To think that this guy is 61 is wild…
Tom Cruise is not only an incredible actor, whacky scientologist and serial sofa jumper, but he’s a maniacal daredevil who seems hellbent on dying on camera. Despite his best efforts, however, old mate has made it to the tender age of 61, and he’s still kicking on just as hard as his glory days in the 90s, particularly when it comes to the ol’ action film.
Whether it be hanging out of or crashing helicopters, parachuting down mountains, jet flying or sitting on top of skyscrapers “Just to get some photos”, he’s continuing to push the limits of what a human being is capable of, so much so that we figured we’d take a little trip down memory lane and revisit five times it seemed like his only mission in life was to die on camera (Guess it was an Impossible Mission).
So, check out some of his most death-defying stunts below, and if you’re even considering trying any of these, consider leaving it to the professionals folks:
Mission: Impossible – Fallout
In the 2018 installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise, Tom Cruise decided to take his piloting skills to new heights – and by heights we mean he must’ve gotten outrageously high on drugs before doing this scene, because no normal person would even think to have two helicopters chasing each other that low to a bunch of mountains. Add the fact that he’s flying dangerously close to mountains and even simulates a crash landing (to be fair though, he probably offered to crash a plane for real), and he basically violates every rule of “Safe Helicoptering 101”. But hey, if there’s anyone that could do such an act safely, it’s without a doubt TC.
Top Gun: Maverick
In the highly anticipated sequel to the 1986 classic, Top Gun, Tom Cruise once again took to the skies as the iconic pilot, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. Known for his dedication to aerial navigation, Cruise insisted on flying real fighter jets for many of the film’s exhilarating aerial sequences. As he gracefully maneuvered through the sky, performing barrel rolls and high-speed maneuvers, audiences couldn’t help but shit their collective pants for him. And despite the risks involved, Cruise managed to survive each death-defying flight, leaving us with the reassurance that Maverick would live to fly another day.
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
Probably the most Tom Cruise way of catching a plane, the Hollywood juggernaut risked it all just to hang off the side of an aircraft while it was taking off. It’s a proper wonder just how he pulled it all off while managing to act and say film dialogue, however we’re guessing the sense of sheer terror on his face was 100% legit. Seriously, when faced with hanging off a plane in mid-air or, well, being sane, wouldn’t it be worth just letting the bad guys win?
Jack Reacher
Tom Cruise’s portrayal of the eponymous character in Jack Reacher had us all gripping the edge of our seats, and not just because of how bloody angsty his portrayal of the title character was, but because of the sheer danger that would result whenever he would get behind the wheel. To be fair though, when you’re as big of a star as Tom Cruise, driving probably becomes exceedingly rare, however his skills in the 2012 epic are so outrageous that you’d be forgiven for thinking you were watching a Fast & Furious film (minus Vin Diesels continual beefing with The Rock and screaming “Family”).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQintjPovHA
The Mummy
Despite making 2008’s Speed Racer look like a box office triumph, one of the most impressive parts about the cinematic bomb known as The Mummy was its plane, with old mate and co-star Annabelle Wallis performing an action sequence in zero gravity. Obviously they were in the plane for real (minus the zombies), so there’s a whole host of problems that come along with that, but they make it look so easy that it’s hard to actually remember that they’re up so high they’ve lost gravity. Tom Cruise really has no fear of heights, hey?
