Ranking Arnold Schwarzenegger's Best Films Across His Career

1. The Terminator (1984)

• Director: James Cameron
• Writer: James Cameron, Gale Anne Hurd, William Wisher Jr. (uncredited)
• Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Terminator), Linda Hamilton (Sarah Connor), Michael Biehn (Kyle Reese)

It's hard to argue against the film that launched a franchise and cemented Arnold as a bona fide action icon.

Even though there's not a lot of range here, he's doing something no one had done at this scale, playing a robot that grounded this entire film.

The film is a masterclass in tension and suspense. You need his lumbering attacks to fuel the fear in the other actors and to sell this intimidating force. The film blends the trifecta of sci-fi, horror, and action.

Cameron's artistic vision, coupled with Arnold's performance, created a cinematic phenomenon that entered the cultural lexicon and never left.

2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

• Director: James Cameron
• Writer: James Cameron, William Wisher Jr.
• Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Terminator), Linda Hamilton (Sarah Connor), Edward Furlong (John Connor), Robert Patrick (T-1000)

What's so funny is that this movie also doesn't have a ton of range, but Arnold wound up being able to change his performance as the Terminator changed, and that alone is some great acting.

The movie was lauded for its groundbreaking special effects that still hold up today. In fact, it looks better than a lot of modern movies.

Arnold's reprogrammed T-800 was now protecting a teenage John Connor, and the depth portrayed with both moments of humor and that final thumbs up were really interesting.

The liquid metal T-1000 remains one of the most memorable villains in cinematic history. It was pure terror when he transformed. Somehow, this movie managed to be better than the original.

3. Predator (1987)

• Director: John McTiernan
• Writer: Jim Thomas, John Thomas
• Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger (Dutch), Carl Weathers (Dillon), Jesse Ventura (Blain), Bill Duke (Mac), Elpidia Carrillo (Anna), Richard Chaves (Poncho), Shane Black (Hawkins)

Arnold was famous for these one-liners that really made the audience excited. One I especially love is him yelling, "Get to the chopper!"

This movie really showed what Arnold could do. It's a sci-fi action-horror genre bender that pits Arnold's elite commando unit against an invisible alien hunter in the dense jungles of Central America.

Predator delivered exhilarating action sequences in the jungle and cemented Arnold as one of the biggest action stars of all time. He was the focal point of an ensemble cast of equally muscular tough guys. But the banter in this movie is what made people flock to it.

It's a prime example of 80s action cinema at its peak, and Arnold's final showdown with the titular creature is legendary.

4. Total Recall (1990)

• Director: Paul Verhoeven
• Writer: Ronald Shusett, Dan O'Bannon, Gary Goldman (screenplay); Philip K. Dick (story "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale")
• Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger (Douglas Quaid/Hauser), Sharon Stone (Lori), Rachel Ticotin (Melina), Michael Ironside (Richter), Ronny Cox (Cohaagen)

I think it's rare today to think about our biggest stars doing a hardcore science fiction movie like this one, even if it mixes with action. This came from the mind of visionary director Paul Verhoeven and pushed the envelope in many ways.

The movie blurs the lines between reality and illusion as Arnold plays Douglas Quaid, a construction worker who seeks a virtual vacation to Mars, only to discover his memories have been implanted and he's actually a secret agent. t's a story that takes chances, juxtaposes violence and dark humor with grotesque practical effects, and a truly unique vision of a colonized Mars.

Arnold's performance is perfectly suited to the role of a bewildered but ultimately formidable hero who is trying to uncover the truth about his world.

5. True Lies (1994)

• Director: James Cameron
• Writer: James Cameron (screenplay); Claude Zidi, Simon Michaël, Didier Kaminka (original story for La Totale!)
• Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger (Harry Tasker), Jamie Lee Curtis (Helen Tasker), Tom Arnold (Albert Gibson), Bill Paxton (Simon), Tia Carrere (Juno Skinner)

6. Conan the Barbarian (1982)

• Director: John Milius
• Writer: John Milius, Oliver Stone
• Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger (Conan), James Earl Jones (Thulsa Doom), Max von Sydow (King Osric), Sandahl Bergman (Valeria), Gerry Lopez (Subotai)

Early in his career, you could see the sparks that Arnold would be a star. He carried this movie on his back, and his muscles were put front and center to get people to buy into the story.

