Film Corner: Mission Make Me Pee My Pants

Say what you will about Tom Cruise (just don't say it here because it's not on-topic!), but the man is fearless like a brave thing made out of courage with lots of little daring bits all over it. Below is video from the upcoming fourth installment in his Mission Impossible series, in which Cruise does one of the most amazing stunts I've ever seen, dangling on a wire at the top of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai, a mile and a half off the ground.

Please note that if you don't like stomach-churning videos of people doing things at great heights, you should definitely not hit play on this video.

Text Onscreen: Tom Cruise Scales Burj Khalifa—A behind-the-scenes look at how Tom Cruise filmed his stunts on Dubai's Burj Khalifa during the making of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.

Followed by: Images of Dubai, images of the looming Burj Khalifa, and images of Cruise on a wire, preparing for the stunt, accompanied by the "Mission Impossible" theme music.

Brad Bird, Director: We're a mile and a half above the earth, heh heh, on the tallest building on the planet—the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. And we're filming a scene where Tom Cruise is climbing on the outside of the building.

Dude Who Appears to Be the Stunt Coordinator: Okay, Tom, we're ready to go.

Followed by: Video of Tom Cruise stepping out of the building at its top, protected by only by a minimal safety harness.

Bird: This is just another day at work on Mission Impossible. [nervous chuckle]

Several People: Three-two-one-ACTION!

Followed by: Video of Tom Cruise LEAPING OFF THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING AND SWINGING AROUND IT OMFG ALL THE BLOOD JUST RUSHED OUT OF MY BRAIN AND I FEEL LIKE I MIGHT FALL OVER.

Followed by: More video of Tom Cruise running all over the outside of this goddamn building, with "Mission Impossible" theme music, and then running and leaping out a window, and then I CAN'T EVEN TAKE IT HE IS SO HIGH UP OMFG TOM CRUISE YOU ARE MAKING ME GIGGLE NERVOUSLY AND UNCONTROLLABLY I AM SO SCARED FOR YOU EVEN THOUGH I KNOW YOU ARE STILL ALIVE BECAUSE THIS IS SO TERRIFYING AND ALSO IMPRESSIVE GOOD FOR YOU!

I'm really excited for this film. I quite enjoy the Mission Impossible films, in no small part because Iain looooooooves them, and his boundless enthusiasm for each new one is truly infectious. Also: Sawyer!