You know what really gets on my nerves? It's those scenes where someone is hanging from a ledge or a cliff by their fingertips. Have you ever tried doing a one-handed pull-up?
It's incredibly difficult. I've been doing pull-ups every day for years and I still can't do them.
It's not because my back muscles aren't strong enough. It's because my grip isn't strong enough.
I can't get enough grip to pull hard. Most people can't either.
Look at this clumsy lady:
I have no doubt that this woman would be unable to hold that stick, that bar, or whatever it was. With two hands? Perhaps. But with one hand, certainly not.
And the worst is the one where the hero saves the damsel in distress from the cliff at the last second.
Now, not only does the hero need strong enough hands to hold another adult, but the damsel in distress needs strong enough hands too. And the supermodels they usually use in these roles probably don't have the strongest grips.
MOREOVER, they must be strong enough to hold on despite the sweat that has probably accumulated on their hands and forearms when they are at risk of falling.
And this one is the worst of all:
Not only must the hero be strong enough to hold the other with one hand, but he must also support the weight of each of them with the other hand.
Holding the weight of two adults in one hand is a feat that only elite strength athletes can accomplish. Tom Cruise… probably not.