Of all the reasons to watch the Mission: Impossible movies, more than the exotic locales or high-tech macguffins, watching Tom Cruise risk life and limb doing progressively crazier and more death-defying stunts has to be number one. After 8 films in the franchise across 4 decades, there’s really not even a second place. But it’s easy to forget the relatively humble beginnings of Ethan Hunt’s big screen adventures as not-quite-an-action-star Tom Cruise gradually became more determined to single-handedly change the course of cinematic spectacle. So here, for the next 100 minutes or so, let’s take some time to study the 30-year evolution of the Impossible stunts Tom Cruise and a legion of filmmakers, riggers and practical effects wizards brought to life for the Mission: Impossible franchise.

From the iconic vault heist to steal the NOC list from CIA Headquarters in Langley, through John Woo’s signature white doves and slow motion, JJ Abrams nuts and bolts approach to action sequences and Brad Bird’s animation prowess, the franchise had already come a long way by the time Christopher McQuarrie took the reins on M:I 5 – Rogue Nation. From there, the IMF and its obsession with practical effects and stunt work has only gotten more ambitious and fearless. It’s a 30 year evolution of The Mission Impossible Franchise’s most iconic stunts.

"The 30-Year Evolution of Mission: Impossible Stunts"

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