Top 10 Hardest Movie Stunts Ever Performed
#10: Air Force One Free Fall
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“Iron Man 3” (2013) Most Marvel films utilize groundbreaking CGI technology to capture pivotal scenes, which is why the moments that aren’t in front of a green screen really stand out. Case in point, Tony Stark saves thirteen cabinet members free falling to the Earth after falling out of Air Force One “Iron Man 3.” Red Bull’s top skydivers were enlisted to stand in for the civilians during the jump. At a height of 12,000 feet without goggles or oxygen masks, the skydivers only wore parachutes under their costumes. A week’s worth of jumps was required to film the scene, but the grueling work paid off as it became one of the most memorable moments in the MCU.
#9: The Pole Slide
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“Police Story” (1985) Before wowing international audiences in films like “Rush Hour,” Jackie Chan was an action star in Hong Kong who performed most of his stunts including the extremely dangerous slide in “Police Story.” In one of the last scenes, Chan slides down a giant poll in a mall that’s covered with lights. Unbeknownst to the actor, the lights significantly heated the pole. So, when Chan slid down, he suffered terrible second-degree burns as many of the lights flickered and broke. Upon landing, the martial artist also dislocated his pelvis and injured his back. Like the true professional he is, Chan finished the scene, and his growing superstardom took him to new heights.
#8: Flying on the Freeway
“Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991) “T2” was one of the greatest achievements of its time in 1991 due to its CGI and record-breaking budget, but the technological filmmaking executed by director James Cameron during the helicopter chase was second to none. In the scene, the T-1000 pursued John, Sarah, and the Terminator on the Los Angeles-Long Beach Terminal Island Freeway via helicopter. Because it was shot at night, the crew laid out 10 miles of electric cable. At one point, the helicopter was only a few feet off the ground as it flew under an overpass. The original cameraman refused to film the dangerous operation. So, Cameron stepped in with the stuntman and captured the stunning sequence in only three takes.
#7: Breaking the Chains
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“The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” (1966) Eli Wallach’s character, Tuco, decided to break away from his chains to another man by using the sheer power from an ongoing train. Tuco placed the chain over the track and laid as far back as he could to avoid a collision with the locomotive. Director Sergio Leone made Wallach do the stunt himself so the actor attempted the difficult endeavor. However, the crew did not factor in the steps hanging from the side of the box cars. By chance, Wallach moved away from the track after coming free at the right time. If Wallach moved his head up any later, he could’ve lost his head. The saying remains true: It’s better to be lucky than good.
#6: The Truck Flip
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“The Dark Knight” (2008) Christopher Nolan is the master of giant set pieces, and none are more spectacular than the truck chase in “The Dark Knight.” The climactic moment of the sequence occurs when Batman rigs multiple cables to the Joker’s vehicle and flips the 18-wheeler into the air. Filming on the streets of Chicago, the stunt crew only had one chance to get it right and upend this massive vehicle. After rehearsing the scene once, stuntman Jim Wilkey subbed in for Heath Ledger, went behind the wheel, and executed the flip to perfection. Just like the Joker in the film, Wilkey walked away from the stunt unscathed.
#5: Ziplining in Midair
“Cliffhanger” (1993) When the craziest stunt in a movie about rock climbing has nothing to do with cliffs, then it must be out of this world. In the film, one of the criminal's ziplines from one plane to another in midair. This dangerous action was considered illegal in Europe so the production moved to the United State. The stunt cost $1 million pull off, a record-breaking number, so Sylvester Stallone reduced his salary to make sure it happened. During filming, stuntman Simon Crane flew past the second plane’s door and had to use his parachute to save himself. This is why “Cliffhanger” never shows the last henchman entering the new plan.
#4: Bond Attempts to Ski Jump
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“The Spy Who Loved Me” (1977) Skiing down a cliff is one thing, but the James Bond franchise upped the ante by having 007 ski off a cliff and parachute to safety. The producers brought in stuntman Rick Sylvester to complete the daring ordeal off Mount Asgard, which has an elevation of over 6,000 feet. Setting up for the shot was just as vicious as the stunt itself as the crew had to wait multiple days for the conditions to be right. Eventually, the crew set up their cameras, and Sylvester successfully completed the jump. However, most of the cameras could not capture the shot because of the elevation, but one camera picked up the shot, and it was the one used in the film.
#3: The Chariot Race
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“Ben-Hur” (1959) Showcasing Jerusalem around 29 A.D. was no easy task, but recreating an ancient Roman chariot race in 1959’s “Ben-Hur” seemed improbable. Covering over 18 acres of land, the film brought in 72 horses to shoot the scene in Cinecittá Studios, located in Rome. In the pivotal moments of the race, Charlton Heston’s stuntman, Joe Canutt, almost flipped out of the chariot after a tough jump. However, Canutt caught himself on the center rail and pulled himself back into place. A disaster was avoided as he only needed four stitches on his chin. The entire race became one of the defining moments in cinematic history.
#2: Window Runner in Dubai
“Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” (2011) Is there anything Tom Cruise can’t do? The legendary actor continues to defy the odds and pull off incredible stunts like climbing the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Initially, the crew wanted to film the stunt on a 60-foot adjustable wall, but Cruise stepped in and said it had to be done on the real building. The crew had a small filming window since they could only knock out 17 glass panels from a few unused floors to rig the cameras. Held by only a few cables and a harness, Cruise performed the entire stunt himself, including the 40-foot freefall from 1,700 feet in the air. Thankfully, Cruise lived to fight another day as Ethan Hunt. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Moving Hallway Fight, “Inception” (2010) 100 Foot Rotating Cylinder & 2 Weeks of Rehearsal Were Required for a 30-Second Scene Hospital Shootout, “Hard Boiled” (1992) The Entire Set Was Cleared in 20 Seconds in Order to Make the Shot Appear Continuous Avoiding the Collapsing House, “Steamboat Bill, Jr.” (1928) Half the Crew Walked off the Set in Protest of the Dangerous Stunt Indiana Jones Goes For a Ride, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) Harrison Ford Suffered a Few Injuries Trying to Film Stunts
#1: The Car Makes the Corkscrew Jump
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“The Man with the Golden Gun” (1974) One of James Bond’s most jaw-dropping stunts happens to be one that’s been forgotten by so many since it occurred in the early 1970s. In the scene, Bond attempted to corkscrew jump his AMC Hornet over a small body of water. Thought to be impossible, the film used the Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory to create a computer simulation of the stunt due to its high degree of difficulty. With multiple cameras, medical personnel, and divers present, stunt driver Loren “Bumps” Willard completed the 270-degree car roll in one take, and it’s why the maneuver comes in at number one on our list.
