Every Arnold Schwarzenegger ’90s Movie, Ranked

Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s first attempt at leading a film, Hercules in New York (1970), wasn’t well-received. He truly entered the movie world with a supporting role in Stay Hungry (1976). The documentary Pumping Iron then showed Hollywood he had real star potential, and the 1980s proved them right. Films like Conan the Barbarian, The Terminator, Commando, Predator, The Running Man, Red Heat, and Twins were all successful with either critics, audiences, or both. Even in the 1990s, he remained a consistently popular and profitable actor, despite some films being stronger than others.

After the movie Twins, he went back to doing comedy in the ’90s with mixed results. He also kept starring in action films, and appeared in a science fiction favorite and what many consider one of the greatest sequels of all time. Overall, the decade was successful for him. But which of his ’90s projects were truly the best?

10) Junior

Arnold Schwarzenegger is surprisingly good at comedy, as demonstrated by his past work. He even directed an episode of Tales from the Crypt, proving he has a genuine understanding of what makes people laugh.

The movie simply doesn’t work. It tries to address serious topics about pregnancy and understanding women’s experiences, but undermines any emotional impact with silly jokes. It also suffers from the misjudgment of reuniting Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger, failing to capitalize on their on-screen chemistry. Ultimately, the premise of Arnold Schwarzenegger becoming pregnant was always flawed and should have remained just a funny idea pitched in a meeting.

9) End of Days

While not entirely successful, End of Days at least attempted something new. It’s arguably more of a horror movie than even Predator, and represents Schwarzenegger’s attempt to venture into that genre.

This movie tries to tackle big, end-of-the-world themes, but doesn’t quite succeed. While Gabriel Byrne is perfectly cast as the Devil, the film awkwardly mixes a creepy, cult-based storyline reminiscent of The Omen with a standard action plot featuring Schwarzenegger as a rebellious cop. These two elements just don’t work well together.

Stream End of Days on Prime Video.

8) Jingle All the Way

In 1996, Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in two quite different films. While Jingle All the Way is more widely remembered today, it isn’t necessarily the stronger of the two movies.

Schwarzenegger proves he can handle comedy well, though this film doesn’t reach the heights of his best work with Ivan Reitman. The characters aren’t particularly engaging, including those played by Schwarzenegger and Phil Hartman, and the movie feels geared solely towards young children – it lacks the broad appeal that many family films achieve. Its attempt to satirize the frenzy surrounding products like Tickle Me Elmo doesn’t feel as clever or insightful as it intends to be.

Stream Jingle All the Way on Disney+.

7) Last Action Hero

While some enjoy Last Action Hero, it’s just over the top for many viewers. It’s difficult to become invested in the movie because the tone constantly shifts and feels inconsistent.

The movie feels like a personal project for Shane Black that didn’t quite come together as a cohesive whole. It seems like he had several ideas and action sequences he wanted to include and simply combined them without fully developing a unified concept. Any film that takes place outside of reality needs to establish its own internal logic, and Last Action Hero fails to do that. Without understanding the rules of its world, it’s hard to connect with its attempts to offer commentary on the film industry.

6) Batman & Robin

With Last Action Hero, the filmmakers seemed to be aiming for a hilariously bad movie, but it just didn’t quite work. While some people enjoy it, it’s generally considered a failure. Batman & Robin, on the other hand, didn’t intentionally set out to be bad – it was more focused on selling merchandise – but it accidentally achieved that ‘so bad it’s good’ status spectacularly. It was unbelievably colorful and over-the-top.

Looking back, Batman & Robin is a classic example of a movie that’s so bad, it’s actually enjoyable. When it came out in 1997, it was considered a huge disappointment, especially after the strong start of Tim Burton’s Batman films. But with the more serious tone of recent Batman movies by Christopher Nolan and Matt Reeves, Batman & Robin now stands out as uniquely campy and fun, rather than just a failed ending to a promising series.

Stream Batman & Robin on HBO Max.

5) Eraser

Eraser marked the end of a strong run for Arnold Schwarzenegger as a leading action star, bridging his classic films and later work after his time in politics. While he tried to recapture that success with films like The 6th Day and Collateral Damage before his 2003 election run, neither came close to matching the quality of Eraser.

This isn’t a masterpiece, but it’s a really fun ride. Imagine alligators attacking criminals at the zoo, James Caan overacting as the bad guy, and cars being launched into the air by powerful rail guns. It’s just good, lighthearted entertainment.

4) True Lies

Looking back, True Lies hasn’t aged well. What was once considered a great action movie now feels dated, particularly in how it portrays its female lead, depicts Arab cultures, and in light of serious allegations made against the film’s stunt coordinator involving a young Eliza Dushku. The stunt coordinator was subsequently barred from working with James Cameron, though they continued to work with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis on other projects.

Despite its flaws and being considered one of James Cameron’s weaker films, it’s still a really exciting and action-packed movie. It features some memorable scenes – like Schwarzenegger riding a horse through a shopping mall – and Bill Paxton delivers a fantastic performance as the villain.

Stream True Lies on AMC+.

3) Kindergarten Cop

Arnold Schwarzenegger has often said that Kindergarten Cop is one of his favorite films, and it’s easy to understand why. Before this, he was known for action movies with a lot of violence, like Conan the Barbarian, The Terminator, Predator, and Commando. His movie Twins was a notable exception, successfully pairing him with Danny DeVito and director Ivan Reitman for a comedic role.

Following the success of his earlier films, Arnold Schwarzenegger took on another somewhat risky role in Kindergarten Cop, similar to Twins. While Junior didn’t quite succeed, Kindergarten Cop pulls it off. Twins relied on the strong connection between its lead actors, and this film benefits from Schwarzenegger’s unexpected skill at interacting with children. This helps the movie balance its comedic moments with the serious subject matter of a father trying to protect his son from a dangerous kidnapping attempt.

Stream Kindergarten Cop on Netflix.

2) Total Recall

Let me tell you, after revisiting Total Recall, it’s clear Paul Verhoeven was truly one of a kind. This movie isn’t just a fun sci-fi action flick; it’s got layers, making you think while you’re on the edge of your seat. Honestly, Hollywood needs to learn a lesson: stop trying to remake Verhoeven’s films. No director working today can blend those genres – sci-fi, action, and sharp social commentary – with his skill. He did it perfectly, and attempts to recapture that magic just fall flat.

This movie really showcases Schwarzenegger’s acting ability. He convincingly plays a man who’s unhappy with his life, then seamlessly transitions into the action hero we all know, and even takes on the role of a villain. He handles all these different sides of the character with perfect control, fitting right into the over-the-top style of a Verhoeven film.

Stream Total Recall on fuboTV.

1) Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Like Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day is considered the best of its kind when it comes to sci-fi action movies. It’s also widely regarded as one of the best movie sequels ever made, in any genre.

Often, when a film is praised for its special effects, it suggests those effects are the most memorable part—meaning the story might be lacking. But that’s not the case with Judgment Day. This sequel actually improves on the original with higher stakes, a bigger scale, a charming relationship between the Terminator and John Connor, compelling character development for Sarah Connor, and a fantastic villain. It’s a perfect example of how to successfully build on a movie that was already great.

Stream Terminator 2: Judgment Day on MGM+.

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2026-04-09 01:14