Summary
Throughout his remarkable career,Arnold Schwarzeneggerhas starred in some underrated movies that deserve another look. Schwarzenegger is most famous forplaying action movie characters, ranging from righteous heroes to robotic villains. In fact,Sylvester Stallone and Schwarzenegger are considered the best action starsof the 1980s. In addition, Schwarzenegger appeared in some comedies and an infamousBatmanfilm in the 1990s.
Schwarzenegger has had an impressive career since his first role inHercules in New Yorkin 1970. In 2023,Netflix released a documentary series titledArnold,whichexplored Schwarzenegger’s acting and political career, as well as his time as a bodybuilder. Though Schwarzenegger has starred in many hit films, he’s also had some flops throughout his career. However, just because these movies have been unloved for years doesn’t mean they aren’t worth a watch.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 10 Best Movies, According To Metacritic
Some, but not all, of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s fan-favorite movies hold unsurprising spots on Metacritic’s list.
8Eraser (1996)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 43%
Directed by Charles Russell,Eraserstars Schwarzenegger as the titular John “Eraser” Kruger, a U.S. Marshall working in Witness Protection, erasing and rewriting the lives of witnesses. Eraser protects a senior operative and whistleblower, played by Vanessa Williams, who is testifying about an illegal arms deal. In proper action spy movie form, there is a mole, a shoot-out, explosions, and lots of death.
Eraserhas fun action scenes and engaging stunts. The characters use futuristic guns, and Schwarzenegger shows off, dual-wielding them and spraying bullets.
Despite some plot holes and choppy storytelling,Eraserhas fun action scenes and engaging stunts. The characters use futuristic guns, and Schwarzenegger shows off, dual-wielding them and spraying bullets.Many find the special effects are also relatively realisticand help sell the movie. Film criticRoger Ebertgave the film three out of four stars, saying that if you“have a short attention span,” you can forget the plot holes just enough to enjoy the film.Erasergrossed$24.5 million on its opening weekend.
Eraser
Cast
Eraser is an action thriller directed by Chuck Russell, featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger as U.S. Marshal John Kruger, who specializes in erasing identities to protect witnesses. The plot centers on Kruger’s mission to safeguard a key witness, Lee Cullen, portrayed by Vanessa Williams, against a corrupt conspiracy within the defense contractor she works for. The film blends intense action sequences with themes of betrayal and technological warfare.
7Twins (1988)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 42%
Twinsfollows Schwarzenegger as Julius, a quiet and innocent, though physically foreboding man, who seeks his lost twin, Vincent (Danny DeVito). They’re a comedic odd couple, with the movie focusing onthe differences between Schwarzenegger and DeVito in stature and personality. Though the gag of the unlikely duo being twins wears off shortly, much of the humor comes from their persona, as Vincent shows off his street smarts to his sensitive older brother.
Schwarzenegger and Devito also co-starred in the 1994 filmJunior.
Twinsworks because of the juxtaposition of seeinga hulking actor like Schwarzenegger in a comedic and sensitive role. This is especially funny when paired with Danny DeVito, who stands at just 4 foot 10 inches and is known for his comedy work. The film grossed $11 million on its first weekend, opening as the number one film in the U.S.Twinswas rumored to have a sequel titledTriplets, starring the pair and Tracy Morgan as their brother. However,Triplets’development stopped after director Ivan Reitman passed away in 2022.
Twins
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito star in the comedy Twins as Julius and Vincent Benedict, two identical brothers who set out on a road trip to find their biological mother. Directed by Ghostbusters co-creator Ivan Reitman, the 1988 film was a box office success and opened the door for more comedy roles for Schwarzenegger, including Kindergarten Cop, Junior, and Jingle All The Way.
