Top 10 Arnold Schwarzenegger Films of All Time

Arnold Schwarzenegger, who will celebrate his 76th birthday on July 30, was the undisputed master of action cinema in Hollywood for several decades. What make it very complicated to choose to list the 10 best films of his career.

Kindergarten Cop (1990)

Two years after “Twins”, Arnold Schwarzenegger found Ivan Reitman for “A cop in kindergarten”, a detective comedy in which he plays Inspector John Kimble. After the arrest of a dangerous drug dealer, he and his partner are sent to the city of Astoria to track down the criminal’s ex-wife and their child, in order to obtain his testimony at trial. When his partner, who was supposed to pretend to be a teacher, falls ill, John is forced to replace her at short notice. And managing children will turn out to be a more complicated mission than expected…

The actor takes obvious pleasure in acting in this funny and touching film. We spend a pleasant moment in front of the screen, and Arnold Schwarzenegger proves to be surprisingly good at launching his punchlines.

Last Action Hero (1993)

A satirical film directed by John McTiernan, this film was tailor-made for Arnold Schwarzenegger. The story follows a teenage cinephile going to his favorite cinema to see the latest adventures of his hero, Jack Slater, in preview. Equipped with a magic ticket, he finds himself propelled into the heart of the action. And will have to lend a hand to the one he adores to overcome a formidable enemy.

A film for fans with deliberately exaggerated action scenes, and every conceivable cliché about movie villains. We laugh when the character of Jack Slater falls on a poster of Sylvester Stallone in Terminator, before launching: “It’s his best role!”

The Running Man (1987)

One of the most underrated films of Schwarzy’s career. Adaptation of a short story by Stephen King, “The Running Man” is a bit like the “Hunger Games” of the 1980s (without the sequels, of course), or the “Squid Game” series. We can also see a touch specific to the world of video games, with the hero forced to face a villain in each event, “end-of-level bosses”, before the face-to-face with the Final Boss.

The story immerses viewers in a dystopian world, in 2017 (it seemed far away at the time), when the United States became a totalitarian state. The prisoners find themselves forced into a particularly vicious game show where they are chased by heavily armed criminals. When Ben Richards is accused of a murder he didn’t commit, he becomes one of the participants. And understands very quickly that fleeing is not the solution.

Commando (1985)

We don’t mess with John Matrix! A retired elite soldier, John Matrix witnesses the kidnapping of his daughter. If he wants to see her alive again, he must agree to assassinate a statesman on behalf of the kidnappers. He has 11 hours to complete his mission before his daughter is executed. But John Matrix is ​​not the type to be told what to do. And it is carnage that he reserves for those who have dared to threaten his child.

Pure action film in which abound punchlines, stunt models, and weapons of war of all kinds, “Commando” was cut in reinforced concrete to stick perfectly to the stature of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who attacks alone to an entire army. And escapes without a scratch, or almost. Viewers will recognize a young Alyssa Milano as her daughter.

Conan the Barbarian (1982)

Again, an underrated film from the actor’s filmography. “Conan the Barbarian” is an exciting adventure story with fearsome monsters, frightening witches, and battle scenes perfectly staged by director John Milius. The music of the American composer Basil Poledouris gives the whole a majestic touch which only enhances this film about violence, mourning and revenge.

The story is that of Conan, a young boy helpless witnessing the death of his parents and the destruction of his village. Taken prisoner, he is sentenced to hard labor for years until the day he is freed from his chains to become an invincible gladiator. This will allow him to gain his freedom. He then sets out to find the person responsible for the murder of his parents, a man named Thulsa Doom who is at the head of a very powerful snake cult.

Maggie (2015)

More than 20 years after his last landmark film, and following his retirement from the world of politics, Arnold Schwarzenegger has agreed to play this role of father who, in a dying world where a terrible pandemic transforms those infected as zombies, will fight body and soul to stay with her daughter despite her contamination. The actor is touching, moving, disturbing.

The story is that of Wade Vogel, a man who watches helplessly as humanity collapses when a virus turns people into zombies. Worse, his daughter, Maggie, discovers that she has been infected, and that her transformation is only a matter of time. If she insists that he not try to save her, her father makes the decision to go beyond martial laws to find her, and help her. And woe to those who try to prevent it.

True Lies (1994)

Written and directed by James Cameron in 1994, “True Lies” is the American adaptation of Claude Zidi’s film, “La Totale” (1991), with Thierry Lhermitte in the lead role. Inevitably, with Arnold Schwarzenegger in his place, everything takes on another dimension on screen. The actor is perfectly supported by Jamie Lee Curtis on the screen, his striptease scene having become cult over the years.

The story follows Harry Tasker, a simple computer salesman for his family, a formidable secret agent for the terrorists he must put out of harm’s way. But his wife shows signs of trouble and seems ready to do anything to spice up his life. Her meeting with Simon, a small crook without scale, will attract the attention of Harry, who is convinced that she is cheating on him. He then gets it into his head to trap his wife, and teach the impostor a good lesson. Except that nothing will go as planned.

Predator (1987)

A perfect mix between horror and science fiction. In 1987, the spectators discover for the first time the Predator, a monster coming from another galaxy on Earth to hunt humans. The staging by John McTiernan is absolutely splendid, and the face-to-face between Arnold Schwarzenegger and the alien beast is clearly worth the detour.

The story follows a band of elite commandos called upon to carry out a perilous mission in a Central American forest. There, Dutch and his men discover that they have been manipulated to recover precious documents, and not to free hostages. As they make their way to the extraction point, the group is attacked by a strange, unseen creature. As they get killed one after another, Dutch realizes he will have no choice but to face this alien monster.

Total Recall (1990)

Signed with a master hand by Paul Verhoeven, “Total Recall” is at once fun, thrilling, and strange. This adaptation of a short story by Philip K. Dick made an impression when it was released in theaters with this trip to Mars, and the use of special effects which today seem totally outdated. But who were revolutionary at the time.

The story follows Douglas Quaid, a simple workman haunted by intense dreams in search of adventure. He naturally goes to the premises of the company Rekall Incorporated, which offers its customers to embody characters thanks to its simulator. Douglas therefore decides to become a “Martian secret agent”. How to distinguish reality from simulation? Douglas Quaid will have to quickly learn to distinguish between the two.

Terminator 2 (1991)

Seven years after the first part, already breathtaking, Arnold Schwarzenegger found the role of the Terminator in the second part of the saga initiated by James Cameron. This time, the T-800 he plays is no longer on Earth to kill Sarah Connor, but to protect her son, John, the resistance leader in the war between men and machines in an apocalyptic future. A cinematographic nugget that proves to be more current than ever at a time when artificial intelligence continues to progress.

The story tells how the resistance sent a T-800 similar to the one that tried to kill the mother of its leader, John Connor, in the past to protect him from a new threat: the T-1000. This new robot is able to change shape and take on any appearance. Above all, it is almost impossible to kill. At the same time, Sarah Connor, her son, and the T-800 try to find those who are at the origin of the takeover of the machines. A visual and sound slap at the time of its release, which outdated all the action films released before.