No matter how you slice it, the Mission: Impossible franchise is a years-long, painstakingly crafted masterwork of adrenaline. Originally meant to be a standalone spy action flick, it became a successful worldwide phenomenon and sparked a new, ferocious fire under the action movie genre as we know it, not only adding to it but actually setting a new standard of expectation. It also launched Tom Cruise literally and metaphorically into the stratosphere as a nigh-untouchable action superstar, synonymous with the most authentic, death-defying stunt work imaginable and a tirelessly enthusiastic work ethic.
With the story of rogue IMF agent Ethan Hunt coming to a close fairly soon, the entire heart-pounding history of Mission Impossible begs an emotional reflection, particularly in how the whole concept came about and what inspired both Brian de Palma, the director of the first Mission: Impossible (1996) film, and Tom Cruise to build the story and world around it. Per a report from SlashFilm, Cruise sat down for an interview on the 25th anniversary of the first film to talk about just that.
Brian de Palma's foray into Mission Impossible is the most iconic for many reasons. Unlike later installments in the franchise that employ every manner of ultra-sophisticated technology and jaw-dropping stunts from the world's highest peaks, the first film is practically the opposite. With many of de Palma's trademarks, such as the quieter, more dramatic, noir-esque vibe and abundance of Dutch angle shots, the gradual cat-and-mouse ploy against Ethan and his team plays out with consistent tension. However, the film has no greater tension than its most famous scene: the CIA vault break-in. Ethan infiltrates a vault "Rififi-style" by slowly dropping down on a cable in complete silence. The vault itself is equipped to trip an alarm at any change in temperature, pressure on the floors, or sound above a whisper. Essentially it's a mission that's virtually impossible for any human to pull off except Ethan. It's also the scene pitched by de Palma to Tom Cruise during a car ride that convinced the actor to pursue the film.
"And then we came up with the idea of us having to go into the CIA, [De Palma] came up with that idea, like 'Rififi.' And I remember when he came to me with that idea, I was actually in Japan — and it was an early day of phones — and I remember I was stuck in a traffic jam ... on my way to a premiere. I'll never forget this [... De Palma] was like, 'I gotta talk to you,' [...] and he pitched me the whole CIA scene. On a phone, when I'm in the back of a car in Japan ... and I just went, 'Okay, this movie's really cool.' This guy is brilliant, you know? This was a phenomenal idea."
The Legacy of Cruise's Most Famous Vault Break-In
Tom Cruise mentions in his interview that Mission Impossible (1996) didn't even have an actual story yet, or many characters thought out before de Palma pitched him the famous vault break-in scene. Nevertheless, it was the catalyst that helped create the entire film and the record-breaking franchise that followed.
The scene has since been immortalized in action film cinematic history, parodied countless times on both television and in other films. Its legacy stands on par with other memorable, groundbreaking scenes in movies like Neo's rooftop "bullet time" sequence in The Matrix (1999). But, while Cruise may have gone on to break into numerous more highly dangerous vaults and top-secret facilities, his first impossible mission remains the most esteemed of all.