Tom Cruise Vs. Tom Cruise – Round 2

In spite of prevalent divergent opinions of the man and his personal life (worship, loath, swoon, snub, praise or attack – it’s all there), Tom Cruise has embodied some pretty badass characters on screen of both the heroic and villainous variety.

In Jack Reacher, Cruise may take the antihero approach, but that shouldn’t stop us from racking up eight of his most memorable and intimidating characters (on both sides of the spectrum) in a 5-foot-7-inch smackdown. This ride is set on Cruise control folks — let’s continue.

Once you check out these winners, be sure to leave a comment with your pick between the last two badass Cruise roles to determine which will become victorious!

Matchup 1 – Ethan Hunt (Mission: Impossible Franchise) vs. Vincent (Collateral) 

By far the closest matchup so far in terms of votes per killer, Ethan Hunt and Vincent both have the instinct, the necessary tools and experience to off the other in various scenarios. Vincent prefers to lay a trap and/or use the element of surprise and we’ve seen unequivocally the man is a crack shot. Hunt on the other hand seems to prefer hiding in plain sight, using his tech savvy team to raise the odds in his favor. 

In my mind, the fact that Hunt has made it through four films of impossible odds (pun intended) and Vincent got clipped by a cabbie is pretty much a moot point as their fates were determined by writers. Taking these characters simply on the merits we’ve seen them display on screen, it’s pretty clear these are two dangerous men with egos to sustain. But in the end the win must go to the man with intense military training and the ability to use technology, stealth tactics and a team along with his general proficiency in dispatching baddies. 

Winner: Ethan Hunt

Matchup 2 – Nathan Algren (The Last Samurai) vs. Maverick (Top Gun) 

Although men of different ages and cultures may have clashed in The Last Samurai, nothing faced by Nathan Algren quite amounted to what a skirmish between the former soldier and a fighter pilot would entail. That period epic made it quite clear that while the ancient warriors still possessed savvy beyond their time, a Gatling gun was pretty much the end of the road.

Unfortunately for Mr. Algren, if one were to match the technologies of the samurai and the modern U.S. military, the end result is practically prewritten. The only case where Maverick falls is if he hops out of his jet, forgets any other military training and allows himself to get cornered by his doppelganger with a katana. Though Algren would likely come out on top were a sword fight to break out, the likelihood of that scenario playing out is way too rare to tip the odds. 

Winner: Maverick

Now it's time for YOU to decide. Who would win? Ethan Hunt or Maverick? Let us know below