Tom Cruise, a famous face in big-budget action movies, kicked off his acting career in the early 1980s. He is a remarkable actor and producer who takes risks and uses smart techniques to deliver clean stunts, as seen from the popular Mission: Impossible movie series.
Tom Cruise is known for his dedication to going the extra mile in movies by doing his own stunts, and he never seems afraid to risk his life when the cameras are rolling. According to Vulture’s article, Tom’s Mission: Impossible co-star, Simon Pegg, praised him for caring so much about the audience experience. Moreover, he gets acknowledgment for being an actor who entirely puts himself at the feet of his directors.
However, despite all the training and safety measures on set, Tom Cruise has suffered several injuries. Therefore, it is no surprise that a stunt professional like him is heavily insured and has a personal injury law firm on call.
What Are the Top 5 Most Dangerous Movie Stunts Done by Tom Cruise?
Even in his late 50’s, Tom Cruise is still performing insanely dangerous stunts without the help of stunt doubles. And action movie enthusiasts can’t wait to watch the soon-to-be-released Mission: Impossible 7 (2021) and Mission: Impossible 8 (2022).
Below are the top 5 most dangerous movie stunts Tom Cruise has pulled off in his career:
1. Scaling The Burj Khalifa in Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol
In 2011, Tom Cruise gracefully scaled Burj Khalifa, Dubai, the world’s tallest building (2,716.5 feet) at over 1000 feet high, and in this scene, he was attached to the building with cables, which were erased in the post-production process.
During this iconic scene, he particularly scales the side of the building using sticky gloves to access a restricted server room. He makes it even more exciting with a four-story free fall and running down the side of the building. This Ghost Protocol scene is unforgettable in the history of action sequences.
2. Underwater Sequence in Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation
Christopher McQuarrie is a phenomenal director, and he helped Tom to execute this scene flawlessly. Cruise refused to use a stunt double in the 20 feet underwater extraction scene; instead, he trained to hold his breath underwater for over six minutes. This scene shows impeccable acting skills and great resilience from Tom Cruise, making the producers worry about him taking the acting too far.
3. Flying an Aircraft in Top Gun: Maverick
Top Gun (1986) is an extraordinary aviation film that shows what it’s like to be a top gun pilot, and its sequel, Top Gun: Maverick release, is in 2021. During Top Gun filming, Tom Cruise realized his passion for aviation, and in 1994, he officially got a private pilot’s license.
Therefore, fans are excited to see Tom doing some real flying on the P-51 Mustang in Top Gun: Maverick. However, the director mentioned that special Navy clearance was required for some stunts, such as Tom’s take-off in the desert at an insanely low altitude. Moreover, he stated that Tom Cruise did some insane sequences and actualized his aviation stunt dreams despite being barred by the Navy from flying an F-18.
4. Holding onto a Moving Plane in Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation
Tom Cruise never shies away from taking the stakes higher, and in the hair-raising opening scene of Rogue Nation 2015, he jumps on an A400M military transport aircraft and hangs on for dear life as it takes off. The aircraft went up to 1500m/5000ft into the air.
Tom wore a full-body harness wired to the plane and scleral lenses to protect his eyes during this stunt. Moreover, the scene had eight takes, and he acknowledges it as the most dangerous stunt of his whole career.
5. 360 Degree Helicopter Chase in Mission: Impossible Fallout
Tom Cruise was able to pull off this insane stunt after training for a year and a half to fly a helicopter just for this scene. He did a 360-degree downward spiral in the dangerous mountain terrain and effortlessly climbed a helicopter using a rope.
In this scene, the sky battle was between Ethan (Tom Cruise) and Lark, where Ethan was to retrieve a detonator that would deactivate the bombs. This 2018 action movie further proves the impeccable dedication Tom Cruise has in delivering clean scenes.
