Top 5 Mission Impossible Sequences!

[Hunter Rider]

This franchise has created so many memorable sequences over the last 20+ years, but what would be your top 5?


5. Langley Heist (Mission Impossible)

One of the most copied and homaged sequences in movie history, the tension is palpable as Ethan hangs above the computer with several domino pieces in place that could fall at any minute, the lack of music just adds to proceedings.

4. Car/Bike chase (Rogue Nation)
A twofer chase sequence from McQ, the car section is kinetic and takes place within a lot of tight spaces as Ethan fends off the following bike assassins, then the bike section is epic and viscerally fast, sweeping over the twisting moutain roads of Morroco.

3. Burj Khalifa/Sandstorm Chase (Ghost Protocol)
This is essentially all one sequence, the focus is always on Ethan running down the side of the buidling but the entire sequence is a deft two hander shell game, Ethan's building craziness that culminates in the Sandstorm chase.

2. Opera Assassination (Rogue Nation)
The way the whole sequence escalates and unfolds in sync with the Opera going on below is mesmerizing, McQ never loses track of where everyone is and it builds to a satisfying conclusion.

1. Helicopter chase (Fallout)
Breathtaking! Nothing like it has been done before due to the fact no actor flies their own helicopter, it creates a stunning sequence with aerial shots unlike any seen before that put your right in the chase, and it comes to a conclusion with a great fight on the side of a mountian.

 

[Mysteryman]

While I have always considered the Langley Heist my favorite,
It is hard to argue with the order of this list.

Especially when you factor in the Opera Assassination and the Helicopter Chase.
You are right that that The Burj Khalifa and the Sandstorm are a combined sequence.

One of my favorite little moments from Ghost Protocol is when Brandt reminds Ethan that he still has his goggles around his neck just before his meeting with Moreau.

That gives him a logical reason to have his goggles in his pocket when the sandstorm hits.

 

[DACrowe]

Well reasoned and argued, and most of mine are the same, but a different order so I'll just list them as is:

1. Break Into Langley/the Vault scene in Mission: Impossible. A masterclass in tension, suspense, and style by De Palma.

2. The Dubai Skyscraper sequence. Ghost Protocol isn't even in my top 3 M:I films, but that scene of Cruise really climbing on the world's tallest building like Spider-Man... is really hard to beat. Especially "Blue means glue." "And red?" "Dead." The payoff is tremendous.

3. The Vienna opera house assassination sequence in Rogue Nation. The inclusion of Turnadot in the score is beautiful, and it is the most Hitchcockian sequence in all the M:I movies. The cat and mouse game between Ethan and Ilsa was never more enticing than this scene.

4. Helicopter chase at the end of Fallout. IMAX plus real helicopters and real Cruise is hard to beat.

5. The Paris escape in Fallout. Riding against traffic at full-speed around the Arc de Triomphe. I don't care if they're all stunt drivers, that is more insane to me than Cruise doing the HALO jump.

 

[Mysteryman]

Well reasoned and argued, and most of mine are the same, but a different order so I'll just list them as is:

1. Break Into Langley/the Vault scene in Mission: Impossible. A masterclass in tension, suspense, and style by De Palma.

2. The Dubai Skyscraper sequence. Ghost Protocol isn't even in my top 3 M:I films, but that scene of Cruise really climbing on the world's tallest building like Spider-Man... is really hard to beat. Especially "Blue means glue." "And red?" "Dead." The payoff is tremendous.

3. The Vienna opera house assassination sequence in Rogue Nation. The inclusion of Turnadot in the score is beautiful, and it is the most Hitchcockian sequence in all the M:I movies. The cat and mouse game between Ethan and Ilsa was never more enticing than this scene.

4. Helicopter chase at the end of Fallout. IMAX plus real helicopters and real Cruise is hard to beat.

5. The Paris escape in Fallout. Riding against traffic at full-speed around the Arc de Triomphe. I don't care if they're all stunt drivers, that is more insane to me than Cruise doing the HALO jump.

The Paris sequence is even more impressive when you consider that they only had 90 minutes in which to film the sequence.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

5. Moscow Prison Break (Ghost Protocol)

4. Vienna Opera House Assassination (Rogue Nation)

3. Casablanca Heist and Chase (Rogue Nation)

2. Paris Chase (Fallout)

1. The Burj Khalifa (Ghost Protocol)

 

[Luigi]

1. Helicopter Duel (Fallout)

2. Opera House (Rogue Nation)

3. Bathroom Brawl (Fallout)

4. Langley Heist (MI)

5. Bridge Attack (MI3)

 

[Mysteryman]

1. Helicopter Duel (Fallout)

2. Opera House (Rogue Nation)

3. Bathroom Brawl (Fallout)

4. Langley Heist (MI)

5. Bridge Attack (MI3)

The Bridge Attack is a very strong addition.
A highly underrated and very cool sequence.

 

[Gold Samurai]

I have watched the car/bike chase from Rogue Nation at least 50 times.

1. Helicopter Duel (Fallout)

2. Car/Bike chase (Rogue Nation)

3. The A400 sequence (Rogue Nation)

4. Bike/Car chase (Fallout)

5. Foot chase (Fallout)

 

[Mysteryman]

I have watched the car/bike chase from Rogue Nation at least 50 times.

