The legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger has gifted us with many memorable performances but which of his movies are the very best of his career?
When it comes to actors, it doesn’t get more iconic than Arnold Schwarzenegger. The bodybuilder-turned-acting legend has been one of the most successful leading men to ever grace the silver screen, enjoying a long and iconic career that saw him headline some of the most beloved movies ever made.
He began making waves with his awesome performance in Conan The Barbarian (and its sequel) but it was his chilling turn in The Terminator in 1984 that made him a household name, setting his career on a path to superstardom that he would never look back from. From there, he went on to become one of the biggest action stars of the ’80s and ’90s, with just his surname, “Schwarzenegger”, being enough to sell so many movies to audiences around the world.
But it wasn’t just action that Arnold gifted us with, as the Austrian Oak was also great at making us laugh, delivering memorable performances in the likes of Jingle All The Way, Twins, and Batman and Robin.
From taking on the Predator to battling the Dark Knight, Arnold Schwarzenegger has done it all in his career (including leading his own Netflix series), but how do all of his movies hold up against one another?
Let’s find out…
Note: We won’t be including The Expendables movies on this list as they are ensemble films, nor will we include any movie in which Schwarzenegger makes a cameo appearance.
34. Hercules In New York
It would be pretty easy to overlook Hercules In New York as an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie considering he isn’t billed as Arnold Schwarzenegger and his voice was dubbed in an original release. Nevertheless, we’re including it because it marked the movie legend’s acting debut.
A modern retelling of the Hercules story (at the time), it saw the Greek god banished to the mortal realm. Finding his way to New York City, he becomes a bit of a celebrity as he tries to convince people that he is who he says he is. It’s all very silly, and if you can accept that, it’s all quite fun.
Without “Arnold Strong”, we may never have gotten Arnold Schwarzenegger, and for that we’re truly grateful to Hercules In New York.
33. Red Sonja
Now if there was ever a missed opportunity, it was having Arnold Schwarzenegger in a Red Sonja movie and coming up with this. Originally envisioned as the third chapter in the actor’s Conan saga (before they went in a different direction), it brought the comic book character Red Sonja to the big screen, and gave her absolutely nothing.
There is so much wrong with this movie, from its poor storytelling, mismatching tones, and most importantly of all, it’s problematic portrayal of women, it just got everything wrong.
Some critics have called it unintentionally funny and that might be its only redeeming quality. Even Schwarzenegger himself has called it the worst movie he ever made, and you can’t really argue with him.
32. Iron Mask
Two screen titans collided when Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jackie Chan crossed paths in Iron Mask. It was a moment years in the making that honestly it felt like might never happen. Unfortunately, a lot of people still don’t know that it actually did happen because the 2019 fantasy adventure film didn’t get that wide a release in the US. It also wasn’t very well-received.
This movie’s original title is Viy 2: Journey to China as it’s a sequel to 2014 movie Viy and it’s honestly an ambitious outing, featuring a star-studded cast that also includes Jason Flemyng, Charles Dance, and Rutger Hauer. It doesn’t come together quite as well as the original movie, however, and it struggles whenever Schwarzenegger and Chan aren’t on-screen, which is unfortunate given that they were the new cast additions in this particular sequel.
The two do get a chance to camp it up, however, and their fight scene is one of the best in the film.
31. Collateral Damage
Arnold Schwarzenegger may have ventured into more serious roles within the last decade, but 2002’s Collateral Damage suggested that he might have been thinking of doing that earlier than he did. The reason that it wasn’t quite as successful as, say 2016’s Maggie, is that it evolved into another Schwarzenegger action thriller the longer that it went on.
He stars as a Los Angeles firefighter, who loses his wife and son in a bomb explosion detonated by a commando. From there, he takes it upon himself to track down the man responsible for killing them and exact revenge. However, he soon realizes that it’s all part of a bigger plan.
The movie offers up more than its 19% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes would suggest, particularly an early glimpse of Schwarzenegger’s more nuanced later career performances, but its action thriller formula often holds it back.
30. Stay Hungry
I will admit that I wasn’t aware of Stay Hungry until relatively recently, but even though its name doesn’t hold the same cinematic weight as, say The Terminator, it’s almost as significant to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career, as the young up-and-comer actually won a Golden Globe Award for his performance in it.
