Favorite Arnold Schwarzenegger films

[Batmannerism]

1. Conan the Barbarian
2. The Terminator
3. Total Recall
4. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
5. True Lies

That's pretty close to my list.

My top 5:

1. Conan the Barbarian
2.Terminator 2
3. Predator
3. Total Recall
5. True Lies.
Honorable mention: Kindergarten Cop, and Red Heat ( I love that movie).

Honestly, as good as the first Terminator was, T2 the sequel is next level - one of the greatest sequels ever. They could have wrapped the whole franchise after that.

Conan has to be his best film - I would argue that his acting is actually very good. He can barely speak English, so he has very few lines, so it's almost a mime performance, but he lets his physicality do the talking. One of the most underappreciated films of all time.

Predator shows that he can be great with an ensemble cast.

Sadly, after True Lies, none of his films have reached the same heights - so IMO he's been pretty hit and miss since 1995. But wow, between 1981 and 1994 he created some of the best action films of all time, that still hold up today.

 

[AverageMan]

T2
The Terminator
Predator
Commando
Running Man

 

[weezerspider]

Total Recall
Terminator 2
Terminator
Predator
True Lies

 

[samsnee]

T2
Predator
Total Recall
Kindergarten Cop
Twins
True Lies

 

[Nardz937]

T1
T2
Total Recall
Kindergarten Cop

 

[The Shape]

Just watched Total Recall again last night. Still so great and fun.

 

[Babillygunn]

Top 10 in order:

1. Conan the Barbarian
2. Terminator
3. Predator
4. Running Man
5. T2
6. Raw Deal
7. Last Stand (call me crazy, but I loved it)
8. Commando
9. Eraser (criminally underrated)
I0. Twins

 

[samsnee]

Totally forgot about Running Man. Definitely a classic

 

[DKDetective]

Why is Commando so low on so many people's lists? It's utter brilliance in my opinion. Just pure silly fun and showed off Arnold's comedy chops before either Twins or Kindergarten Cop. The action ain't bad either.

 

[Babillygunn]

Why is Commando so low on so many people's lists? It's utter brilliance in my opinion. Just pure silly fun and showed off Arnold's comedy chops before either Twins or Kindergarten Cop. The action ain't bad either.

I love Commando. It’s not a knock on the film. It’s just that Arnold has a lot of classics

 

[Hunter Rider]

My list from a couple of years ago.



10. Eraser
Whast can I say, I just like it!

photo upload online

9. Escape Plan
The big two finally together! past their prime but you can tell both are having a good time in this action thriller with a pretty cool prison breakout and a dollop of action.



8. Commando
What is there to say, it's Arnie's ultimate one man army movie!



7. Total Recall
Gorier and sleazier than the usual Arnie movie due to Veerhoven directing, this is a balls out sci fi actiuon flick that makes full use of it's concept, the hologram watch sequence is really cool.



6. Kindergarten Cop
Arnie works with kids and animals and survives in this comedy that has a real charm .



5. The Last Action Hero
Arnie and McTiernann team up again in a fun action comedy that was ahead of it's time in my opinion.



4. The Terminator
Cameron took the Halloween blueprint and put a sci fi twist on it, it's hard to imagine nearly 35 years on, but Arnie was terrifying as the seemingly unstoppable killing machine hunting Sarah Connor.



3. Predator
In the hands of a lesser director this would be shlock, but McTiernann's direction and Stan Winston's iconic Predator design turn this into a classic. It's a sci fi Jungle survival action thriller filled with atmosphere and tension that builds perfectly to the big showdown.



2. T2: Judgment Day
One of the best sequels ever made with groundbreakin special effects, big event cinema at it's finest!



1. True Lies
Arnie and Cameron's Bond movie, it's just so much fun with fanatastic action sequences and some great laughs, some don't like the sub plot with Jamie Lee Curtis but I do and I like it ties into the movies 3rd act, the Harrier Jet finale is still one of my all time favourite action sequences.

