Even while serving as California’s governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger consistently appeared in films. He had roles in movies like Hercules in New York, Stay Hungry, and The Villain during the 1970s, with a quick appearance in Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye. However, he didn’t become a major star until the 1980s. While the 1977 documentary Pumping Iron helped launch his fame, the 80s truly established him as a movie star. The Terminator was a breakthrough role, showcasing both his physical presence and acting ability, and he continued to prove throughout the decade that this wasn’t just a one-time success.
Let’s take a look at Arnold Schwarzenegger’s films from the decade and figure out which ones were the best and worst.
10) Red Sonja
Arnold Schwarzenegger apparently used to tell his children that if they misbehaved, he’d make them watch the movie Red Sonja over and over. Luckily for them, he never actually had to follow through, and they avoided a lot of potentially boring punishment!
Red Sonja is essentially a sequel to Conan the Barbarian, but legal issues prevented them from using the name ‘Conan.’ Arnold Schwarzenegger appears as a character named Lord Kalidor, and luckily, he’s only in about half the film. Overall, it’s a campy, badly acted movie, but it actually makes the next film on our list seem much better.
9) Conan the Destroyer
Usually, when a movie does well, the sequel tries to follow the same formula. But Conan the Destroyer took a completely different approach. It traded the mature, R-rated tone of Conan the Barbarian for a lighthearted, PG-rated experience, complete with over-the-top, cheesy dialogue that might be a bit much for anyone sensitive to dairy!
At this point in his career, Schwarzenegger hadn’t quite mastered comedic timing, and his attempts at humor often didn’t land well. In contrast, Grace Jones clearly understood the tone of the films she was in, and she even managed to improve the often-criticized James Bond movie, A View to a Kill.
Stream Conan the Destroyer on AMC+.
8) Raw Deal
While Red Sonja and Conan the Destroyer aren’t good movies, they’re at least entertainingly bad. Raw Deal, on the other hand, is completely forgettable.
This movie follows a familiar plot – an agent goes undercover to take down a criminal organization gradually. It doesn’t offer anything new, as similar stories have been done more effectively in films like Safe, Nobody, The Equalizer, John Wick, The Accountant, and The Untouchables. What’s worse, it lacks any particularly exciting or memorable action scenes, which was really the main purpose of the film.
Stream Raw Deal on Prime Video.
7) Red Heat
Red Heat was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s first try at a comedy, but it wasn’t a complete departure from his usual style. The film still features many elements of his typical action movies, and Schwarzenegger largely plays his character with a serious, unsmiling demeanor.
Ultimately, this movie is a pretty standard buddy cop comedy. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jim Belushi don’t really click on screen, and it’s always been clear that Jim doesn’t quite have the same leading-man presence as his brother John. However, it’s also fair to say he’s playing a deliberately annoying character.
6) The Running Man
Similar to Edgar Wright’s updated version – which Arnold Schwarzenegger actually enjoyed – The Running Man prioritizes entertainment over social commentary. It’s a perfectly enjoyable movie to watch casually, like while cooking dinner, but it doesn’t offer much beyond that.
This movie is a deliberately over-the-top and lighthearted take on the gladiator genre. While it’s goofy and occasionally enjoyable, with some good performances from the supporting cast, there were stronger adaptations of Stephen King’s work made in the 1980s. Still, it’s a step up from films like Firestarter and Maximum Overdrive.
Stream The Running Man on fuboTV.
5) Twins
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s last movie of the 1980s was a significant change of pace from his typical action roles. And, unlike his later film Junior, which also involved Danny DeVito and Ivan Reitman, this one is surprisingly successful.
What makes Twins work so well is its sincerity. The movie could have easily relied on the simple idea of very different twin brothers and turned it into a repetitive joke, but it prioritizes developing the characters instead. Plus, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito clearly understood the story and had great chemistry together, which is a big reason the film is so enjoyable – it’s easy to see why they’ve stayed friends for so long.
Stream Twins on AMC+.
4) Commando
Before films like The Expendables 2 embraced their own silliness, Commando was a standout action movie for how knowingly over-the-top it was. Right from the start, with Arnold Schwarzenegger carrying a tree, it’s clear the movie doesn’t take itself seriously and is just aiming for pure entertainment as a classic “one person versus everyone” story. The plot? A father rescuing his daughter, naturally. Think of it as Taken‘s Bryan Mills, but even tougher and with a penchant for dramatically dispatching soldiers with thrown saw blades.
Beyond the action, Commando is surprisingly enjoyable thanks to its retro soundtrack, Vernon Wells’ over-the-top villain, and a huge number of memorable lines. In fact, it has even more quotable moments than films like Predator and The Terminator. Think of lines like, “You’re a funny guy, Sully, I like you, that’s why I’m gonna kill you last,” followed by actually dropping him off a cliff and saying, “Remember, Sully, when I promised to kill you last? I lied.” Other gems include “Do me a favor, don’t disturb my friend, he’s dead tired” and the energetic “Let off some steam, Bennett!” These lines are truly classic.
3) Conan the Barbarian
Before his iconic role in The Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger proved his leading man potential with Conan the Barbarian. However, at that point in his career, he needed a part that showcased his physical strength more than his acting skills.
There’s a lot to like about Conan the Barbarian, including its rough, realistic style and detailed world. Even the over-the-top performance by James Earl Jones as the snake-man villain is fun. While it occasionally feels like a low-budget film, it’s generally a satisfying and entertaining movie.
Stream Conan the Barbarian on AMC+.
2) Predator
After Dan Trachtenberg’s successful reimagining of the Predator franchise, there’s growing hope Arnold Schwarzenegger might reprise his iconic role as Dutch Schaefer. It would be a welcome return, as Schaefer remains one of Schwarzenegger’s most memorable performances – a chance to deliver classic lines, show off some muscle, and handle heavy weaponry. What more could fans want?
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s role is just one reason why Predator works so well. The movie has a consistently strong pace, director John McTiernan expertly filmed the action scenes, and the Predator itself is a brilliantly designed creature. Add to that a fantastic supporting cast, and Predator is a consistently exciting film from beginning to end.
Stream Predator on Hulu.
1) The Terminator
Despite having a complicated backstory, the movie The Terminator is actually quite straightforward. It’s about two people—one from the future—who are being chased by a relentless, unstoppable robot programmed to kill.
Everything just clicked with the original The Terminator. James Cameron’s creativity was on full display, and Michael Biehn and Linda Hamilton were ideal in their roles. The film’s limited budget actually worked to its advantage, giving it a raw, realistic feel, even during scenes in a lively 1980s nightclub. What makes the T-800 particularly frightening in this film, even more so than later Skynet creations, is how truly menacing it feels. The shocking violence, like when it kills a woman in broad daylight in a quiet neighborhood early on, immediately establishes the high stakes and the film never lets up. It’s a movie that grabs your attention and doesn’t let go.
Stream The Terminator on fuboTV.
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2025-12-01 02:17