What is Arnold Schwarzenegger's best film?

[2CHAINZ]

True Lies is easily my fav but T2 is easily his best.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Is it best acting or best overall? There's a huge difference.

If it's best overall I don't see how anything touches Terminator 2. For those who weren't around (and those who were can back me up) that movie was culturally significant in the summer of 1991 and pretty much the biggest thing in the world before the grunge movement. Think Barbie last summer but multiply that by 20x without an internet. You had the Guns N Roses video, trading cards, there was even a commercial for some 1-900 hotline with Edward Furlong to help John Connor fend off the T-1000.

Best acting might be Kindergarten Cop or Jingle All The Way.

I was there and I hated it right away as the original one was a favorite of mine and this was aimed at the cool kids and was an editing/continuity mess (worst than a 12$ movie, can't believe anybody would say it's an objectively good movie). I've grown to appreciate it with time, but it's still IMO far away from T1, and I prefer Total Recall to both.

And again, best acting, Maggie !! Nothing else is close.

 

[Roo Returns]

I was there and I hated it right away as the original one was a favorite of mine and this was aimed at the cool kids and was an editing/continuity mess (worst than a 12$ movie, can't believe anybody would say it's an objectively good movie). I've grown to appreciate it with time, but it's still IMO far away from T1, and I prefer Total Recall to both.

And again, best acting, Maggie !! Nothing else is close.

I won't argue since I've learned the three years you and I don't really agree on anything movie related. So I'll leave it to the masses to talk about how it was everywhere 10x what Barbie was last summer and if it's their favorite movie or sequel of all time (I go Wrath of Khan, T2, Aliens for sequels in that order).

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

I won't argue since I've learned the three years you and I don't really agree on anything movie related. So I'll leave it to the masses to talk about how it was everywhere 10x what Barbie was last summer and if it's their favorite movie or sequel of all time (I go Wrath of Khan, T2, Aliens for sequels in that order).

Oh I'm not saying it wasn't big. It was a commercial monster for sure. It still was a mess - and you don't have to agree with me. Aliens is another film I had to learn to like with time because it was a pretty poor follow up to another favorite of mine. But hey,... my favorite sequel is certainly Amityville II, so what do I know?

 

[Roo Returns]

Oh I'm not saying it wasn't big. It was a commercial monster for sure. It still was a mess - and you don't have to agree with me. Aliens is another film I had to learn to like with time because it was a pretty poor follow up to another favorite of mine. But hey,... my favorite sequel is certainly Amityville II, so what do I know?

Never saw either. I'll need to put in on the never ending list since I get more joy out of older films and modern indie films as opposed to mainstream movies.

 

[Bounces R Way]

T2
Predator
Total Recall
T1

After that I'm not sure, Conan, Commando, and The Running Man were all pretty solid
Not really worth including in this conversation but always felt The 6th Day(2000) was a bit of an underrated Arnie flick.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Surprised to see total recall getting so many votes. It’s definitely my favorite Arnold movie. Not to sure if it’s the best overall film, but one of my top sci-fi movies of all time.

 

[TCTC]

Voted for Total Recall, and I think that's my final answer. Maggie, The Terminator, and Last Action Hero were my contenders.

Was wondering if there were any mentions of Last Action Hero. Should be on the list. Might be his most underrated movie.
I know the kid was annoying, but such a fun movie. The self-deprecating humor made Arnold even more likeable.
This movie was meta before meta even was a thing.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Voted for “The Terminator” from ‘84. Thank goodness I still have the DVD with the original mono sound FX track!!!!

“Jingle All The Way” and “End Of Days” are my second and third choices.

T2 is great, but everyone chooses it.

 

[Stylizer1]

T2 is probably the best sequel to a movie ever made. It's weird because T2 is one of my favorite movies but I like Total Recall more because of the story.

What about Twins?

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

T2 is probably the best sequel to a movie ever made. It's weird because T2 is one of my favorite movies but I like Total Recall more because of the story.

What about Twins?

Maybe its because they came out when I was a kid, but I honestly think his comedy chops are really underrated.

Kindergarten Cop, Twins, Junior, Jingle All the Way, Last Action Hero are all legitimately funny movies

 

[Bocephus86]

I love Arnold, he's one of the few 80s/90s stars I loved growing up that I can still go back and watch with the same love. Also I agree with the posts here about a lot of that just being his natural charisma more than anything. He's pretty much always Arnold in every movie, but it works somehow.
I voted T2 as his best movie, trying to think more objectively amount the overall quality of the movie vs just enjoying it as an Arnold movie. I tend to think of them more in groups though.

