A Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning actor is really getting pummeled by his co-star in one fight scene, and he had the bruises to prove it. The eighth and possibly final film in the action franchise features the return of Tom Cruise’s IMF agent Ethan Hunt and his team of operatives as they continue their fight against the AI known as the Enтιтy and Gabriel (Esai Morales). Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning‘s cast also includes the return of Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, and Pom Klementieff, while Greg Tarzan Davis debuts as a new character.

In an interview with GamesRadar+, the cast of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning discussed the intense challenges involved in performing the film’s stunt sequences. Pom Klementieff reflected on the physical demands of portraying Paris, whose action scenes range from тιԍнт prison escapes to intense combat sequences inside burning structures. Read her full comments below:

They were both very challenging in different ways. The first one was the restriction with hand cuffs. I had to do high kicks and also, I was wearing less clothing, so when you fall hard on the ground, it hurts more. I did all the fight for that, too.

The one with the fire, with the real flames, where we had to be in sync with the other characters, with Tarzan and with Simon. When we were shooting, I was wearing winter clothing, but it was H๏τ inside and there was a real fire.

Fighting all day long like that, it was exhausting and very H๏τ, but I think it also shows on our face, the struggle, and it seems real. That was amazing to shoot too.

Meanwhile, Greg Tarzan Davis, who debuts as Theo Degas, was on the receiving end of those real high kicks from Pom Klementieff during the prison scene, which left him with bruises because of her impressive strength. Read his full comments below:

I was getting kicked by Pom, repeatedly. I had bruises on my side. Granted, I did ask her to do it to make it look realistic. I just forgot how strong a Pom kick can be. She was like, “Oh my gosh, are you okay?” I’m like, “I’m good. Just keep kicking.”

What The Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning Cast’s Comments Mean For The Movie

Tom Cruise Isn’t The Only One Who Does His Own Stunts

Throughout the Mission: Impossible franchise, Tom Cruise has performed increasingly death-defying stunts, including climbing the world’s tallest building, leaping from planes, trains, and helicopters, and even holding his breath for four minutes. For The Final Reckoning, Cruise once again pushed past his already extraordinary limits, delivering a gripping aerial sequence by hanging off a biplane midair and another underwater sequence that involved holding his breath for so long that he began breathing in his own carbon dioxide.

While Tom Cruise gets most of the credit for performing death-defying feats, and rightfully so, he isn’t the franchise’s only actor who does his own stunts. Each member of the team got their moment in the spotlight with intense action scenes, and they all embraced the thrill and difficulty of real combat and rugged filming environments. Beyond the physical fights, the cast also faced the extreme challenge of filming in Arctic conditions with temperatures dropping below negative 40 degrees, which Hayley Atwell described as the most “satisfying” part of her experience:

I loved it. I didn’t find it difficult as such because I found it really fulfilling and satisfying every day to be there, but spending my time in the Arctic in minus 40 degrees, that was my favourite climate to be in. It was just the most surreal place to be.

I never thought in my life that I would be in such a remote landscape, let alone working with Sled Dogs and filming a huge franchise movie. I think it will always stay with me. A set being interrupted by the presence of a polar bear walking past is not something that you see every day.

Our Take On Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’s Stunts

Are They Bigger & Better Than Ever?

Since The Final Reckoning might be the last Mission: Impossible movie, there was immense pressure to make the stunts bigger and better than ever, and they may have succeeded. It’s not just Tom Cruise getting in on the action, but the entire cast. Judging by their bruises, burns, and breathless commitment, it appears they rose to the challenge, and maybe even surpᴀssed it.​​​​​​​

Source: GamesRadar+