Impossible? Not for Tom Cruise.
- In continuing the series' tradition of doing crazy stunts himself, that really is Tom Cruise hanging onto the side of an aircraft as it's rising thousands of feet in the air. Like with the Burj Khalifa act in the previous film, he's obviously well-protected and harnessed in real life, but it doesn't change the fact he's doing things nearly a mile in the air that most films would rather CG around, let alone employ real people to do it practically.
- Even better, the plane stunt scene, advertised prominently in the trailer, is actually the very first action scene in the movie, ending with an absolutely flashy opening that pays tribute to the original TV series and the first movie's openings. It gets even more awesome from that point on.
- Ilsa and Ethan going Back-to-Back Badasses when he gets captured by the Syndicate. Even Ethan is impressed-Ethan: We've met before... right?
- And just before that, Ethan getting out of being handcuffed to a metal pole by muscling his way up and off the top of the pole, since his feet are shackled together. Once again, done entirely by Tom Cruise. Holy abdominal strength, Batman!
- While also a funny moment, the fact that Ethan manages to utterly trick the CIA into going to a safehouse in Havana while he's watching it all unfold from Paris says quite a bit about his reputation.
- The opera scene, where Ethan tries to stop the Syndicate members from assassinating the Chancellor of Austria. Unfortunately, he fails.
- The villain gets points for the level of Crazy-Prepared, including three snipers and a bomb just in case they all fail. Ethan has truly met his match.
- Benji taking on the third sniper, despite not a man of action, and while not exactly winning he wasn't exactly losing either.
- Luther playing Scary Black Man, letting Brandt know with just a look that he'll have hell to pay if he betrays Ethan and Benji.
- The unbroken sequence with Ethan underwater for six minutes. If you've read the other Awesome entries for this film series, would it surprise you that Tom Cruise did that sequence himself?
- Ilsa diving into the underwater databank to rescue the drowning Hunt, even though she has problems holding long breaths underwater herself.
- The motorcycle chase scenes in Morocco.
- Hunley’s describing to the British PM and head of MI6 exactly how much danger they’re in from Ethan."Hunt is uniquely trained and highly motivated — a specialist without equal — immune to any countermeasures. There is no secret he cannot extract, no security he cannot breach, no person he cannot become. He has most likely anticipated this very conversation and is waiting to strike in whatever direction we move. Sir, Hunt is the living manifestation of destiny — and he has made you his mission."
- And proving him right, Ethan drops in, gets what he wants, and leaves unscathed, even manipulating Huntley into helping him.
- After Benji is kidnapped and Ethan unlocks the box using the Prime Minister, he memorizes all the details of the data before he destroys the data.
- Of course assuming it isn't a massive bluff, though even if it is attempting such a thing would still require massive cojones.
- Ethan's Shut Up, Hannibal! moment is quite a moment to behold. He's informed by the Big Bad that he figured they would end up in this situation. However, Ethan turns it around, saying he knew it, too. With 1 minute to spare on a time bomb strapped to Benji, he does a "The Reason You Suck" Speech on Lane, pointing out flaws in his thinking, and proving via Batman Gambit that he's got the cards in his hands now; he's found a way to take an impossible situation and spin it in his favor: rather than hand over the ledger to Lane, Ethan memorized all the account numbers in it and destroyed the only copy, counting on Lane being too focused on the ledger to give it up. Ethan's the only one with access to the money, so if Lane wants the money, he has to let Benji go and Ethan live.
- Ethan and Ilsa fighting their way through Syndicate members after rescuing Benji.
- The knife fight between Ilsa and The Bone Doctor near the end.
- After a lengthy foot chase and shootout through the streets of London, Ethan traps Lane in a bulletproof glass cube and Benji gasses him before Ethan pushes the cell over and turns it over to the police."It hurts, I know. Gentlemen, this is Solomon Lane. Mr Lane, meet the IMF."
- God, this. After spending the entire movie chasing after Lane and being confounded and grasping for any possible hint about what's actually going on, he lures Lane out perfectly, leads him into a trap and takes him alive in possibly the most awesome finale in the series. No need to outfight Lane, all he needed to do was set things up just right, and let him fall right into the trap. And, lets remember: Lane's the first major MI villain to actually be taken alive.
- As well as one remembers that Lane already gassed Ethan in a room to capture him in the beginning. Karma is truly a bitch.
- To rub salt into Lane's wounds, Ethan shoves the glass box so hard that it completely tips over. Not only is this a cherry on top of this scene, but it's a wonderful display of Ethan's strength. He really is that strong.