The award was for Best Acting Debut, which is unusual given he already debuted six years earlier in Hercules in New York, but it was a well-earned accomplishment for the star, who played an Austrian bodybuilder named Joe Santo. It’s not a leading role, as Jeff Bridges plays the protagonist, who buys a gym as part of a real-estate deal, and befriends Santo, becoming inspired by his lifestyle.
29. Sabotage
After Arnold Schwarzenegger returned to acting following his time as Governor of California, he appeared in a number of movies in those first few years, carving out a new chapter of his career that was both similar but different. There were many successes with that formula such as The Last Stand and Escape Plan, while changing things up completely worked too in the likes of Maggie. One that didn’t really work was Sabotage.
Released in 2014, the action thriller focuses on a DEA team who find themselves being hunted down after stealing money during an operation. From the plot alone, there are shades of Predator here, because Schwarzenegger’s character is the leader who must step up to protect them and stop those carrying out the killings, but it didn’t quite come together as well.
While Sabotage offers Arnold and the cast more of a chance to deliver nuanced performances than other action flicks, the script itself never really capitalizes on it. It’s also excessively violent without reason, lacking all of the fun that make Schwarzenegger movies such a fun watch.
There is a lot of potential in Sabotage but it never really fulfils it. That said, it’s an experience of a watch for anyone who likes violent movies and it showed the beginnings of Arnold’s more serious turn as an actor, paving the way for the likes of Maggie to follow.
28. Conan The Destroyer
As you’ll see on this list in a little bit, Conan The Barbarian is held in high regard as one of the most pivotal movies of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career. It’s also just well-respected among the film community, as it’s the perfect blend of mature storytelling and camp fantasy, making for quite the thrill-ride. The same, unfortunately, can’t be said for its successor.
Don’t get me wrong, Arnold brings back his larger-than-life portrayal of Conan in a huge way, commanding the screen with even more of presence than before. However, Conan The Destroyer leans into the silly end of things a lot more than its predecessor, making it hard to take much of what happens seriously. Sure, the first Conan wasn’t exactly known for its cutting edge realism but it did possess a strong level of writing that enhanced the seriousness of it. Destroyer often feels like a comedy movie, making it more of a parody than anything else.
On its own, it’s fine for what it is, but it does feel like something of a missed opportunity to enhance the overall story of Conan’s legend. That’s one of the many reasons why the demand for that final chapter in this story is still so high.
27. Killing Gunther
Killing Gunther is perhaps the most overlooked movie in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s filmography, and there’s a simple reason for that: Not a lot of people know it exists. A mockumentary action comedy film, it’s all about a team of assassins who unite to kill the world’s most effective hitman: Gunther.
Of course, Schwarzenegger is the titular character and he delivers a hilarious, over-the-top for-no-reason-whatsoever kind of performance that brings Killing Gunther to life. It’s not that the movie isn’t fun (heck, I knew it was going to be as soon as I saw the first trailer), it’s that it often feels overplayed or like it simply lasts too long. Nevertheless, when Gunther is on-screen, it’s a hoot and the rivalry between him and the leader of the assassins, Blake, really sells the movie.
26. Aftermath
After Maggie saw Arnold’s career move in a different direction, he starred in Aftermath. Based on the tragic real life Überlingen mid-air collision, the movie was released in 2017. The actor plays a man named Roman, who loses his wife and pregnant daughter, and sets out to avenge those losses.
Like Maggie, it’s not your typical Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, but it does feature a strong dramatic performance from him. It also doesn’t lose itself by evolving into an action movie midway through like Collateral Damage did.
While the film itself wasn’t that well-received by critics, the actor’s powerful performance was praised.
25. Raw Deal
Raw Deal was released at a time when Schwarzenegger was a major household name. He could draw in an audience with his star power, one-liners, and cinematic shootouts, so all of that was put together to form this one. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite come together as seamlessly for Raw Deal as it had in the past.
The film’s premise is simple – well, kind of. The more you try to explain it, the more complicated it sounds (and unnecessarily so). But long story short, an FBI agent-turned-small town sheriff is sent in undercover to destroy a mafia organization from within. Needless to say, he succeeds, but not before getting found out, so shootouts ensue and everyone learns that you don’t mess with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Many of the star’s previous – and later – movies handled this same format much more successfully than Raw Deal. It’s not a complete misfire or anything like that; it just overcomplicates its storyline, which in turn makes it take a bit too long to get going, which leaves you wondering if it outstayed its welcome (even though its respectable 101-minute runtime would suggest that it technically didn’t).
