Impossible character Ethan Hunt gamely takes on the burden, ad nauseam, of saving the world, Cruise genuinely thinks he can save cinema. His optimism is touching, if unrealistic. But as hard as he, and we,

Mission: Impossible has redefined what action cinema can be, and at its heart, one man has chased the impossible with fearless resolve. Tom Cruise, the eternal spy Ethan Hunt, has hung off cliffs, scaled skyscrapers and leapt from planes all in service of a franchise that never stops raising the bar.

Impossible - The Final Reckoning received a 7½-minute ovation in its world premiere screening at the Cannes Film Festival.