6The 6th Day (2000)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 40%
The 6th Dayis set in 2015 when animal cloning is routine, but the cloning of humans is still not allowed. Schwarzenegger plays Adam Gibson, a pilot cloned by a nefarious billionaire and thrust into a secret clone domination conspiracy. With a balance of science-fueled drama and the occasional dark humor,The 6th Dayis reminiscent of an episode ofBlack Mirror, with someone’s life spiraling out of control after a run-in with errant technology.
Terry Crews made his acting debut inThe 6th Day.
The movie has some strange editing choices, but those shouldn’t detract from the action-science plot and cast of the film. Though much of the stunts and humor are as expected for a movie of this level,The 6th Day’s intrigue lies in its messaging and predictions about the future. Cloning isn’t yet commonplace, but the film accurately predicts some minor details about modern living. The film ultimately failed at the time of its release, raising only $96 million worldwide on a budget of $82 million, but now deserves a revisiting almost a decade after it is set.
The 6th Day
In The 6th Day, Adam Gibson discovers he’s been illegally cloned. As he uncovers a conspiracy in a world where cloning is advanced but controversial, the film explores the ethical dilemmas and dangers of human cloning.
5Escape Plan (2013)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 50%
Schwarzenegger and Stalloneco-star inEscape Plan,in which they attempt to escape a state-of-the-art prison facility and get revenge on Stallone’s betrayer. Despite their long rivalry at the box office,the two famous action stars have great chemistry, making the movie fun and engaging for audiences. The movie is a rewarding watch for fans of both actors, but shouldn’t be expected to stand out much in plot or cinematography.
Why Arnold Schwarzenegger Didn’t Return For Escape Plan 2 (& What Happened To His Character)
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Rottmayer was notably absent from 2018 sequel Escape Plan 2, but why did the star pass and what happened to his character?
Escape Planis a simple but well-executed action movie that satisfies the genre nicely. After the initial reveal of Stallone’s situation, it becomes a relatively easy-to-follow story of heroes versus villains. It’s an entertaining film thatexemplifies the camp of the 1980s filmsthe men were famous for. Fans of the genre should watchEscape Planfor its classic action and iconic joint performance from its two iconic stars.
Escape Plan
An action thriller film that stars movie action heroes, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Escape Plan follows Lawyer Ray Breslin, a security tester who enters a supermax prison to study its defenses. To accomplish the breakout, he’ll enlist the help of an inmate named Emil, a self-proclaimed hero who steals from the rich and gives to the poor.
4Jingle All The Way (1996)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 21%
Another of Schwarzenegger’s comedies is his Christmas film,Jingle All The Way.Schwarzenegger stars opposite comedian Sinbadas two rival fathers trying to purchaseTurbo-Man action figuresfor their sons for the holidays. One of the many plot points in the film features Schwarzenegger’s character donning a life-sized working Turbo-Man costume, fighting villains, and flying through the city and into a family’s apartment during Christmas dinner in a truly comedic moment.
Jingle All The Wayis filled with funny moments and Christmas-themed campiness. One of the most iconic scenes is when Schwarzenegger single-handedly takes on an army of criminal mall Santas and elves, resulting in an instantly recognizable comedic fight scene. The movie is known forsatirizing commercialism at Christmas. For Schwarzenegger fans,Jingle All The Wayat least deserves a seasonal rewatch.
Jingle All the Way
Jingle All The Way is a Christmas-themed comedy film by director Brian Levant, released in 1996. After a business-focused father fails to procure a wildly popular toy for his son before Christmas, he must head on a city-wide hunt to find one. His hunt is complicated further when he’s forced to go head-to-head with a postal worker on the same quest, leading to a series of ever-escalating events during the holiday season.
Jingle All The Way Art Shows Why Arnold Schwarzenegger Christmas Comedy Wouldn’t Work Today
Funny Jingle All the Way art proves why the 1996 Arnold Schwarzenegger Christmas comedy movie just wouldn’t work if set in today’s world.
