19 times Tom Cruise left us mind-blown with his own stunts in Hollywood

Modified Feb 03, 2025 13:16 ET

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (Image via Paramount Pictures) — Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (Image via YouTube/Skydance)

5. Free Solo Rock Climbing – Mission: Impossible II (2000)

Mission: Impossible II (Image via Paramount Pictures)

Cruise opened Mission: Impossible II by free solo climbing Utah’s Dead Horse Point, 2,000 feet above the ground, without a rope or net. While he had a harness for safety, the climbing was real. He dangled from ledges with his fingertips, performed a risky jump between rocks, and held his body weight with one arm. Professional climbers admitted how difficult the stunt was. Even with safety precautions, one slip could have been deadly. It set the tone for the entire film, showing Ethan Hunt as someone willing to risk everything, just like Cruise himself.