When sorting and cataloging my films this week, I noticed several Schwarznegger films in my collection that I didn't even know I owned. Arnie is one of the main actors I grew up with as a kid. I know that a lot of his movies aren't exactly cinematic masterpieces, but they are (almost) always enjoyable, if only thanks to his one-liners sometimes. Thus, I decided to have my little Arnie marathon/retrospective over two weeks or so, rewatching all of his films that are in my possession. A rather weird selection, it might seem at times. Some of those films I haven't seen in a long long while.

The films on the list are:

Conan The Destroyer
Colateral Damage
True Lies
The Running Man
The Terminator
T2: Judgement Day
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Total Recall
End of Days
Batman & Robin

The last one I only included because I can't find my The 6th Day copy and I want to have ten films on my list.

I've already seen The Running Man a couple of days ago and The Terminator yesterday. I'll keep this thread updated with short comments to the films I have seen on the way.

My favourite Arnie movies are Terminator 1 and 2 and Truel Lies. I used to really like Commando as a kid - buit havnt seen it in so long I cant really grade it now.

Remember there was a time that Arnie was attached to numerous projects that havnt seen the light of day - namely Westworld, Crusade and On Wings of Eagles.

And not to forget True Lies 2.

Crusade actually got as far as having a poster



It was a mess of a pre-production....

All we got now is Orlando Bloom as a crusader

I never saw that Crusade poster - thanks for posting.

I think Crusade got caught up in that whole Caralco mess and died when Cutthroad Island put a nail in the coffin of Caralco. What a shame we couldnt see Arnie in a Crusade film - which at the time - well before LOTR and all the epic battle films was supposed to be the goriest film ever.

hehe I wanted True Lies 2 to happen - but maybe in hindsight its good it didnt.

With Verhoeven directing, it would have definitely been the goeriest film ever, hehe.

As for True Lies 2, I'd be all for it, provided Cameron returns

If Cameron directs then i'm all for it. My bet is they would bring back Eliza Dushku as Arnie's daughter.

Another film I often forget is Red Heat which is half decent. Total Recall is also good - I remember seeing it in a theatre with my mother when I was 11 I think because Kindergarten Cop was sold out. She hated it!

Hahaha, what an alternative for an 11-year old...Total Recall instead of Kindergarten Cop (though the former is of course a better film).

I actually saw Red Heat about a month ago or so. It was okay, but not one of Arnie's best certainly.

My faves are certainly T1/T2, True Lies, Total Recall and I have a soft spot for End of Days

Total Recall was suggested by the teenager at the ticket counter. I loved it but my mother couldnt wait to get out and used to think all Arnie movies were "stupid". However, she has seen T2 and End of Days and liked them.

I personally dont mind End of Days either. It did well here in Oz - its a shame it didnt do better in NA. My favourites are basically the ones you just listed aswell.

Erasor was ok but nothing special. I have to admit though - I havnt seen Last Action Hero. So I'll put that on my list. I heard the film has Sly Stallone as the star of T2 in a movie poster in the film. Its a shame the two never got to work together.

BTW - I think Arnie was rumoured to star in Planet of the Apes and I Am Legend!

I love Last Action Hero, not sure why it gets such bad reputation.

Ive heard the same - so i'm looking forward to finally seeing Last Action Hero. I think the bad reputation is more to do with the film's box office. The media really went crazy attacking it when it got decimated by Jurassic Park. I guess it underwhelemed as Arnie's follow up to T2.

MyfavoriteArniemovieisTheRunningMan.GawdI<3thatmovie.IwanteditonDVD,butTBSorTNTor whateverchannelitwasplayeditonenightsoItivoeditandyay,it'smineforevah!

It'sprobablytheoneArniemovieIwouldn'tmindseeingaremaketo.

Hehe, Last Action Hero is a great one. The only reason I didn't include it in the faves is that I hadn't seen it for a while. To bad it disappointed in the US.

I agree that Eraser is certainly not great. It just became to silly when he was hanging out of the plane and all.

