The ’80s spawned a unique breed of action heroes; actors synonymous with larger-than-life characters who have a penchant for kicking ass, inspiring explosions, and one-liners. While Sylvester Stallone, Chuck Norris, and Jean-Claude Van Damme’s movies were not universally loved by critics, that did not matter much when people flocked to theatres to get their fill of cinematic violence. Out of all of the decade’s iconic (and typically muscular) stars, Arnold Schwarzenegger reigned as its most treasured (and bulging) performer.
Schwarzenegger remains a huge name to this very day, but the actor was arguably at his inescapable peak during the ’80s and early ’90s. Schwarzenegger brought a singular type of charisma to his roles, while his background in bodybuilding added legitimacy to his performances. Appearing in 10 films throughout the decade, this era in Schwarzenegger’s portfolio is packed with career-defining turns and a few projects that just scream “1980s.” How do these movies rank according to Metacritic?
10 Red Sonja (35)
Born out of the success of the Conan movies, Red Sonja is a laughably bad attempt at a sword and sorcery epic. Despite seemingly taking place in the same universe, Schwarzenegger portrays Lord Kalidor rather than Conan, a character who is forced to speak way too often.
With a solid musical score and decent set design, Red Sonja has a few positives in its favor, but they are undermined by a frustratingly bland storyline and some terrible casting. Brigitte Nielsen is particularly stilted and awkward as the titular character.
9 Conan The Barbarian (43)
An adaptation of Robert E. Howard’s character, Conan the Barbarian put Arnold Schwarzenegger on the map as an actor, and it is not difficult to see why. A revenge movie underpinned by philosophical musings dealing with life, death, and power, to watch Conan the Barbarian is to witness the creation and exploration of a myth.
As understandable as it can be to be overwhelmed by the movie’s stellar aesthetic, complementary performances, and great direction, it would be a disservice to ignore Conan the Barbarian‘s intelligent script and complex themes.
8 Raw Deal (44)
As the most popular action star in the world at the time, Schwarzenegger generally stuck to roles that played to his strengths during the ’80s. While he would eventually accept more comedic characters, Raw Deal represents a small attempt by the actor to diversify his portfolio. In this flick, Schwarzenegger portrays a former FBI agent who goes undercover in the Chicago mob.
While there are elements that suggest Raw Deal was initially meant to be a more conventional crime thriller, the story ultimately serves as little more than an excuse to watch Schwarzenegger take down some of the least realistic mobsters ever put to film. It can be fun, though.
7 Predator (45)
In the first of John McTiernan and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s two career team-ups, U.S. mercenaries descend into a Central American jungle in search of hostages to rescue. However, they soon find themselves being hunted by an alien, the eponymous Predator.
Predator is raw, frantic, and intense; a sci-fi action classic that, somehow, convincingly sets up its intimidating heroes as underdogs. Putting aside a few cheesy (but endearing) one-liners, Predator is gritty, dirty, and visceral.
6 The Running Man (45)
A satire of television that substitutes jokes with a body count, The Running Man envisions a totalitarian version of the United States that keeps the masses distracted through the broadcast of a bloody game show. In “The Running Man,” convicts compete to escape an area and earn a pardon, although their actual destiny is to be taken out by the stalkers.
Despite having a premise that is primed for social commentary, The Running Man does not really try to be anything more than a graphic action fest. In that regard, the movie does its job.
5 Commando (51)
In some ways, Commando is the quintessential “Arnold Schwarzenegger” movie, at least when it comes to stereotypical action projects associated with the actor. When Colonel John Matrix’s daughter is kidnapped, the protagonist sets out to get her back. Along the way, he kills everyone. That might sound like hyperbole, but Matrix puts to rest more than 70 people during the film’s runtime, a personal best for Schwarzenegger.
Commando distills the ’80s action movie formula to its bare minimum: guns, zingers, and muscles. Commando might be shallow but it is an entertaining type of shallow.
4 Conan The Destroyer (53)
The sequel to Conan the Barbarian ditches most of the hidden depth and darker elements of its predecessor, opting for a more family-friendly fantasy adventure tone. The end result is a serviceable romp that has aged far worse than the first film, and someone’s appreciation for Conan the Destroyer will be wholly determined by their tolerance for camp.
Schwarzenegger is the best part of this forgettable outing. He injects Conan with a hint of humor, a characteristic that would become more common as the actor’s resume evolved further.
3 Twins (53)
Twins is one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most important films. Following a decade defined by action, this 1988 movie appeared out of nowhere to highlight the actor’s comedic timing. If Twins was not a success, Schwarzenegger might have ignored projects like Kindergarten Cop, Junior, and Jingle All the Way. One of those movies is even pretty good.
The ultimate odd couple, Danny DeVito and Schwarzenegger bounce off each other with the confidence of a seasoned comedy duo. Twins milks its outlandish premise for all its worth, crafting an experience that is baffling but also endlessly amusing.
2 Red Heat (61)
A buddy cop flick that sometimes gets overshadowed by the subgenre’s other offerings during this era, Red Heat‘s success hinges entirely on the chemistry between its two leads, Schwarzenegger and Jim Belushi. The former portrays a Russian Captain who chases a target to Chicago, forcing him to work alongside Belushi’s irreverent detective.
The polar opposite characters combine in the usual way that tends to happen in these types of films, albeit the material is elevated by Walter Hill’s direction and the two leads’ performances.
1 The Terminator (84)
While Conan the Barbarian launched Arnold Schwarzenegger into superstardom, The Terminator ensured that he remained there indefinitely. A sci-fi thriller about a cyborg sent back in time to eliminate the woman who would go on to give birth to the leader of the rebellion against the machines, James Cameron’s movie is a tour-de-force of effective action, clever world-building, and impeccable casting.
Multiple decades later, The Terminator holds up as an example of sci-fi at its best, even if it is inferior to its immediate sequel.
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