Raw Deal is fun when it gets going, but a little tinkering could have made it fun all-around.
24. Batman and Robin
You knew this one was going to find itself near the bottom, didn’t you? Look, I love Batman and Robin; it’s one of my favorite movies to put on for a good time and a dose of escapism, but its critical reception has made it one of the most notorious movies ever made.
Arnold Schwarzenegger was cast as Mr. Freeze in a truly star-studded production. The character is doomed to an eternity as a walking snowman as the result of an accident while trying to save his ill wife Nora. Thus, he needs diamonds to power his suit, research to cure his wife and, well, a need to lace every single line of dialogue with ice puns.
This was far from the serious Batman franchise that Tim Burton launched almost a decade prior to the 1997 film, with it bearing more similarities to the classic 1966 TV series. Thus, Arnold attacked the role with reckless abandon, delivering a ridiculously enjoyable performance that stands out as one of the few truly brilliant aspects of the campy movie.
Knowing what we know about Arnold’s nuanced performances in Maggie and Aftermath, it goes without saying that he would have been more than capable of pulling off a more serious interpretation of Mr. Freeze. Unfortunately, the stars didn’t align and the script did not afford him the chance to do that. Nevertheless, he threw himself into the role and had the time of his life doing it. You can’t fault him for that – it would be cold of you.
23. Junior
You might be a bit surprised to see Junior higher on this list than you probably expected it to be, but you know what, the movie has a lot going for it. For starters, it has Arnold in a comedic role, which as you’ll come to learn from this list, is one of his most underappreciated talents. He’s great in comedy movies, and he’s great in Junior.
What’s also great about Junior is the fact that he’s once again working alongside his Twins co-star, Danny DeVito, as well as reteaming with that movie’s director Ivan Reitman (who also directed Schwarzenegger in Kindergarten Cop). It didn’t all come together as seamlessly as it did the previous times Arnold collaborated with Reitman, but it worked nonetheless.
The movie sees Arnold’s character Alex, a geneticist, agree to test a fertility drug on himself when he and his colleague (DeVito) can’t get FDA approval. Naturally, it results in him getting pregnant. The two attempt to keep it a secret and monitor Alex’s pregnancy journey, but things get complicated when he attempts to start a relationship with Dr. Diana Reddin (Emma Thompson).
Not all of Junior‘s laughs land, and some of the humor hasn’t exactly aged well, but its high-concept storyline, committed performances and often heartwarming character journeys do guide it through. It’s not of the caliber of Schwarzenegger’s other collaborations with DeVito and/or Reitman, but it’s a nostalgic ’90s movie guaranteed to make you feel all the emotions on a rainy afternoon.
If anything, it will leave you quoting “I want my Larry” for days.
22. End of Days
End of Days was designed as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s return to the movies after a year off. It wasn’t exactly the huge comeback that critics had envisioned (because they did not like the movie) but it did produce some unexpectedly poignant moments that are overlooked far too often.
The star plays Jericho Cane, a former police detective struggling with alcoholism, who must protect a young woman from Satan, who has returned from Hell for one night to conceive the Antichrist. The movie is as haunting as it sounds, with one of its greatest strengths being its intensity. Yes, there are one-liners, but only because Arnold made them one-liners. This is a serious movie, and that was one of the reasons that some audiences didn’t appreciate it.
Nevertheless, it is a larger-than-life movie that pulls off much of those ambitions. It’s not as successful as it wants to be, but it’s appropriately apocalyptic, making you think, making you feel, and making you sit on the edge of your seat. The bond between Cane and the young woman he’s protecting, Christine, very much guides the movie – as does Gabriel Byrne’s captivating performance.
It’s not for everyone, but if it’s for you, you might get a thrill out of this one.
21. The 6th Day
The 6th Day is something of a forgotten chapter in Schwarzenegger’s legendary catalog. It came along at a time when the B-movie concept led by an A-list actor genre was starting to wane, as romcoms and early attempts at superhero franchises began to take hold on Hollywood. But that shouldn’t discount the interesting ideas it posed or the rather fun action-adventure that it boasted.
