Tom Cruise faced actual peril on set when he became trapped underwater filming a key scene in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, bringing new attention to the risks involved with performing practical stunts. The incident took place in the film’s climactic action sequence, where Cruise’s character Ethan Hunt dives into a submerged submarine to secure the Entity’s source code, making Tom Cruise trapped underwater during Mission Impossible stunt a real-life event and not just onscreen tension.
Filming the Underwater Sequence in The Final Reckoning
The latest film, following 2023’s Dead Reckoning, debuted late last month, continuing the story of Ethan Hunt and his IMF team as they attempt to thwart Gabriel, played by Esai Morales, and the AI known as the Entity. The action peaks when Hunt enters the wreck of the sunken Sevastopol submarine, navigating a dangerous environment as the hull shifts and torpedoes explode nearby. This pivotal scene is designed to keep audiences on edge as Ethan scrambles for survival amid the chaos beneath the surface.
Commitment to Realism Leads to Genuine Danger
Stunt coordinator Wade Eastwood discussed the decision to avoid computer-generated effects and pursue practical stunts during an interview with The Empire Film Podcast. He explained that it would have been much simpler to rely on visual effects rather than recreate the dangers in real life. As Eastwood put it,
“The easiest thing in the world to do would have been to have Tom swim through and react to CG torpedoes,”
—Wade Eastwood, Stunt Coordinator. He described the challenges and pitfalls of using computer-generated imagery for such complex sequences, noting that the authenticity could be compromised and audiences might sense the disconnect from reality.
Eastwood elaborated on Cruise’s dedication:
“Tom does not want an audience disconnected. He doesn’t want them to be cheated… He just wants to do it for real as much as he can. As an actor, he wants to react to these things, you know?”
—Wade Eastwood, Stunt Coordinator. This determination to perform real stunts sometimes brings unforeseen risks, as confirmed by Eastwood’s account of the actual ordeal underwater.
Tom Cruise Gets Trapped Underwater
While safety protocols were strictly followed, the unpredictable nature of practical stunts led to Cruise being trapped for a short period. Eastwood recalled,
“It wasn’t bad, because Tom can hold his breath for a long time. Before he had even finished being trapped, I was already pulling the thing off him.”
—Wade Eastwood, Stunt Coordinator. Thanks to Cruise’s intensive training and physical ability, a potentially dangerous moment was safely resolved, allowing the shoot to continue with no major injuries.
Guinness World Record for Parachute Stunts
The Mission: Impossible franchise is renowned for pushing boundaries, and Cruise has recently achieved a new feat. He has set a Guinness World Record for the
“most burning parachute jumps by an individual,”
performing sixteen parachute jumps from a helicopter while attached to a fuel-soaked chute. Each time, Cruise successfully discarded the scorched parachute and deployed a backup, reinforcing his reputation for executing high-stakes stunts without substitutes or shortcuts.
Impact of Cruise’s Commitment to Practical Stunts
By choosing genuine danger over digital effects, Tom Cruise and the team behind The Final Reckoning have elevated the realism that defines the franchise. This approach draws viewers into the action, maintaining the tension and immersion that has become a hallmark of the series. With the film currently screening in cinemas, Cruise’s commitment to practical stunts continues to set new industry standards, leaving a lasting influence on action filmmaking and audience expectations.
