Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible—Why he’s still Hollywood’s top action star at 62

At 62, most actors would be comfortably stepping into retirement—or at least pivoting to slower-paced roles. But not Tom Cruise, who is cut from a different cloth. With the Mission: Impossible franchise nearing its third decade, the man continues to lead from the front, defying age, gravity, and every conceivable limit to deliver what can only be described as the gold standard of action filmmaking. In an age dominated by CGI-heavy spectacle, Cruise remains Hollywood’s last true action star, one who insists on doing it all—for real.

In Mission: Impossible–The Final Reckoning, Cruise once again plays Ethan Hunt, who we've followed for almost 30 years. And yet, somehow, it still feels fresh. From hanging off cliffs and piloting helicopters through narrow gorges, to holding his breath underwater in sub-zero conditions, and sprinting across rooftops, Cruise doesn't just perform; he commits—body and soul. The result is visceral. You don’t just watch a Cruise stunt; you feel it.

And it's not the scale of the action that makes it astonishing; it's the sheer authenticity with which it’s pulled off. In the age of AI-generated explosions and face-swapping tech, Cruise remains a stalwart for the old-school, analog method of filmmaking. The kind where sweat, bruises, and repetition are part of the process. All for the perfect shot, all for us.

Even when you know Ethan Hunt will survive the impossible odds—because let’s face it, he always does—Cruise injects every scene with so much raw intensity and sincerity that the suspense never wavers. That’s the magic of Cruise. His action scenes don’t exist just for shock value. They’re rooted in a realism that respects the toll such acts would take on the human body. 

And if you think this passion has an expiration date, Cruise is quick to correct you. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he said, “I actually said I’m going to make movies into my 80s; actually, I’m going to make them into my 100s.” He then added, “I will never stop. I will never stop doing action, I will never stop doing drama, comedy films—I’m excited.” 

And it’s not just admiration—it’s translating to ticket sales worldwide, especially in India. When Mission: Impossible–The Final Reckoning' opened in India—a full six days ahead of its global release—audiences responded with resounding enthusiasm. The film raked in ₹17.5 crore on Day 1, the highest opening for any Hollywood film in 2025 so far. To put it in perspective, the movie outperformed major titles like Captain America: Brave New World (₹4.2 crore) and Thunderbolts (₹3.8 crore). It even beat the opening figures of several big-budget Hindi films, including Akshay Kumar’s Kesari 2 (₹7.5 crore) and Sunny Deol’s Jaat (₹9.5 crore). India gave Cruise the love—and he gave it back tenfold.

This is not just about numbers; it’s about a relationship between an actor and his audience, built on trust. A trust that when Tom Cruise headlines a film, you're going to get your money’s worth. Not just with spectacle, but with soul. That’s why, even after all these years, there’s no fatigue. No diminishing returns. Cruise still moves with the energy of a man making his debut—and the wisdom of someone who’s seen and done it all. If he says he has another 20–30 years in him, you believe it. Not because it sounds good in an interview, but because his track record proves it.

All images: Paramount Pictures

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