Schwarzenegger plays a man who is accidentally cloned by shady billionaires on what should have been a very normal day for him. He then must figure out if he’s actually the clone or the real Adam Gibson, all while avoiding death at the hands of those shady billionaires, who are desperate to silence him (and are also perfectly happy to allow the cloned Adam to live the real Adam’s life as he is unaware of the secret). It’s like a less serious, more ’90s Total Recall.
I only watched The 6th Day recently and after hearing nothing but negativity about it, I didn’t know what to expect. But honestly, I was so pleasantly surprised. The movie isn’t going to be winning any awards but it is guaranteed to entertain you – many, many times if you watch it more than once (which you should!). It’s more compelling than it lets on and actively makes you attempt to answer some of the questions it asks. That’s a job well done in my books.
20. Terminator Genisys
I hate putting Terminator Genisys down this low because I was actually a fan of it. The fifth movie in the franchise, it was intended to relaunch it as the first of a new trilogy (after the fourth movie took the franchise past Judgment Day, leaving it nowhere to go). To do that, it needed to go back to the beginning before it went into the future.
It’s as convoluted as it sounds, but the ironic thing is that the half of the movie that is set in the past is actually brilliant. While Jai Courtney feels miscast as the rough-around-the-edges Kyle Reese, Emilia Clarke does a great job finding middle ground between the 1984 young Sarah Connor and the T2 hardened icon, and it’s her reset timeline that poses the most interesting possibilities.
The movie is renowned for bringing Arnold Schwarzenegger back to the franchise as he plays the aged T-800, a.k.a. “Pops”, who is tasked with looking after the young Sarah. To say he’s a natural in the role again is an understatement, as he provides the movie with its best moments.
Genisys‘ struggles lie in the complex plot, the bland action in the second half of the movie, and the attempt to turn Terminator into a PG-13 Transformers-esque saga instead of the gritty and intelligent property that it was.
19. Terminator: Dark Fate
It’s always an interesting discussion when Terminator: Dark Fate gets brought up. The film is one of the only Terminator sequels to understand the tone of the first two movies, but it’s also the only one that completely misunderstood the heart of the franchise.
While bringing back both Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton was met with acclaim from fans hoping for some old school badassery, the shocking decision to kill off John Connor and replace the nuanced protagonist of the franchise with bland new characters understandably didn’t go down well. And that makes Dark Fate a hard movie to rank on any list, because there is so much good in it, but it all has to hinge on getting over the fact that arguably desecrates the Terminator legacy.
If you can do that, you’re in for a movie that at least feels like a Terminator movie of old (save for some dodgy dialogue). While Mackenzie Davis and Natalia Reyes held their own as the new characters, Linda Hamilton stole the show, carrying the bulk of the movie with her gritty performance as the legendary Sarah Connor. And once he finally got on-screen, Schwarzenegger delivered in his greatest role one more time.
18. Escape Plan
What’s better than one action hero? Well, two action heroes of course!
Cinema’s two biggest parallels finally came together in 2013, as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone teamed up in Escape Plan. Not much guessing needed to deduce what this one’s about, but don’t let its basic title fool you, there are a lot of unexpected twists in there.
Stallone plays a prison security tester who is asked to attempt a breakout from the world’s most secure prison, only to discover that he’s been double-crossed. Unable to break out the way he planned, he befriends an inmate (Schwarzenegger) and the two stage their own breakout.
Escape Plan isn’t a seamless watch, but it is an entertaining one worthy of bringing its central icons together for the first time (outside of The Expendables franchise of course). It’s also rather fitting that only Arnold’s second movie after his political run finally allowed him to cross paths on the screen with his long-time counterpart.
The movie is a thrilling watch, too, and it also offers up enough of the action, thrills, and one-liners that both actors are known for.
We’re glad Arnold left the franchise here, because the other Escape Plan movies aren’t a patch on this one.
17. Eraser
Eraser is the ’90s answer to an ’80s Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. It feels bigger, it feels badder, and it feels more serious than its counterparts from the decade prior, but it’s still an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie through and through. And that’s why it works.
Released in 1996, it focuses on US Marshall John “Eraser” Kruger, who is tasked with looking after and protecting a woman named Lee Cullen (played by the one and only Vanessa Williams) set to testify in an illegal arms deal. The pair’s chemistry is strong right from the off, and the dynamic between Schwarzenegger and Williams sells the movie well.
