion, and obligatory doves and all) that gives the movie a certain measure of watchability. In a way, ridiculousness will become a calling card for the franchise, just not quite like this. (Jake Bourgeois)