Mission: Impossible - 15 Most WTF Franchise Moments

10. That Unbearably Suspenseful Wire Hang (Mission: Impossible)

Surely the most iconic and recognised sequence in the entire franchise is the famous wire hang from the first film, which kick-started the series' penchant for quiet, white-knuckle suspense set-pieces.

Even though we as the audience know that Hunt will most likely be fine while infiltrating the CIA HQ, Brian De Palma's note-perfect direction nevertheless makes Hunt's near-drop to the floor an absolutely gut-wrenching moment.

It's a scene where something as small as a drop of sweat can mean the difference between mission success and failure, and thanks to pin-sharp editing and a gutsy Cruise performance, it remains one of the series' most anxiety-inducing sequences.