1. Helicopter Duel (Fallout)

2. Car/Bike chase (Rogue Nation)

3. The A400 sequence (Rogue Nation)

4. Bike/Car chase (Fallout)

5. Foot chase (Fallout)

Have you watched the car chase more than Rogue Nation itself?

 

[Doug_Moore]

The chase scene in Mission Impossible II. He also actually did the rock climbing and risked getting stabbed in the eye with a real knife.

 

[Mysteryman]

It may not be as grand as some of the others,
But, I am going to throw in The Vatican Sequence from MI:III.
I was always impressed with the speed and efficiency of how that was pulled off.
Plus, not only do we have an Impressive stunt from Tom as Ethan scales the wall, I also Love Ethan's conversion from Deliveryman into Priest.

 

[Luigi]

The Bridge Attack is a very strong addition.
A highly underrated and very cool sequence.

MI3 is highly underrated in general.

 

[Mysteryman]

MI3 is highly underrated in general.

One of my favorite movies of all time.

 

[Johnny-Oh]

1. The Burj Khalifa (Ghost Protocol) - The climing scene alone is enough to put it at #1 but everything in Dubai(climbing the building, exchanging the codes, the catfight, the sandstorm chase) is just brilliant.

2. Vatican Abduction (MI3) - Tense and suspenseful in typical Mission Impossible fashion but also really fun and overlooked like a lot of MI3. Oh! and Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.

3. Vienna Opera House (Rogue Nation) - Really clever use of the setting and how it used the music to fit the events of the sequence.

4. Langey Vault Heist (Mission Impossible) - What left is there to say? It's simply great and iconic.

5. Paris Chase (Fallout) - It's mindblowing seeing Tom Cruise driving a bike through the streets of Paris, it had me watching with my mouth wide open.


P.S. Looking at my list, I think I prefer the heist type sequences more than the action ones. It's probably why Ghost Protocol is my favorite It was still hard to pick though, this franchise is awesome.

 

[Mysteryman]

Nice to see more love for The Vatican Sequence.
It really is Pure Mission Impossible.

 

[DACrowe]

I gotta say the "Humpty dumpty" line really threw me. I don't know if that was Tom's ego feeling like "I need a one-liner" or more likely JJ wanting to do one on his first big Hollywood movie, but... ugh. It comes out of nowhere because nowhere else in the M:I franchise does Ethan make quips. And that wasn't even a kind of dry humor Bond joke, but more like something Arnold Schwarzenegger would've said in an '80s shoot 'em up, complete with the zoom in on his face right before he gives it.

I only say that now, because it is so out of left field and doesn't fit Ethan's character or anything else in the now six movies.

 

[Deck Rickard]

The Opera Assassination (Rogue Nation) should win simply for Rebecca Ferguson's dress.

 

[FeedOnATreeFrog]

This is way too difficult.

But the opening Prague scene in the first movie is one of my favorites.

 

[Mysteryman]

Are we talking Prague Embassy or the opening sequence with Ethan and Claire?

 

[Gold Samurai]

Have you watched the car chase more than Rogue Nation itself?

Yep. The wham bam of the car and then the motorcycle chase is always exhilarating to watch.

The movie is still great to watch on the plane.

I think the final act was a little slow though with trapping Lane in a glass case.

 

[Pink Ranger]

Sad that there's nothing on the "jumping at each other off motorcycles" thing from MI2. The visceral realism of that scene gave me chills.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Sad that there's nothing on the "jumping at each other off motorcycles" thing from MI2. The visceral realism of that scene gave me chills.

 

[Pink Ranger]

There's an alternate universe out there where MI2 gets completed on schedule and Dougray Scott doesn't have to turn down the role of Wolverine in X-men.

 

[Mysteryman]

I always enjoyed the factory sequence from MI III.
It got the movie off to a great start.

 

[Hunter Rider]

5. Moscow Prison Break (Ghost Protocol)

4. Vienna Opera House Assassination (Rogue Nation)

3. Casablanca Heist and Chase (Rogue Nation)

2. Paris Chase (Fallout)

1. The Burj Khalifa (Ghost Protocol)

Only mention of this sequence but it does give Ghost Protocol a very unqiue opening.

The Bridge Attack is a very strong addition.
A highly underrated and very cool sequence.

JJ's joint best action sequence of his career IMO, very nearly made my list.

I have watched the car/bike chase from Rogue Nation at least 50 times.

1. Helicopter Duel (Fallout)

2. Car/Bike chase (Rogue Nation)

3. The A400 sequence (Rogue Nation)

4. Bike/Car chase (Fallout)

5. Foot chase (Fallout)

Only mention of this sequence as well, it had a lot of hype around it but it doesn't really feel connected to the film's main plot, like it was a set piece for the sake of it which is not how things usually work in this franchise.

It may not be as grand as some of the others, But, I am going to throw in The Vatican Sequence from MI:III.
I was always impressed with the speed and efficiency of how that was pulled off. Plus, not only do we have an Impressive stunt from Tom as Ethan scales the wall, I also Love Ethan's conversion from Deliveryman into Priest.

It's a quality sequence, it feels like JJ's nod to the Langley heist.

This is way too difficult.

But the opening Prague scene in the first movie is one of my favorites.

That's a great slice of old spycraft with the luxurious foreign embassy setting a classic trope of the espionage genre.