WARNING: CONTAINS INFO ON FILM SCENES ALSO KNOWN AS SPOILERS
Norway’s tourist office is keen to let everyone interested know that the stunning mountain scenes from the new Mission: Impossible film ‘Dead Reckoning – Part One’, which hits the big screen on July 12th, are filmed in Norway. Or at least some of them.
“The story takes place in Austria, while in reality, many of the most stunning scenes are filmed in Norway,” a statement issued by Visit Norway, Norway’s official tourism board, explains.
In the latest action movie, Tom Cruise performs what’s considered one of the biggest stunts in cinema history: a motorcycle jump off the 1246 meter tall Helsetkopen mountain cliff into a base jump.
The movie crew spent much time preparing for the stunt that takes place in Hellesylt located in Western Norway close to the UNESCO-listed Geirangerfjord in Sunnmøre. The largest city in the area is Ålesund.
“This is by far the most dangerous thing we’ve ever attempted,” said the film’s director Christopher McQuarrie, “Tom Cruise did the stunt himself. He wanted it to be perfect, so he did the incredible stunt six times in one day!”
Visit Norway say you can follow in the footsteps of Tom Cruise, perhaps not biking off a cliff into a base jump but at least joining a guided hiking tour to Helsetkopen, or renting a bike down in the valley of Hellesylt – to see the mountain from a safe distance.
Railway fight
Another action scene in the film also takes place in Norway. Tom Cruise and co-actor Esai Manuel Morales Jr. fights on the roof of the train on Rauma Railway framed by the dramatic nature in the Northwest.
“Rauma has been named Europe’s most beautiful railway line. In 1 hour and 40 minutes it takes you from the wild mountains surrounding Dombås to the fjord in the mountaineering capital Åndalsnes,” Visit Norway explain, adding,
“In the movie they blow up the Kylling bridge (translates chicken bridge). But don’t worry, it didn’t blow up for real – so when you arrive safe and sound in Åndalsnes, you can drive or bike the famous Trollstigen road that connects Åndalsnes with the place where Tom Cruise stayed in between work, the charming village of Valldal in Sunnmøre. He commuted to the different surrounding locations from there.”
Valldal is known as the adventure valley, with rafting, a climbing park and fjord kayaking.
Back to Norway
This is not the first time Mission: Impossible crews have filmed in Norway. Further south in Western Norway you can hike to Preikestolen. This is one of the most iconic tourist spots in Norway, that provided the perfect backdrop for the cliff-hanger finale of the former Mission: Impossible – Fallout 6. This time the story was set to India.
“Tom Cruise and his action crew never gets tired of Norway’s untamed locations. Mission: Impossible 8 is already filming in 2023, and has an Arctic vibe to it. Mission: Impossible returns to Norway – next time to the polar island of Svalbard!” Visit Norway say, adding, “But visiting these stunning places is not any impossible mission, it is very doable for everyone!”
Picture Credits:
Mission: Impossible pictures: © 2023 Paramount Pictures
Movie posters: © 2023 Paramount Pictures
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