‘Mission: Impossible': 7 stunts that redefined high-stakes action cinema
The knife to the eye ('Mission: Impossible 2', 2000)
The stunt: A knife stops just short of Cruise's eyeball during a brutal, close-quarters fight.
Game changer: This bold moment cemented the actor's reputation for going above and beyond, pushing the limits of commitment in performing dangerous stunts.
Don't miss: Exclusive: Meet Jess Khan-Lee, the actress making Hong Kong shine in the latest 'Mission: Impossible' movie The Burj Khalifa climb ('Ghost Protocol', 2011)
The stunt: Scaling the exterior of the world's tallest building in Dubai using only suction gloves.
Game changer: This climb transformed Mission: Impossible into a global spectacle. Cruise trained on glass walls before performing the actual climb hundreds of stories above ground. The image of Cruise clinging to glass became instantly iconic, establishing the franchise's new scale of ambition. The airplane hang ('Rogue Nation', 2015)
The stunt: Clinging to the exterior of an Airbus A400M cargo plane during takeoff and flight to 5,000 feet.
Game changer: Director Christopher McQuarrie initially suggested this as a joke—Cruise took it literally. Performing the stunt eight times while facing bird strikes, debris impacts and fuel exhaust, this aerial nightmare became the signature marketing imagefor Rogue Nation and set a new benchmark for Mission: Impossible madness. The HALO jump ('Fallout', 2018)
The stunt: A high altitude low opening parachute jump from 25,000 to 30,000 feet at dusk, making Cruise the first actor to perform an authentic HALO jump on screen.
Game changer: This sequence required 106 jumps to capture three perfect takes, with filming restricted to a narrow window at dusk. Apart from making Cruise the first actor to perform an authentic HALO jump on screen, it demonstrated how the franchise could make physiological extremes as thrilling as traditional action scenes. The motorcycle cliff jump ('Dead Reckoning Part One', 2023)
The stunt: Riding a motorcycle off a massive Norwegian cliff, then BASE jumping to safety.
Game changer: Described as 'the biggest stunt in cinema history', this leap required one full year of BASE jumping training and 13,000 motocross jumps. Cruise performed it six times from a specially constructed Norwegian mountain ramp. Director McQuarrie considered it the most dangerous stunt the team had ever attempted, pushing the franchise into extreme sports territory. The rooftop jump and ankle break ('Fallout, 2018')
The stunt: A London rooftop leap that resulted in Cruise breaking his ankle on impact—and finishing the take.
Game changer: This wasn't planned, but it became the ultimate testament to Cruise's dedication. After breaking his ankle, he completed the take anyway—footage of his injury reportedly appears in the final cut. Production halted for three months, yet Cruise continued performing on his healing ankle, underscoring the real dangers of practical stunt work. 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' (2025)
As the franchise comes to its epic conclusion, Cruise has saved his most audacious stunts for last. The Final Reckoning promises two sequences that may once again redefine the meaning of 'impossible': one sees Cruise clinging to the wing of a 1930s Boeing Stearman biplane flying upside down through South African canyons at 10,000 feet. The other is an underwater scene filmed in a custom-built 800,000-gallon tank with a 1,000-ton rotating gimbal.
After nearly three decades of defying gravity and redefining what's possible on screen, Cruise continues to prove that even the most impossible missions are worth attempting.
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‘Mission: Impossible': 7 stunts that redefined high-stakes action cinema
The knife to the eye ('Mission: Impossible 2', 2000) The stunt: A knife stops just short of Cruise's eyeball during a brutal, close-quarters fight. Game changer: This bold moment cemented the actor's reputation for going above and beyond, pushing the limits of commitment in performing dangerous stunts. Don't miss: Exclusive: Meet Jess Khan-Lee, the actress making Hong Kong shine in the latest 'Mission: Impossible' movie The Burj Khalifa climb ('Ghost Protocol', 2011) The stunt: Scaling the exterior of the world's tallest building in Dubai using only suction gloves. Game changer: This climb transformed Mission: Impossible into a global spectacle. Cruise trained on glass walls before performing the actual climb hundreds of stories above ground. The image of Cruise clinging to glass became instantly iconic, establishing the franchise's new scale of ambition. The airplane hang ('Rogue Nation', 2015) The stunt: Clinging to the exterior of an Airbus A400M cargo plane during takeoff and flight to 5,000 feet. Game changer: Director Christopher McQuarrie initially suggested this as a joke—Cruise took it literally. Performing the stunt eight times while facing bird strikes, debris impacts and fuel exhaust, this aerial nightmare became the signature marketing imagefor Rogue Nation and set a new benchmark for Mission: Impossible madness. The HALO jump ('Fallout', 2018) The stunt: A high altitude low opening parachute jump from 25,000 to 30,000 feet at dusk, making Cruise the first actor to perform an authentic HALO jump on screen. Game changer: This sequence required 106 jumps to capture three perfect takes, with filming restricted to a narrow window at dusk. Apart from making Cruise the first actor to perform an authentic HALO jump on screen, it demonstrated how the franchise could make physiological extremes as thrilling as traditional action scenes. The motorcycle cliff jump ('Dead Reckoning Part One', 2023) The stunt: Riding a motorcycle off a massive Norwegian cliff, then BASE jumping to safety. Game changer: Described as 'the biggest stunt in cinema history', this leap required one full year of BASE jumping training and 13,000 motocross jumps. Cruise performed it six times from a specially constructed Norwegian mountain ramp. Director McQuarrie considered it the most dangerous stunt the team had ever attempted, pushing the franchise into extreme sports territory. The rooftop jump and ankle break ('Fallout, 2018') The stunt: A London rooftop leap that resulted in Cruise breaking his ankle on impact—and finishing the take. Game changer: This wasn't planned, but it became the ultimate testament to Cruise's dedication. After breaking his ankle, he completed the take anyway—footage of his injury reportedly appears in the final cut. Production halted for three months, yet Cruise continued performing on his healing ankle, underscoring the real dangers of practical stunt work. 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' (2025) As the franchise comes to its epic conclusion, Cruise has saved his most audacious stunts for last. The Final Reckoning promises two sequences that may once again redefine the meaning of 'impossible': one sees Cruise clinging to the wing of a 1930s Boeing Stearman biplane flying upside down through South African canyons at 10,000 feet. The other is an underwater scene filmed in a custom-built 800,000-gallon tank with a 1,000-ton rotating gimbal. After nearly three decades of defying gravity and redefining what's possible on screen, Cruise continues to prove that even the most impossible missions are worth attempting. Credits This article was created with the assistance of AI tools