It also benefits from that aforementioned more serious tone, because serious movies in the ’90s always knew how to have a healthy balance of realism and humor. That’s also what makes Eraser a Schwarzenegger movie, because it just wouldn’t have worked with anyone else in that role. From the ambitious plot to the witty dialogue, it was perfect for him – and he was perfect for it.
“You’ve been erased,” he tells the villain in an appropriately outlandish final scene. And with that, the movie succeeded in what it set out to do.
See what I mean? He was perfect for it.
16. Last Action Hero
This is a movie I will never understand the hate for. I say that knowing that so many people love Last Action Hero now, but unfortunately it wasn’t always that way. It was set up to be the big movie of ’93, but a lackluster critical reception and poor timing (it came out after Jurassic Park) prevented that. Nevertheless, in the years that followed, it has gone on to become a cult classic.
It was the perfect vehicle for Schwarzenegger, too, who was just off the biggest success story of his career after Terminator 2, as it’s all about a cinematic action hero known for saving the day. With his star being bigger than ever, he was perfectly cast for the role, and he hammed it up wonderfully, making hero Jack Slater as larger-than-life and over-the-top as he should be. Once again, he had great chemistry with his younger costar, as the bond between Slater and Danny Madigan (played by Austin O’Brien) is at he heart of this movie and very much sells its outlandishness.
Last Action Hero would have been a bigger success if it had come out at another time, but that shouldn’t have us overlooking how joyous it is. It’s far from a perfect movie, and there is probably a stronger one buried somewhere within it, but it’s got heart, it’s got action, and it’s got entertainment written all over it. And you couldn’t really ask for more from a movie titled Last Action Hero.
15. Maggie
I’m just going to say it: Maggie could very well be the performance of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career.
The 2016 movie sees him in the midst of a zombie apocalypse that the world has just about brought itself back from the brink of as he struggles with the fact that his daughter (Abigail Breslin) is infected. The idea of Schwarzenegger going up against zombies in the apocalypse sounds like the best action flick ever (and why hasn’t that been made yet?), but that’s not what Maggie was nor where its charm lay.
This was a dramatic, moving film about a man struggling with loss, grief, and fear, reminiscing on a past of fond memories and some mistakes, all while facing the reality that he will eventually lose his daughter. It’s a hauntingly good movie that provides Arnold with a vehicle to deliver the most powerful and nuanced performance of his career.
While the movie may not be for everyone, Maggie is worth the watch alone to see Schwarzenegger at his absolute finest. And we hope that we get to see him star in more of these types of films in the years ahead, because he is so darn good at it.
14. True Lies
True Lies has been one of the biggest movies of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career thus far. It’s easy to see why, too, as it reunited him with Terminator and Terminator 2 director James Cameron, who knows a thing or two about making larger-than-life movies.
True Lies was no exception to that rule, as the ambitious ’90s action comedy sees Arnold team up with Jamie Lee Curtis in a story of love, marriage, and… outlandish stunts. The pair play a married couple whose marriage is, well, strained when Helen (Curtis) discovers that her husband is struggling to balance his commitment to his family with… his other job as a spy.
It’s all very bonkers, but in a very well done way (and we’d expect nothing less from James Cameron). The script is strong, the special effects are great, and the action is top-notch. This is ’90s Arnold at his finest (outside of T2, that is), capturing what made him such a force in the ’80s while also mixing it up for a more contemporary audience.
Parts of the film haven’t aged all that well, but it’s easy to see why it was a success at the time of its release.
13. Jingle All The Way
If there was ever an award for the most underrated holiday movie, it belongs to Jingle All The Way. No, it doesn’t feature an Academy Award-worthy script or larger-than-life special effects, but it does have the one thing that all good holiday movies should: Heart.
Schwarzenegger is joined by Sinbad in the film which sees two fathers attempt to track down the in-demand Turboman action figure that they both promised their kids for Christmas. With less than 24 hours to go until Christmas Day, hilarity ensues as the pair desperately search for the figure in store after store, trying to outwit each other every darn time.
Jingle All The Way is so silly. It’s shake your head with a smirk silly. But it’s also unbelievably funny, further showcasing just how good Arnold is at comedy. He provides us with some of his best work here, from “Put That Cookie Down Now!” to “He Got Two!”, and you can see that he’s having the time of his life in each and every scene.