3The Running Man (1987)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 67%
Loosely based on a Stephen King novel, Schwarzenegger starred inThe Running Man, a film set in a dystopian future America where criminals are hunted on television and rewarded for survival. In his quest to survive, Schwarzenegger faces interesting and iconic villains, many of whom are played by professional wrestlers and athletes.The Running Manis an excellent movie for fans of cyberpunk dystopian films. It embodies the absurdity of 1980s science-fiction movies, with a great aesthetic to match.
ThoughThe Running Manhas many positive reviews, it remains one of Schwarzenegger’s less famous works. It will be reentering the cultural zeitgeist soon, as Glen Powell is set to star inEdgar Wright’s remake ofThe Running Man, though no release date is attached. Keeping only the violence and the characters’ names, Schwarzenegger’sRunning Manwas criticized for not being true to the original story. The remake promises to be a more faithful adaptation of King’s book. If anything, the film was successful enough to warrant a remake and is worth another watch before Powell’s movie.
The Running Man
The Running Man is a dystopian action film set in a 2017 totalitarian state where the government uses deadly game shows to control the populace. Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as a framed convict navigating the lethal challenges of the televised spectacle The Running Man, hosted by the relentless Damon Killian.
2The Villain (1979)
Metacritic Rating: 22%
One of Schwarzenegger’s lesser-known early films isThe Villain, a Western movie parody. Schwarzenegger plays Handsome Stranger alongside Kirk Douglas, who plays the titular villain, an outlaw named Cactus Jack. The film is notablyLooney Tunes-esque, as hapless Douglas constantly tries and fails to kill the naive Schwarzenegger and his female companion, Ann-Margret, much like Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner.The movie uses its recognizable actors to blend familiar film tropes and comic aspectsfor a memorable effect.
The Villainshouldn’t be taken seriously as an earnest Western film, as some tried to interpret it. Instead, it was meant to be a campy take on the genre, parodying the classic tropes and characters. While the humor occasionally borders on infantile or too slapstick, the premise and actors make the film fun. Overall, with a blast of late 1970s nostalgia,The Villainis an easy and funny PG-rated watch suitable for the family.
Every Arnold Schwarzenegger Comedy Movie, Ranked
Arnold Schwarzenegger has always had a taste for comedy, but which of the actor’s humorous movies are flops and which of them are worth a watch?
1Last Action Hero (1993)
Last Action Herois a fantasy action comedy with a meta yet still funny premise. Another of Schwarzenegger’s genre parody films,Last Action Herois a satire of action movies for which Schwarzenegger was already known. InLast Action Hero, Schwarzenegger acts as himself, playing the character of Jack Slater, a police detective in an in-movie action film franchise. When young Danny Madigan (Austin O’Brien) magically transports into the series, he and Slater must team up to stop the franchise’s assassin, who has now entered the real world.
While the premise may sound complicated, the film is not a hard watch,filled with familiar tropes and gaffs typical of the action genre. However,Last Action Heropremiered to negative reviews.Schwarzenegger reflected on this box office flopin his Netflix documentary, saying, “WhenLast Action Herocame out I had reached my peak after Terminator 2… I cannot tell you how upset that I was [about Last Action Hero’s negative reviews]. It hurts you. It hurts your feelings.” It competed in the box office with other popular 1997 releases (namelyJurassic ParkandSleepless In Seattle).
The movie is also packed with cameos, including Tina Turner, Sharon Stone, and Ian McKellen, among many others. There is good comic timing throughout the film and lots of action sequences, as promised.Last Action Herois a good reflection of the genre and Schwarzenegger’s celebrity status at the time. It’s worth watching to seeArnold Schwarzeneggerin another comedic role and spoof the films that made him so successful.
Last Action Hero
Last Action Hero follows young Danny Madigan, who magically enters the world of his favorite action film through a special ticket. Inside the movie, he teams up with action hero Jack Slater, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, to battle cinematic villains. Directed by John McTiernan, the film blends reality and fiction, offering a whimsical take on action film tropes.
