Brian De Palma’s original Mission: Impossible movie may not have as many daring stunts and action sequences as the later sequels, but there are still plenty of iconic moments to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. The movie follows an international spy named Ethan Hunt, who is framed for conspiring with a dangerous European criminal and forced to prove his innocence while running from the CIA. It’s the movie that first kicked off this acclaimed action franchise, and it remains one of the best Mission: Impossible movies of them all.

Although most of Mission: Impossible’s best stunts can be found in the later sequels, De Palma’s original movie takes a more grounded and character-driven approach to storytelling that does a great job of establishing the personal stakes and allowing audiences to connect with these characters. That being said, there are still several nail-biting moments that have aged surprisingly well in the three decades since its release.

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Flying A Helicopter Through The Channel Tunnel

The Film’s Most Absurd Stunt Was Saved For Last

The grand finale of Mission: Impossible sees Tom Cruise’s protagonist Ethan Hunt and Jon Jon Voight’s antagonist Jim Phelps struggle for control of a list that holds the names of every IMF agent in Europe – all while one of Phelps’ accomplices chases them through the channel tunnel in a helicopter.

It’s one of the franchise’s most bizarre action scenes, but it works because of how unflinchingly committed De Palma is to this idea. The scene isn’t necessarily played for laughs, but the film is clearly aware of how absurd this concept is, leaning into the silliness of it all. The only reason it’s considered the film’s worst action scene is that the visual effects haven’t aged that strongly.

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Ethan & Jim Ride The Roof Of The Train

The Emotional Climax Of Mission: Impossible Is High-Stakes

Shortly before the helicopter scene, Ethan and Jim get into a dangerous chase on the roof of a high-speed train for control of the NOC list. This is the emotional climax of the film, and it comes briefly after a confrontation between Ethan and Jim in which the latter accidentally confesses to his crimes.

Most of Mission: Impossible is about tension rather than action; it follows Hunt through a series of dangerous situations, but he always remains calm and gets the job done. This is the first time his life is in immediate danger, and De Palma makes a clear effort to raise the stakes with his sprawling cinematography and sharp combat. It’s the most over-the-top action scene in Mission: Impossible, but it’s a great way to end the film.

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The Opening Prague Set-Up

The Film Opens With An Unforgettable Bang

The opening scene of Mission: Impossible is some of the film’s most intense and shocking storytelling, as Ethan and his colleagues prepare to intercept a theft in Prague but soon find themselves killed off by a mysterious figure in the shadows. It’s such a bold way to open the film, but it works because nobody was expecting these characters to die so early.

This action sequence features exploding cars, people falling off bridges, and even the disturbing image of a hacker getting crushed by the roof of an elevator shaft. It’s a very fast-paced scene that immediately gets audiences invested in Ethan’s story without overwhelming them with exposition.

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Destroying The Aquarium

The Film’s Riskiest Stunt Paid Mᴀssive Dividends

The scene in which Ethan Hunt destroys an aquarium to use the ensuing chaos as an escape strategy is widely documented as the most dangerous stunt in 1996’s Mission: Impossible. There was so much that could have gone wrong, and Tom Cruise is even on record as being reluctant to film the scene (via Cinema Blend).

However, the finished result of this daring stunt is some of Mission: Impossible’s best work. It immediately ups the stakes of the narrative, cementing Hunt as somebody who’s willing to break rules and go rogue whenever the job requires it. De Palma’s slow-motion capture of the sH๏τ has also become one of the franchise’s most iconic images.

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The Langley Heist

The Entire Film Revolves Around This Perfect Set Piece

The heist at Langley is the most memorable scene from 1996’s Mission: Impossible by far; it’s a perfect example of how to gradually build tension and keep the audience on the edge of their seats. The extended set piece sees Ethan Hunt and his new friends break into the CIA Headquarters in order to steal a copy of the NOC list, which they’ll later use to catch Jim Phelps in a trap.

What’s so effective about the Langley heist is the way that De Palma effectively allows everything to go wrong, but always keeps his characters in control. Whether that’s the rat in the vents, Rolf Saxon’s character William Donloe arriving earlier than expected, or the knife falling onto the table, there’s always something to make the audience hold their breath and suspect, for the slightest moment, that Ethan Hunt might fail.