This movie doesn’t get enough love. It’s time we changed that. So go on, put it on this Christmas and laugh your heart out at this good old-fashioned senseless fun.
12. The Last Stand
Now this is how you make a comeback! Arnold Schwarzenegger’s first role after his return to Hollywood and he returned with a vengeance. The Last Stand is a movie designed for an action hero (it wouldn’t work without one) so it was only fitting that cinema’s greatest action hero headline it.
The film revolves around a small-town sheriff (Schwarzenegger) who swings into action when an escaped drug lord attempts to travel through his town. It’s the challenge he’s been looking for, and one that he struggles with because of his age. And that provides the catalyst for a 90-minute spectacle full of shootouts, one-liners, and even a physical fistfight or two.
The Last Stand is more violent and slightly more serious than Schwarzenegger’s action flicks from the ’80s, but it possesses the same spirit as those outings, existing simply to entertain fans of the legendary movie star. It succeeds in doing that, delivering hardcore entertainment from start-through-finish, mainly because Arnold was back on form in an awesome leading performance that proved he hadn’t lost a step.
We don’t appreciate this one enough, but it was the perfect vehicle for the action star of yesteryear to reintroduce himself to modern audiences, showing why he is considered the Hollywood heavyweight that he is. Mission accomplished.
11. Conan The Barbarian
Whenever audiences think of the role that changed Arnold Schwarzenegger’s life and career, two come to mind. The most obvious choice is The Terminator, as that catapulted him into superstardom. However, the other opened that door for him, made him a movie star, and kickstarted a legendary career as an action hero. That role was as Conan The Barbarian.
Conan The Barbarian was released to movie theaters in 1982, becoming something of an unexpected success as it almost made four times what it cost. It’s a real fantasy that almost felt out of place in the ’80s, but there is a real charm in how it all came together. Schwarzenegger is commanding in the title role, and the maturity of its script makes it an immersive watch – something that its sequel never quite got right. It’s also quite the visual marvel, and it’s easy to see why this was the role that changed things for The Austrian Oak’s career.
There’s a reason that Schwarzenegger is still so closely associated with the role four decades on. He made history with it, and he did it so well that, 40 years later, we’re still hoping for that third and final outing. Maybe someday King Conan will finally happen.
10. Total Recall
Total Recall is one of the greatest science fiction movies ever made. How’s that for an introduction?! Probably less effective than it should be considering Arnold Schwarzenegger has been part of many of the greatest science fiction movies of all time, but still, it’s true.
Released in 1990, this classic features the Austrian Oak as a man named Douglas Quaid (if that even is his real name?) who signs up to receive an implanted memory of what life would be like on Mars. That’s the vivid world they live in in this movie, and even though Quaid has a tough time believing it’s possible, he soon finds out that it is very possible. Too possible.
What follows is a thrilling adventure as he begins to question what’s real and what isn’t, what’s memory and what’s fiction. There’s more to Mars than the memories he has would suggest, and it’s up to him to restore all of them so that he can differentiate between fantasy and reality, and stop the nefarious powers-that-be.
I love this movie. I love this movie so much, and Schwarzenegger doesn’t get enough credit for his performance in it. Yes, he’s in his element with his witty one-liners and action-packed showdowns, but he does a wonderful job of conveying the fear and uncertainty that Douglas Quaid feels as the walls close in on him in a world that doesn’t want him to become too self-aware. It’s a thriller of an experience in so many ways.
9. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
If there is one movie in the Terminator franchise that fans grew to love, it’s definitely gotta be the third outing. That’s not to say that Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines wasn’t well-received when it was first released, because it was, but it was often treated like a good-but-derivative chapter of the original trilogy that was somewhat inferior to its predecessors. And then the sequels happened.
Ever since T4 brought the franchise to the point of no return, every sequel has tried to be “the real T3”, but as the years have gone on, fans have started to see what they probably should have back in 2003: The real T3 is good. No, it’s very good. Great, even.
