5 best tricks of Tom Cruise that make you want to ask: is he even normal?

In which movie did the actor break his leg while jumping off a roof for a beautiful shot? And how many minutes was he able to hold his breath during underwater filming?

Today, on May 23rd, the new installment of the "Mission: Impossible" franchise, subtitled "Dead Reckoning," is released worldwide. This is already the eighth installment of the cinematic universe that began back in 1996.

It's a great reason to remember why we all love Ethan Hunt so much. Spoiler: it's not just for the excellent acting but also for the real feats of physical preparation that Tom Cruise performs without stunt doubles.

Tom Cruise in a black suit and helmet during a skydiving jump looks at the camera against the backdrop of the sky — Tom Cruise performing stunts

Yes, yes, the man himself jumps off skyscrapers, clings to flying airplanes, and races on a motorcycle into the abyss. And now — the five craziest stunts of the franchise that make you want to ask: "Is he even normal?"

Flight on the Plane. On the Outside. (MI: Rogue Nation, 2015)

Cruise was literally hanging onto the door of a taking-off military Airbus A400. No CGI. No wires erased in post-production.

Tom Cruise Talks About Doing the Airplane Stunt

In the shot, he's hanging at an altitude of 1500 meters—simply because the script demanded "more action." The stunt was repeated eight times until the right take was captured.

Running on Glass of the Tallest Building in the World (MI: Ghost Protocol, 2011)

Burj Khalifa, 828 meters, Dubai. Tom Cruise runs vertically outside the tower, climbing the smooth surface with the help of magnetic gloves.

Tom Cruise performs a stunt on the tallest building in the world

At any moment — a step to the side, and down. But he was really running there. At bird's eye height.

Chase Across London's Rooftops — With a Broken Leg (MI: Fallout, 2018)

Yes, the very scene where he jumps between rooftops, misses — and breaks his leg.

Trailer for 'Mission: Impossible - Fallout' featuring Tom Cruise jumping across rooftops

And you know what Tom does? He finishes the scene. Then he goes for rehabilitation. Because reshooting the scene is no longer possible. And this version went to the cinema.

Holding Breath Underwater for 6 Minutes (MI: Rogue Nation, 2015)

In the underwater heist scene, he holds his breath for almost six minutes—this isn't movie magic, it's training with freedivers.

Tom Cruise Performs Underwater Stunt

The body was pushed to the limit to make the footage real. No one has done this in spy thrillers before.

Motorcycle Leap into the Abyss (MI: Dead Reckoning, 2023)

Cruise accelerates on a motorcycle, soars off the cliff, and... flies. Without a stuntman. With a parachute that opens only in free fall.

Tom Cruise performs a motorcycle stunt

A ramp was built for the stunt and it was tested for months. The director admitted he held his breath during filming.

Every new "Mission" is not just action. It's a challenge to gravity, common sense, and production insurance. And Tom Cruise not only comes up with it all—he jumps in himself. Mission? Possible. If you're Cruise. And earlier on zoomboola.com, we talked about the stunts actor Keanu Reeves performed without doubles in "John Wick 4."