After End of Days, Arnie's real decline began. The 6th Day was okay, but very disappointing given the good premise. Collateral Damage was just pretty mediocre with some really bad parts.

Then I'll try and rent Last Action Hero soon.

I agree End of Days was kind of a decent comeback and something a little different for Arnie. The 6th Day wasnt that good and I havnt seen Collateral Damage. Judging by your description I wont make an effort to see it any time soon. T3 was an admirable return - but just not in the league of the first two.

Korrgan - I think its time I see Running Man again. I recall liking it but that must be over a decade ago now.

I must say The Running Man didn't age that well. I have seen it earlier this week and was a little let down

I absolutely agree that T3 was a decent film, it was actually a really good action film on its own, but as far as Terminator films go, it is a really mediocre one. Whoever thought TX is a good villain...bleh.

Exactly - the TX just doesnt cut it. Nice for the money shots in the trailer but after the T-1000 in T2 - it proved too hard an act to follow. T2 is still one of the greatest milestones in CGI/FX history. T3 reminds me of Godfather 3 - a sequel that cames years after the brilliant first two and couldnt live up to them.

Yeah, I think they just basically messed it up for themselves, by making T-1000 so indestructible. TX not only seemed less menacing (Robert Patrick was pitch-perfect!), but it also seemed a lot easier to defeat, so it makes you wonder how come that years later the machines decided to send an inferior Terminator...

Hence why a prequel was often mooted (and wanted) rather than a sequel. T2 should have been the final chapter as it would be hard to match or better it. I guess now thats why they are talking about T4 and going back to the machine wars etc

Yeah, but I've always said - No Arnie = No Terminator for me

Thats why I dont think they should do anymore either.

Arnie has also done a bit of directing. He did direct an epsiode of Tales from the Crypt back in the late 80s/early 90s. My guess is he will try and direct a couple of films after his political career is over. Though it would be good to see him star in a Charles Bronson or Clint Eastwood or Sean Connery older hero type film.

How about a Bond villian!!

It'd be awesome to see him as a villain! Hey, Conerry couls still make a solid action hero at 65-70 and apparently Indy will be back too, so why not for Arnie. He's not much of a draw anymore, but I'd love to see him back on the screen. He might not be a great actor, but he has his charisma that lacks from almost all action stars nowadays.

I think he would be great as a villian in a Bond film - playing it straight and not campy (like Batman). He could definately still be the hero however. I mean after having a heart operation - the guy was in damn good shape for T3 wasnt he!

As you said he has on screen charisma that many of today's action stars dont have. Infact he is one of the cinema icons of the 1980s and 1990s.

Indeed, ah the good times. Heh, hard to imagine how he and Stallone used to be the biggest box-office draws around!

The Running Man


This movie is pretty much the classic essence of an Arnie flick. The plot is as simple as it gets. A rebel in the dystopian vision of the future is captured and sent on a popular game show on which convicts are given a chance to redeem themselves and win a ton of money...as long as they can escape the sadistic and extravagant hitmen sent after them.

I must say the film didn't age as well as I had it in my memory. My last viewing was probably about 6-7 years ago and I expected some more action and cooler hitmen. Basically, the problem was that Arnie could defeat all of them way too easily. Arnie's dialogie in this one pretty much consists only of the one-liners he's so famous for and there are some truly golden ones in here, my favorite being:

"I live to see you eat that contract, but I hope you leave enough room for my fist because I'm going to ram it into your stomach and break your goddamn spine"

That's a real classic The ideas of the villain gladiators are pretty cool, the best being Fireball and Buzzsaw. I just think they are too underused, especially buzzsaw. Still, this is a cheesy and entertaining romp, that's pretty good for party viewings.

Grade: B

Schwarzenegger was my big hero as a child and I still love most of his films today. He's austrian

Arnold was the greatest action hero that graced the Earth, period!

I'd love a return of the Schwarzenegger-Cameron combo... ah, one can dream...