This epic fantasy film showcased Schwarzenegger's imposing physique and established his leading man status. Even if he doesn't have to say much. All he had to do was swing his sword, and we were on his side.

The movie was directed by John Milius and is a raw, brutal, and mostly atmospheric tale of revenge. Conan hunts the cult leader Thulsa Doom, who murdered his parents.

Arnold's commanding presence created a sword and sandal movie that launched him into Hollywood and made everyone pay attention.

7. Commando (1985)

• Director: Mark L. Lester
• Writer: Steven E. de Souza (screenplay), Joseph Loeb III, Matthew Weisman (story)
• Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger (John Matrix), Rae Dawn Chong (Cindy), Vernon Wells (Bennett), Dan Hedaya (Arius), Alyssa Milano (Jenny Matrix)

I actually think this is one of the more underrated movies Arnold did. It's sort of cheesy, but it has maybe the purest 80s action I've ever seen in a movie.

Arnold plays John Matrix, a retired Delta Force colonel whose daughter is kidnapped by a ruthless dictator he once overthrew. His mission is to get her back and to kill anyone who gets in his way.

What follows is a gloriously over-the-top rampage filled with ridiculous one-liners. It actually feels impossible that they have that many one-liners in this movie. But they also have a kill count, probably in the thousands.

Commando isn't subtle, and it doesn't try to be. It's a joyful celebration of Arnold's strengths and a beloved cult classic for its sheer entertainment value.

8. The Running Man (1987)

• Director: Paul Michael Glaser
• Writer: Steven E. de Souza (screenplay); Stephen King (novel, writing as Richard Bachman)
• Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger (Ben Richards), Maria Conchita Alonso (Amber Mendez), Yaphet Kotto (William Laughlin), Richard Dawson (Damon Killian)

Based on a novel by Stephen King (under his pseudonym Richard Bachman), The Running Man is a dark, satirical sci-fi action film that feels eerily relevant today. And while it's being remade, I will always have a soft spot for the original.

In a dystopian future where convicts are forced to participate in a deadly reality TV show, Arnold plays Ben Richards, an innocent man framed for a massacre. He must survive against a series of flamboyant "Stalkers" in a televised hunt to the death.

It's a play on reality TV that only got more relevant as the years went on. It's about media manipulation, fake news, and violence.

9. Twins (1988)

• Director: Ivan Reitman
• Writer: William Davies, William Osborne, Timothy Harris, Herschel Weingrod
• Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger (Julius Benedict), Danny DeVito (Vincent Benedict), Kelly Preston (Marnie Mason), Chloe Webb (Linda Mason), Bonnie Bartlett (Mary Ann Benedict)

Twins was a massive hit that paired Arnold with the unlikely but brilliant Danny DeVito. Arnold plays Julius, a genetically perfect but naive man who discovers he has a long-lost fraternal twin, Vincent (DeVito), a conniving small-time crook.

They play how different these guys look so perfectly, and then take the show on the road as the plot takes them across the country in search of their mother.

It's a heartwarming and genuinely funny buddy comedy that showcases Arnold's excellent timing and proves he could carry a non-action film as well.

10. Kindergarten Cop (1990)

• Director: Ivan Reitman
• Writer: Murray Salem, Herschel Weingrod, Timothy Harris
• Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger (Detective John Kimble), Penelope Ann Miller (Joyce Palmieri / Rachel Crisp), Pamela Reed (Detective Phoebe O'Hara), Linda Hunt (Miss Schlowski), Richard Tyson (Cullen Crisp)

I love this movie. People really only remember certain lines, but it is a total crowd-pleaser that has both big laughs and big action.

Kindergarten Cop sees Arnold as tough detective John Kimble, who goes undercover as a kindergarten teacher to catch a drug dealer. The humor stems from the fish-out-of-water scenario, as the hardened cop struggles to manage a classroom full of rambunctious five-year-olds.

It's so adorable and sweet, and makes Arnold into a big softie, something audiences embraced, and I think helped humanize him for later movies.

Summing It All Up 

Over the course of his career, Arnold Schwarzenegger has done movies in almost every genre and at every size. His trajectory to the biggest star in the world was paved with some of my most favorite movies of all time.

Even now, I am always excited to see his name in the credits and to see where all this can lead him.

I'm looking forward to his next classic