With a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score, Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One has set theatres on fire. Throughout the almost-three-hours of the film, fans can be found sitting on the edge of their seats, holding their breath as the action goes onto a whole new level. Joining Tom Cruise in the film is Rebecca Ferguson, who reprises her role as Ilsa Faust.
Now, everyone can see the high-risk stunts performed by Tom Cruise aka the Daredevil. However, if you ever wondered if there was any thought process the actor goes through before performing the stunts then it’s time to answer your question. According to Rebecca Ferguson, what matters more to Tom Cruise than the intensity of the stunts is how the stunts are important for his character, Ethan Hunt.
Rebecca Ferguson on Tom Cruise’s Character Reasoning
Rebecca Ferguson appeared for an interview on CBS Mornings where one of the interviewers asked her,
“We all rave about the stunts. We all know the stunts…but I think people don’t understand that Tom in addition to stunts really focuses on characters, doesn’t he?”
To this, Ferguson replied that the one thing she loves the most about Tom Cruise is that he’ll stop for a second and think about how his stunts relate to his fictional self.
“Something that I love [about Tom Cruise]…we know he does the stunts. But to be on set and have this scene that is explosive and dynamic and have Tom at a moment go,’ But wait a moment. Can you explain the character reasoning for this?’ There’s a moment, something needs to be figured out. It’s not just, ‘We’ll get it done,’ it’s ‘We need to understand why.’”
Ferguson then went on to say that Mission: Impossible, despite all its insane adrenaline-pumping action is more than just stunts; it’s character driven.
“This is character driven. We all focus on so much of the stunts but what you don’t see is the sort of the description of reasoning and the dark plots and character. We need to earn the moments that you see.”
Well, there you have it. Cruise does not blindly follow the stunt choreographers. He needs to understand why the stunts are important and whether or not they are character driven. Perhaps Cruise’s attention to detail is what makes him one of the biggest superstars in the film industry.
How Mission: Impossible 7 is Different from its Predecessors
An interviewer pointed out that Ferguson once described this installment of the franchise as “Mission: Impossible on crack.” When asked why she believes Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is different from the other films of the franchise, Ferguson replied,
“I think the crack thing sells itself but I’m going to move away from it. I think when we promote Mission films we know what to expect with writers and Tom Cruise. I know it’s going to be incredible, it’s going to be intense, it’s going to be action-packed. But I think this one emotionally, action-wise, goes beyond. I didn’t know what to expect because I didn’t really know the movie until I saw it…So I think one of the best compliments that Chris [McQuarrie] told me he got was, ‘I brought a seat but I only used half of it.”
What the compliment means is that the person watching the film will constantly be on the edge of their seat while watching the jaw-dropping film. The Mission films just keep on knocking the ball further and further out of the park!
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is currently in theatres and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two is set for a release on June 28, 2024.
Source: CBS Mornings