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Above Ving Rhames returns as Luther Stickell (Photo: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures) The Entity being able to control not just an isolated patch of the internet, but the entire cyberspace, leads to interesting scenarios compared to how Mission: Impossible films usually unfold. Suddenly stripped of the technology they have come to rely on, the characters suddenly must go analogue, forcing them to adapt to conditions that present their own set of risks and challenges. The action sequences are phenomenal, and the outrageous spectacles for which the franchise is known remain on full display. The fights themselves feel raw and visceral, adding a much-needed dash of realism. Amidst all this chaos, it also manages to find moments to sprinkle in lighthearted scenes that help the characters feel human and genuine. At the centre of all this are Cruise's stunts. Though Hunt seems superhuman in surviving extreme conditions, falls and blunt force trauma, he visibly struggles . He claws, trembles, grits his teeth, groans in pain and holds on for dear life. The payoff when he eventually succeeds in defeating his opponent is made that much more satisfying. However, certain scenes, such as Hunt's journey into the submarine Sevastopol, drag on for far longer than necessary. It succeeds in building tension, but fails to find the right moment to release it, resulting in a rather lukewarm tone to what would otherwise have been a nail-biter. Above This isn't the first time Cruise has clung onto a mid-flight plane (Photo: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures) Cruise wears the guise of Hunt like a second skin. He knows the character inside and out, flawlessly showcasing the agent's nigh-unshakeable confidence (and penchant for long-distance running) with enthusiastic intensity. There's a reason why he does his own stunts—it's because Hunt would have done the same. Cruise also enjoys chemistry with Pegg and Rhames, both of whom likewise deliver convincing and relatable performances. When all three are together on screen, they feel like old friends, especially with their back-and-forth exchanges and quips whose meanings only they are privy to. Grace brings a touch of pragmatism to the otherwise experienced and desensitised IMF. She acts as a sorely-needed voice of reason in a group that is already used to Hunt's antics; only she spoke out against Hunt's unhealthy practice of hoping that things go exactly according to plan, even though they rarely do. Paris stood out to me in Dead Reckoning thanks to Klementieff's electrifying performance, and was concerned that she would be relegated to a one-dimensional character who would only shine when she was punching someone in the face. I was proven wrong. In Final Reckoning , Paris retains her fiery demeanour and sharp wit, but she also has refreshing moments of vulnerability, providing a surprising layer of depth. In case you missed it: In 'Nosferatu', true horror lies within the human Above Hunt inspects a familiar-looking knife, which he receives from a familiar-looking individual (Photo: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures) On the other hand, Degas' character felt underutilised, despite the innate potential he carries. He is someone who follows orders faithfully, but is capable of taking a step back and making his own decisions. A few more scenes of him debating over obeying his superiors or aiding Hunt would have made him far more compelling and convincing ally. Morales brings Gabriel's cold and unsettling ruthlessness to life. He is commanding, self-assured and charismatic every time he's on screen. Even when he isn't, his presence lingers in the back of your mind. You know he's there somewhere, watching and waiting to attack. You just don't know when—and that's precisely what makes him so intimidating to both Hunt and the audience. The film nonetheless excels in caring about the characters that populate its world. Even minor supporting roles, such as Captain Bledsoe (Tramell Tillman) or Admiral Neely (Hannah Waddingham), are given incredible amounts of personality that one might easily forget that they're not part of the main cast. Above Catch the trailer of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Mission: Impossible - Final Reckoning manages to stand on its own merit, despite it being the second half of a two-part finale. And yet, its main role is clear: a proper, sentimental sendoff for what might be Cruise's last appearance as Hunt. It's a walk down memory lane as it references its past entries, from subtle gestures, reintroducing old faces and connecting the dots of previous mysteries in a way that, a majority of the time, feels natural and well-earned. It's a treat to see these not as pure acts of fan service, but as driving moments that move the plot forward. But that's not to say the film doesn't enjoy doing it. The characters themselves are just as excited, delighted, and yes, even devastated, to encounter these little moments. Just like all of Hunt's missions, Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning , at times, derails. It makes mistakes; it's imperfect. It is at its best when it is a spy flick, with Cruise clinging onto the side of a plane or running surveillance with the help of his team (and hiding behind a digital camouflage screen). Mishaps occur during those protracted stunt scenes, more effective at irritating you than building suspense. Yet these small, awkward blotches ultimately end up as part of its charm. It veers off-course, but it never loses sight of what it is: a film about saving the day, even when no one is watching—a mission it chooses to accept, every single time.
