18. Sword Fighting on a Galloping Horse – The Last Samurai (2003)

Cruise learned sword fighting and horseback riding for The Last Samurai. During one scene, his mechanical horse failed to stop, sending him toward co-star Hiroyuki Sanada, who was swinging a real sword. Sanada stopped just inches from Cruise’s neck. If he hadn’t, Cruise could have been seriously injured. The risk made the scene look real because it was. The training, the danger, and the commitment made the action feel completely authentic.
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Edited by Amey Mirashi