The reason that Rise of the Machines has aged so well is down to the fact that it didn’t try to overcomplicate things or franchise them. It just decided to tell the next chapter in the Terminator story; a chapter that wasn’t necessary, but one that did a great job in furthering the story nonetheless. The T-X was a wonderful villain that felt like an effective upgrade from the T-1000 (a task that should have been impossible) while the futile attempt to stop Judgment Day kept the stakes mighty high throughout. The CGI is also far superior to the visual effects used in the more recent movies.
This was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s last movie before he became Governor of California, and it was a pretty epic way to temporarily halt his acting career. Of course, he was once again brilliant in his most iconic role.
8. The Running Man
There’s something to be said for an ’80s action movie predicting a futuristic 2017 obsessed with reality TV. The mystique of The Running Man I guess.
Another ridiculously underrated chapter in Arnold’s repertoire, the 1988 flick was based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. Though the director has since disowned the movie for the creative liberties it took on the source material, it does stand on its own merit as an unusual look at the future, and a damn fine action movie too.
This time around, Schwarzenegger portrays a convicted cop framed for a crime he didn’t commit, who is then forced to take part in a reality TV show where he must fight to survive when surrounded by professional killers – who, yes, actually are allowed to kill him.
The dystopian element of a world obsessed with violence and death on television doesn’t necessarily go with the witty one-liners and action-driven plot, but The Running Man makes it work. It’s very like Total Recall in that sense, and given its unexpectedly correct predictions about the hold that reality TV has on people in the future (albeit without the killing), it’s aged remarkably well.
7. Twins
We mentioned how Arnold was a natural at comedy quite a few times on this list, but you probably won’t see a finer example of that than Twins. The film, directed by Ivan Reitman, is ludicrous from the beginning, and yet it’s ridiculously watchable. It’s also fondly remembered as one of the star’s finest movies.
The plot? Oh well, you know, just the fact that Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito are twins. Yes, twins. Twins who were separated at birth and thus entirely unaware of each other’s existence. Needless to say, this creates quite the dynamic when the pair, named Julius and Vincent, eventually reunite. The movie is so silly but it has a lot of heart, and that makes it a successful comedy in my eyes.
I don’t know what’s funnier: The fact that Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito were playing twins, the hilarious chemistry between them, or the fact that they both went on to play Batman villains in the same franchise (two of my favorite Batman villains, actually). Nevertheless, they made quite the pair, and that’s one of the reasons that Twins remains such a beloved part of both men’s filmographies.
It also gave us the iconic Schwarzenegger quote: “I did nothing. The pavement was his enemy”.
6. Red Heat
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s step towards comedy didn’t begin with one of his laugh-a-minute solo outings or even the hilarious Twins, it actually kicked off with the incredibly underrated buddy comedy action thriller Red Heat.
While the actor’s performances in his other comedy outings are ridiculously over the top, he dials it back for Red Heat, playing the role incredibly straight – and that’s what makes it so good. His character, Ivan Danko, is a Russian policeman who has tracked his archenemy, a drug kingpin who killed his former partner, to the US. There, he crosses paths with a Chicago PD detective, played by Jim Belushi, who is the movie’s more over-the-top character. The two don’t get along and the contrast is perfect.
Red Heat may be the most underrated movie of Arnold’s career. It was well-received and performed well at the box office, but it never quite achieved the adoration or attention that Schwarzenegger’s next movie Twins garnered. The buddy cop element made it an entertaining watch, as he and Belushi worked so incredibly well together, while its strong script makes for an ambitious thrill-ride.
I hadn’t heard much about this movie when I first watched it, and that meant I got to experience all of it for the first time when I did. What a ride that was.
5. Kindergarten Cop
So many of Schwarzenegger’s movies inspire such nostalgia but perhaps none does it quite so much as Kindergarten Cop. The movie where his comedy chops were used to absolute perfection, Ivan Reitman’s 1990 film is an unexpectedly perfect blend of everything that the actor is best known for, resulting in one of the finest performances of his entire career.
Kindergarten Cop is primarily a comedy, but it’s also part drama, part romance, part action movie, part everything else, and the marriage comes together beautifully. It’s ridiculous in every way, but it’s also everything that Schwarzenegger was doing right in the late ’80s and early ’90s, so to see it all come together here in this hilarious, family-friendly movie it’s just, well, it’s kinda heartwarming.
Detective John Kimble didn’t know what he was in for when he took on this assignment, and audiences didn’t know what they were in for whenever they went to see this movie. Needless to say, it ultimately worked out very well for all of us, and the result is a thoroughly enjoyable, ridiculously fun, and all-around lovable adventure.
