Mission: Impossible - 15 Most WTF Franchise Moments

3. Ethan Climbs The Burj Khalifa (Ghost Protocol)

Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol Tom Cruise
Paramount

The first set-piece in the franchise that really kicked off Tom Cruise's knack for endangering himself for our enjoyment was the unforgettable Burj Khalifa sequence in Ghost Protocol.

A masterpiece of sweaty-palmed tension, the set-piece sees Ethan scaling the side of the world's tallest building using some not-so-reliable adhesive gloves supplied to him by Benji.

Hunt quickly ditches one of the gloves after it starts to malfunction, and the other nearly sends him to an early grave when it also stops working. Though Cruise was always safely tethered to the Burj Khalifa, the cables were digitally painted out in post-production, giving the utterly seamless impression that he literally executed the stunt for real.

This, combined with Brad Bird's vertiginous direction and an extremely queasy climactic moment - where Ethan catapults himself into an open window and nearly falls to his death (again) - make this a high-point of both the franchise and recent action cinema.

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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.