The Best Arnold Schwarzenegger Movies

Arnold Schwarzenegger has enjoyed one of the most interesting lives of anyone in Hollywood—and that’s really saying something. Born in Austria, he started lifting weights early on in life and became so good at pumping iron that he became the youngest person to ever take the Mr. Universe bodybuilding title at just 20 years old. After winning a dozen more combined Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia bodybuilding titles, Arnold launched a prolific acting career. Now technically a senior citizen, Schwarzenegger still finds himself in movies from time to time, but he’s spent the last decade and a half focused on politics. He served two terms as the governor of California from 2003 to 2011—prompting people to call him “The Governator” in a nod to his starring role in the Terminator movies.

No matter what he does later on in his life, people always seem to associate Schwarzenegger primarily with being that leading role in the Terminator series. That’s understandable, given that Arnold was dynamite as a fearsome cyborg. Before and after starring in that franchise, Schwarzenegger excelled in his niche as a badass action hero, from barbarian Conan to Predator's Dutch for testosterone-charged action movies. Whether it’s his chiseled physique, bellowing voice, or something else altogether, Schwarzenegger seems to be in his element in the genre. He’s fought everything from extraterrestrial life to terrorists, petty criminals, and androids, and excelled at doing so. No matter how unrealistic or violent the fight scene, Schwarzenegger getting the upper hand on any antagonist always just feels right.

While Schwarzenegger has played countless roles on the big screen, some stand out from the rest. We decided to rank the best Arnold Schwarzenegger movies to help you find the perfect flick to turn on when you’re craving a good action movie or if you’re just in the mood to hear him say, “Hasta la vista, baby” to someone who’s about to get vaporized. Keep reading if you want to live.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Judgment Day took the original Terminator movie and raised the bar, making it easily the best Schwarzenegger movie. This sequel further feeds into people’s fears of technology and artificial intelligence, but also illustrates the terrors of nuclear war. Surreal dream sequences depict the massive casualties that are to come when the machines rise up against humanity and send nukes barrelling toward population centers around the globe.

Schwarzenegger returns as a menacing cyborg in the sequel, but this time around he’s a good guy. While still a mechanized badass, Schwarzenegger is incredibly likeable for a couple of reasons. First off, the child version of John Connor teaches him slang terms like “No problemo” that Arnold hilariously repeats in a robotic monotone. Secondly, Schwarzenegger finds himself as the underdog protecting Connor from another, more advanced Terminator. This new John Connor hunter can manipulate his body in a variety of ways—like turning himself into liquid and instantly coming back together. And throughout it all, you know that John Connor will live to see another day if Arnold has anything to say about it.

The Terminator

The Terminator was an instant classic upon release. Schwarzenegger is a herculean cyborg sent back in time to kill a woman, Sarah Connor, who later gives birth to the leader of the human resistance against the machines. The movie feeds into a real fear of technology and artificial intelligence that people have long held, while also delivering highly entertaining storylines and fight scenes. It doesn’t hold up quite as well as Terminator 2: Judgment Day for a variety of reasons, especially special effects—it’s a real step down in that area. But, The Terminator features an unstoppable Schwarzenegger riding around town on a motorcycle toting guns while wearing a black leather jacket and sunglasses, so what more could you really want from an action movie?

Pumping Iron

Before he was a movie star, politician, or a reality TV host, Schwarzenegger was a professional bodybuilder. Released in 1977, Pumping Iron offers a rare glimpse into Schwarzenegger’s early life. Nicknamed “The Austrian Oak,” Schwarzenegger is absolutely yoked in the piece, walking around in a tight Gold’s Gym tank top with protruding pecs, bulging biceps, and chiseled calves. He’s unbelievably candid in the film’s interviews and even compares the rush he feels while lifting to the satisfaction of having sex.

Total Recall

Set in the year 2084, Total Recall is a futuristic mind twister. The science fiction movie follows Schwarzenegger, who desperately wants to visit Mars. He finds out that a company called Rekall allows people to purchase memories of trips instead of actual vacations, calling the implants “memories of a lifetime.” Schwarzenegger, a ripped (of course) construction worker who knows his way around a jackhammer, decides to visit Rekall and take a “trip” to the red planet. Instead of straight up testosterone-inducing action of the kind found in some of Arnold’s other movies, Total Recall l also features surprising plot twists that make for a thrilling viewing experience.

Predator

An action movie classic, in Predator, we find Schwarzenegger in a jungle with a group of soldiers going up against a highly advanced and strong extraterrestrial being. The movie’s director is John McTiernan, who also directed Die Hard, so it’s no surprise that Predator has its fair share of gory gunfight scenes. In one instance, Carl Weathers’ machine-gun-wielding arm gets blasted off of his body. Best of all, Predator is responsible for one of Arnold’s classic catchphrases: “Get to the choppa!” The movie spurred multiple sequels, and there’s even a spinoff series of Alien vs. Predator movies.

Kindergarten Cop

With a role as an undercover cop playing a substitute teacher, Kindergarten Cop showcases Schwarzenegger’s softer side in a hilarious way. The movie is heartwarming and full of laughs, from Schwarzenegger asking children, “Who is your daddy, and what does he do?” to playing with them in the schoolyard. But when it gets down to it, Schwarzenegger is still an action hero who comes from a strict, militaristic background. One of the best aspects of the movie is how Schwarzenegger uses his experience as a cop to hilariously turn his class into a highly-disciplined group that looks like it could be part of a young military academy.

True Lies

Thanks to the Terminator franchise, Schwarzenegger is most well known for fighting androids. But in True Lies, Arnold takes a stab at taking down terrorists. Schwarzenegger’s character lives a double life: His wife, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, has absolutely no idea that he’s a counter-terrorism operative. Just like so many other Schwarzenegger flicks, there are some awesome action scenes that are grossly unrealistic. For instance, the movie’s main villain gets clipped to a fighter jet’s missile and then fired at one of his own helicopters. While there is still a fair amount of violence in the film, True Lies stands out from some other Schwarzenegger movies for its broader appeal. Instead of a grueling two-hour-long bloody gunfight, True Lies feels like more of a classic spy movie that just about anyone can sit down and enjoy watching.

Commando

Commando has some truly ridiculous action scenes that feature Schwarzenegger as his classic, action figure-like self. For instance, Schwarzenegger pushes an immobile Chevy SUV that had its brakes cut, hops in, and drives it down a mountainside chasing the bad guys. Later, he snaps the neck of a man sitting next to him on a plane, props him to the side to make it look like he’s sleeping, and nobody notices. Seconds after that, Schwarzenegger climbs down the plane’s landing gear while the plane is already hundreds of feet above the ground and jumps into a marsh. Somehow, he’s completely unharmed. Moments like that might make you roll your eyes, but they’re also part of what make Arnold great.