On his 62nd birthday (this can’t be true!), we will take a look back at 5 Insane Tom Cruise Action Scenes that no other actor can imitate again. Perhaps the world’s greatest action star alongside Jackie Chan, Tom has never stopped pushing the bar of action further and further to the point where he will be the first actor to shoot in space very soon. It’s a fact.
I would like to state that I haven’t ranked them from best to worst or worst to best. There’s no way one can rank these action scenes. The five mentioned below are the Top 5 Crazy Tom Cruise Action Scenes, in my opinion. But I’m sure that many of you will find at least a couple of these in your top 5 too.
5 Insane Tom Cruise Action Scenes
The Burj Khalifa Sequence in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
This is the one where Tom Cruise upped the stunt game. While Mission Impossible II’s rock climbing was breathtaking, to see him climb, run downwards, and across the walls of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, in Ghost Protocol, was insane. There is no other way to describe it. Those who were fortunate enough to see the movie on the big screen would know the apt feeling, although I doubt if they will be able to describe it. That’s Tom Cruise for you, someone who cannot be described in words.
The Helicopter Sequence in Mission Impossible: Fallout
It’s very easy to get lost in the sheer magnitude of the stunts TC pulls off in his movies. But the kind of training he undergoes, to achieve these feats, is what makes him one of the world’s most hardworking actors, if not the most hardworking actor, who is ready to go all in for his audience. The Helicopter chase sequence is one such stunt. He had to act, fly the helicopter between mountains, and operate the cameras attached to his helicopter. He can pretty much be a special agent for real. Good job, Ethan.
The Airbus Sequence in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
Tom Cruise’s love for aviation took yet another angle when he scaled and then hung onto the side of the majestic Airbus A400M Atlas that reached heights of over 5000 ft. There was one harness attached to him, and all he had to grab onto the plane were his hands. That scene makes you hold your breath and is thus a true recipient of the Insane Tom Cruise Action Scenes Award.
The Breathholding Sequence in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
In another stunt in Rogue Nation, Tom had to swim in a water tank. But why need to mention it in a 5 Insane Tom Cruise Action Scenes list? Well, that’s because, for the stunt, he held his breath for upto 6 and a half minutes. Yeah, read that again. Remember when he was struggling to breathe underwater while trying to change the profile drives for Benji? Well, he was acting. He trained with professional freedivers to learn to control his breathing and lower his heart rate.
In The Graham Norton Show, Tom addresses the experience as “not pleasant”. When was the last time you heard someone describe potential death as “not pleasant”? That’s so TC, bro.
The Cliff Sequence in Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part I (Upcoming)
Cliffs are Tom’s specialty. From Mission Impossible II’s rock climbing on a cliff in Utah to the free climb at Norway’s iconic Preikestolen in Mission Impossible: Fallout to jumping off a cliff on a bike in Norway’s Helsetkopen in the upcoming Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part I, the guy’s thirst for cliffs is seemingly unquenchable. It is the 3 third cliff sequence that we are talking about, which is also believed to be the greatest stunt in cinema history. Are you ready to witness it?
Honourable Mention: Tom Cruise broke his ankle while leaping between two buildings in Mission Impossible: Fallout. But he completed the shot. Who does that? I’ll tell you who. Mr. Nobody Else.
Happy Birthday, the immortal Tom Cruise.
Which of these 5 Insane Tom Cruise Action Scenes did you like the most? Do let us know in the comments below.
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