The Final Reckoning, their ambitious finale to Tom Cruise’s nearly 30-year-old Mission: Impossible franchise, Christopher McQuarrie and his leading man would often turn to one another and say the same thing.

Tom Cruise continues to defy death — and all expectations — with his daredevil stunts. During a Masterclass event at Cannes on Wednesday, writer-director Christopher McQuarrie was joined in conversation by Cruise,

With his deep tan, blinding smile and He-Man haircut, Cruise surely looked the part of a kid’s favorite toy. Certainly, Cannes has proved ever eager to play with him: Even in recent years, when Cruise has moved away from auteur-driven dramas to focus almost exclusively on action films, the festival continues to find new reasons to welcome him back.