Want to show people that haven't seen them: T2, Predator, Commando
Will always watch when I see them: (Above) + Total Recall, Running Man, True Lies, Eraser. T1.
Might stop to watch: Conan, Last Action Hero, T3

Twins / Kindergarten cops are both great in their own ways, but I classify them differently.

After T3 I feel like they kind of stopped being true Arnold movies, and even that one is on the edge, but he was getting older and just couldn't keep up being a mountain of a man. I'll still watch anything he made at least once though.

 

[Osprey]

Maybe its because they came out when I was a kid, but I honestly think his comedy chops are really underrated.

Kindergarten Cop, Twins, Junior, Jingle All the Way, Last Action Hero are all legitimately funny movies

I think that it has a lot to do with the fact that all of those movies poked fun at him in some way. He was willing to have the jokes be at his expense and, especially with the first three, recognized that playing against his macho image was funny. He didn't even need to be all that funny, himself, because the premises already were. He just had to be himself and the sight of him surrounded by 5-year-olds, standing next to Danny DeVito or being pregnant was enough to generate amusement. I don't think that he gets enough credit for his ability to choose roles that suit him and market himself, in general.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

Total Recall is such a fun movie. Visually rich, so many entertaining small details and minor characters.

Is there a better example of the genre? 5th Element is the only thing close that comes to mind.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

Also, who the hell doesn’t like Jingle All the Way??? Classic family Christmas comedy.

Don’t recall Jingle All the Way specifically but I remember hating every single 90’s PG-rated Christmas movie I was dragged to, the lone exception being Houseguest with Phil Hartman and Sinbad.

 

[NyQuil]

Total Recall is such a fun movie. Visually rich, so many entertaining small details and minor characters.

Is there a better example of the genre? 5th Element is the only thing close that comes to mind.

“See you at the party Richter!”

 

[x Tame Impala]

Don’t recall Jingle All the Way specifically but I remember hating every single 90’s PG-rated Christmas movie I was dragged to, the lone exception being Houseguest with Phil Hartman and Sinbad.

Phil Hartman and Sinbad are both in Jingle All the Way too haha

 

[Chairman Maouth]

Great poll question. I'm with the majority: T2. Arnie had some great lines and the supporting cast was great too.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Hard to say. But my favorite movie with him is end of days. Creepy satanic atmosphere in that movie.

 

[alko]

Running man - because there was ice-hockey!

 

[Minnesota Knudsens]

Running man - because there was ice-hockey!

“Sub Zero?!? Now?!? Plain Zero!!!” Lol.

I know I should say Total Recall or Terminator, but The Running Man was my favourite as a kid

 

[Satans Hockey]

Everyone has already listed his best movies but if you're a fan of him I think it's worth checking out Maggie, it's absolutely not the best movie and it's a bit boring but it shows a "serious" acting side of Arnold that he's never really done before. He was really good in it and comes across absolutely helpless and makes you feel bad for him which is way different than the hero/strong type he normally plays.

 

[CanesUltimate11]

Went with True Lies as it just such a fun movie that lets him have a bit more range between action and comedy. Really laugh at the scene where he goes to commandeer the jet to save his daughter.

He's just saved his wife in dramatic fashion, romantic kiss scene with the bomb exploding behind them. Learns the bad guys have his daughter, gets the "Go to work" from his wife, you're likely expecting some heroic type of line "I'll bring her back" or "don't worry I'll save our little girl"

Instead it's just a quick kind of lighthearted "Bye" as he runs off.

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

Went with True Lies as it just such a fun movie that lets him have a bit more range between action and comedy. Really laugh at the scene where he goes to commandeer the jet to save his daughter.

He's just saved his wife in dramatic fashion, romantic kiss scene with the bomb exploding behind them. Learns the bad guys have his daughter, gets the "Go to work" from his wife, you're likely expecting some heroic type of line "I'll bring her back" or "don't worry I'll save our little girl"

Instead it's just a quick kind of lighthearted "Bye" as he runs off.

Its like a kid who reluctantly got permission from his mom to go out and play with his friends

 

[Hivemind]

My Top 5 (order can basically re-arrange randomly):

1. Total Recall
2. Conan
3. Commando
4. Terminator 2
5. Predator