20 Declassified Facts About The Mission: Impossible Series

15. Cruise Really Climbs The World's Tallest Building In M:I4

D'ONK Mission Impossible
Paramount Pictures

One thing that sets the Mission: Impossible films apart is Cruise's almost anachronistic determination to do his own stunts. In an age of CGI and stunt doubles, there's a real kinetic thrill from seeing Cruise take real, serious risks. A blade was really an inch from his eye for Mission: Impossible 2, and he performed over a mile and a half in the air in the latest film.

But in Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Cruise sets a special record by really climbing the outside of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, almost a thousand feet taller than the One World Trade Center. The result would've been a big thrill on the big screen, even without Ethan's struggle with his suddenly buggy climbing gloves. 

Contributor
Contributor

T Campbell has written quite a few online comics series and selected work for Marvel, Archie and Tokyopop. His longest-running works are Fans, Penny and Aggie-- and his current project with co-writer Phil Kahn, Guilded Age.