From “stop it!” to “there is no bathroom!”, it’s also perhaps the most quotable movie of Arnold’s career.
4. Commando
Now this is a traditionally action-packed Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. Sold on little more than the huge “Schwarzenegger” name at the top of its posters, Commando was released at the height of its star’s popularity. It was also a starring vehicle for him that wasn’t tied to a larger franchise, giving us all a chance to see him at his very best in his prime.
He plays Colonel John Matrix, whose daughter is kidnapped by Bennett, an ex-member of his team out for revenge over his discharge. Needless to say, Matrix stops at nothing to save his daughter, and Bennett eventually finds that out the hard way, as an all-out war ensues because you can’t stop Arnold Schwarzenegger from achieving his character’s goals, darn it.
Commando is a ridiculously entertaining, off-the-wall spectacle that has everything an Arnold fan could ever wish for. There are a lot of explosions, vivid shootouts, hilarious one-liners and plenty of action. This movie was made for Arnold, and he made it for all of us to enjoy for generations to come.
I didn’t know what to expect when I first watched this movie years ago. It exceeded all expectations and instantly found itself in my favorites. It’s exactly what it wants to be: A damn good time.
3. Predator
“If it bleeds, we can kill it.”
The line that instantly found its way into Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most famous catchphrases, it was also a warning to the relentless hunter that was tracking Major Alan “Dutch” Schaefer that let audiences know that the alien was messing with the wrong man.
Predator was released in theaters in 1987 to something of a mixed reaction, but its effectiveness as a monster movie, action flick, and damn good entertainment eventually reversed any frostiness over time, as it’s now considered one of the greatest in its genre. It’s also one of the very best of Schwarzenegger’s career.
The thing that works best for the classic is that it’s simple but effective. It’s a 90-minute action bonanza on the surface, but underneath all of that testosterone, there is tension – and a lot of it – as the film expertly raises the stakes throughout, making us all as uneasy as the soldiers being watched by the creature. It’s a masterclass in building towards its culmination, too, making use of every tool in its arsenal along the way. And yes, Schwarzenegger might just be its greatest weapon.
Predator is all about the thrill of the hunt, and believe me when I say that this one is thrilling to watch. It never gets old.
2. The Terminator
Arnold Schwarzenegger was already an established star after the success of Conan The Barbarian but it was the release of The Terminator that turned him into a superstar. There is an irony in the fact that a man whose known as perhaps the greatest action hero of all time delivers arguably his best performance as a villain, but that’s a testament to how thrilling his performance as the relentless T-800 is.
The film’s premise is simple but it alludes to a more complex future for the saga, revolving around a young woman whose life is turned upside down when a murderous cyborg from the future wants to wipe her out before her son destroys all machines. Yes, there’s a lot to unpack there, but even so, The Terminator is a 90-minute thriller that simply focuses on the chase, never once losing itself in the complicated concept behind it – something most of its sequels misunderstood.
This movie was released almost 40 years ago and it remains one of the very best to ever grace the silver screen. A revolutionary piece of entertainment that launched the careers of Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, and director James Cameron into the stratosphere, it doesn’t get better than this.
Well, it did just once…
1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
James Cameron somehow found a way to top perfection in Terminator 2: Judgment Day as the film not only exceeded its brilliant predecessor, it made history by becoming one of the greatest sequels of all time. It also featured one of the greatest twists of all time, as the intimidating T-800 was now the hero of the piece.
Arnold Schwarzenegger knew a thing or two about playing action heroes at this point in his career, but to do that while channelling the robotic nature of his iconic villain makes this one of his finest performances. The Terminator is determined to exceed in his mission of protecting a young John Connor from the unstoppable T-1000, but he also ends up becoming the emotional heart of the movie, as his bond with John laces a complex action flick with so much depth.
There is so much to love about T2, so much it got right, and that is why it’s in the top spot on this list. Its reputation precedes it, because it deservedly holds the title of one of the greatest sequels, action movies, and Arnold Schwarzenegger films ever made. And we’re very thankful for this masterpiece that is every bit as powerful as it is thrilling.
Which Arnold Schwarzenegger movie is your favorite? Are you a Terminator fan or do you prefer his comedy stints?