When you think of Mission: Impossible, the first thing you probably think about is the action that has defined the franchise since its inception. That’s become especially true in later installments, which have been defined by Tom Cruise doing increasingly insane things to entertain audiences.
The Final Reckoning has arrived, and it may or may not be the last installment in this franchise. We’ve ranked the five best major action sequences in The Final Reckoning to commemorate this film and its memorable set pieces.
5. The opening pursuit
The Final Reckoning is less action-forward than some previous installments in the franchise. The movie’s opening pursuit is indicative of that, as Ethan and Grace try to hunt down Gabriel and the Entity following the events of Dead Reckoning.
It’s not the most inspiring stuff, but seeing Benji, Paris, and Theo rescue Ethan and Grace is a lovely subversion of how the action in these movies usually goes.
4. The showdown at the bunker
This is a fairly conventional gunfight between the CIA and Gabriel’s forces, and one that Ethan only shows up for near the end.
It’s followed by much more electrifying stuff, but even this relatively standard set piece is a reminder of Christopher McQuarrie’s unique flair for action, even if it’s not as inventive as some of what we’ve seen in previous installments.
3. The firefight with the Russians
The best of the more minor action sequences in The Final Reckoning involves Grace and William Donloe’s wife exchanging fire with Russian special forces as they try to get the coordinates for the Sevastopol, which he has memorized.
It’s yet another set piece that doesn’t feel all that inventive. However, it’s executed basically to perfection. It’s also an important reminder of how good Haley Atwell is at the action part of the Mission formula.
2. The biplane chase
Although the other entries on this list are notable, the two most important set pieces in The Final Reckoning occupy the top spots on this list. McQuarrie and Cruise have spent plenty of time discussing all the ways the actor’s work outside of the biplane was dangerous. Let me tell you, it looks spectacular.
As Ethan and Gabriel battle while flying over South Africa, we get to see just how much danger Cruise was willing to put himself in for the sake of a good shot. It’s not quite as great as the helicopter fight at the end of Fallout, but it’s definitely covering similar terrain and might feel even more perilous.
1. The Sevastopol extraction
One of the greatest set pieces in the history of this entire franchise. The underwater work done by Ethan, who travels to the bottom of the ocean to extract the rabbit’s foot from the Sevastopol, is simply stunning. Underwater cinematography is very easy to do wrong, but McQuarrie nails the ocean’s beauty and its perilous nature.
There have only been a handful of water stunts in Mission: Impossible’s history. This is by far the best. Every obstacle Ethan encounters, right up until he’s forced to swim back up to the surface with nothing but his underwear to protect him, makes the sequence more tense and alive. Like all of the best action sequences, I have no idea how they pulled it off.
Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning is now in theaters.