 

[Vaibow]

My personal faves in no particular order -

1) Conan the Barbarian [I don't care how much money Terminator made, Conan 1 was Arnie's breakthrough role]
2) The Terminator 1984
3) Commando
4) Predator
5) The Running Man
6) Kindergarden Cop

Others?

For me, Commando was such a cool movie as a kid growing up in the 80's. T2 was also damn cool... I had no interest in the dark Terminator movie. Kindergarten Cop and Jingle all the way.

Commando
T2
Predator
Kindergarten Cop
Jingle all the way
Twins.

don't even want to mention the one he gives birth in...

 

[samsnee]

I like Commando. It’s cheesy but funny and showed Arnold had the charisma to be a leading man even if English wasn’t his first language. But it’s probably middle of the road when measured against all his other movies.

 

[Zantera]

I go back and forward between T2 and Predator for his best one. I think T2 might be better but Predator is just classic action-Arnold at his best. I think Total Recall would be my #3 and rounding off the top3. After that you have a bunch of great ones that I don't really have a preferred order for, but whether it's the first Terminator, Commando, True Lies, Conan the Barbarian, The Running Man or Kindergarten Cop, I think they're all great. I also think Last Action Hero is better than its reputation and Jingle All the Way is a guilty pleasure (though nowhere near one of his best films ofc).

 

[Batmannerism]

My list from a couple of years ago.



10. Eraser
Whast can I say, I just like it!

photo upload online

9. Escape Plan
The big two finally together! past their prime but you can tell both are having a good time in this action thriller with a pretty cool prison breakout and a dollop of action.



8. Commando
What is there to say, it's Arnie's ultimate one man army movie!



7. Total Recall
Gorier and sleazier than the usual Arnie movie due to Veerhoven directing, this is a balls out sci fi actiuon flick that makes full use of it's concept, the hologram watch sequence is really cool.



6. Kindergarten Cop
Arnie works with kids and animals and survives in this comedy that has a real charm .



5. The Last Action Hero
Arnie and McTiernann team up again in a fun action comedy that was ahead of it's time in my opinion.



4. The Terminator
Cameron took the Halloween blueprint and put a sci fi twist on it, it's hard to imagine nearly 35 years on, but Arnie was terrifying as the seemingly unstoppable killing machine hunting Sarah Connor.



3. Predator
In the hands of a lesser director this would be shlock, but McTiernann's direction and Stan Winston's iconic Predator design turn this into a classic. It's a sci fi Jungle survival action thriller filled with atmosphere and tension that builds perfectly to the big showdown.



2. T2: Judgment Day
One of the best sequels ever made with groundbreakin special effects, big event cinema at it's finest!



1. True Lies
Arnie and Cameron's Bond movie, it's just so much fun with fanatastic action sequences and some great laughs, some don't like the sub plot with Jamie Lee Curtis but I do and I like it ties into the movies 3rd act, the Harrier Jet finale is still one of my all time favourite action sequences.

No love for Conan the Barbarian?

 

[KaijuDude1992]

1. The Terminator
2. T2
3. Total Recall
4. Predator
5. True Lies
6. Commando
7. Eraser
8. The Running Man
9. Last Stand
10. End of Days/Twins

 

[Hunter Rider]

No love for Conan the Barbarian?

Not one of my favourites in truth.

 

[samsnee]

No love for Conan the Barbarian?

Honestly besides the iconography of it, the movie itself is a slog for me.

 

[KaijuDude1992]

I'm not big on the Conan movies either and while I do enjoy Last Action Hero I wouldn't put it in my top 10 favorites. Arnold made so many films during the 80's that I would rather watch like The Terminator, Commando, Predator or even Red Heat because of his great chemistry with Jim Belushi.

 

[Frodo]

T2

Terminator

True Lies

Twins

Eraser

 

[Batmannerism]

Honestly besides the iconography of it, the movie itself is a slog for me.

I'm not big on the Conan movies either and while I do enjoy Last Action Hero I wouldn't put it in my top 10 favorites. Arnold made so many films during the 80's that I would rather watch like The Terminator, Commando, Predator or even Red Heat because of his great chemistry with Jim Belushi.

To each their own.