10 Ways The Mission Impossible Movies Keep Getting Better

It's a typically held truth that franchises that go on for sequel after sequel tend to get worse, so what the hell is going on with Mission: Impossible? This series is now 19 years old and on its fifth instalment, yet it has never declined in quality - certainly never enough to kill it in its tracks. In fact, it's gotten a lot better, and Rogue Nation is the best one yet. 

How do they do it?

Like Tom Cruise himself, these movies can't be stopped. The first Mission: Impossible was a solid spy thriller, but it was natural to assume any followups would start getting repetitive. But then the sequels came along and knocked all cynicism out of the park: a fun John Woo outing with II and then the incredible Mission: Impossible III, which was clearly better than its predecessors. That's probably where the series would peak though, right? 

Nope.

Five years later, Brad Bird knocked it out of the park with Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, topping the previous movie and becoming the best action film of that year. Further sequels were inevitable, and incredibly, Rogue Nation is even able to exceed Ghost Protocol. 

Unless planned as a series from the start like Harry Potter, it's so rare that the fourth and fifth films in a franchise are way better than the first few, but they've somehow pulled it off here. Let's examine how this impossible task has been accomplished and break down 10 ways Mission: Impossible has managed to improve over time. 

Bringing in Simon Pegg as Benji in Mission: Impossible III was a wise move. Although he was initially intended to be a minor character, Benji is essential to Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation working so well. Pegg has more screen time in the fifth instalment than the previous films and he adds a much-needed sense of fun to the movie, getting plenty of laughs out of the audience that you'd want from a more disposable summer blockbuster. 

His character is more than just comic relief, though; his usefulness and dynamic with Hunt elevate him beyond a simple joke machine - in fact, their chemistry is one of the best parts of the film.

Jeremy Renner joined the franchise in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, and he has proven to be another excellent addition. Brandt wasn't all that memorable in Ghost Protocol, but Rogue Nation allows him to become far more interesting and likeable, especially when paired with apparent new BFF Ving Rhames. 

It's hard to imagine a version of this film without Pegg or Renner, and when rewatching the original two movies, it feels like something is missing. Benji and Brandt are now a vital part of Mission: Impossible, and giving them more to do in Rogue Nation is a big reason it's so great.