Arnold Schwarzenegger – 10 Best Movies

By Vlad Zakh · August 4, 2025

Terminator 2 best used his screen presence, a killing machine turned protector, and True Lies showed he could carry an action comedy just as easily. Conan the Barbarian proved his physicality could anchor a film, Twins is a genuinely funny odd-couple comedy against Danny DeVito, and The Running Man’s game-show violence has only gotten more relevant. Escape Plan, Kindergarten Cop, Predator, Total Recall and The Terminator round out the list.

Escape Plan (2013)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A security expert who tests prisons for weaknesses finds himself trapped in the very facility he cannot crack.

Directed by Mikael Håfström · 1h 55m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+, YouTube TV, AMC, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Running Man (1987)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A wrongly convicted man is forced to compete on a deadly game show where escaped criminals are hunted for sport.

Directed by Paul Michael Glaser · 1h 41m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Conan the Barbarian (1982)

TMDB ★ 7.1

The role that first proved Arnold Schwarzenegger's physical presence could anchor a film.

Directed by John Milius · 2h 10m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, YouTube TV, Netflix Standard with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Twins (1988)

TMDB ★ 6.1

A genetically perfect man discovers he has an unrefined twin brother, and together they search for their birth mother.

Directed by Ivan Reitman · 1h 47m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: YouTube TV · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Kindergarten Cop (1990)

TMDB ★ 6.0

A tough detective goes undercover as a kindergarten teacher to track down a dangerous criminal's ex-wife and son.

Directed by Ivan Reitman · 1h 51m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+, YouTube TV, AMC · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Predator (1987)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 65% Metacritic 47

An elite rescue team is hunted one by one by an invisible alien in the jungle.

Directed by John McTiernan · 1h 47m · Rated R

Nominated for 1 Oscar3 wins & 6 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, YouTube TV, FXNow · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Total Recall (1990)

IMDb ★ 7.5 RT 80% Metacritic 60

A man's implanted vacation memory unravels into a real, planet-spanning conspiracy.

Directed by Paul Verhoeven · 1h 53m · Rated R

Nominated for 2 Oscars7 wins & 16 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

True Lies (1994)

TMDB ★ 7.2

James Cameron's spy-comedy hybrid, bigger and funnier than it needed to be.

Directed by James Cameron · 2h 21m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Hulu, AMC · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Terminator (1984)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 90% Metacritic 84

A relentless killing machine is sent back in time to erase a resistance leader before he's born.

Directed by James Cameron · 1h 48m · Rated R

9 wins & 8 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+, YouTube TV, AMC, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

IMDb ★ 8.6 RT 90% Metacritic 75

A reprogrammed Terminator now protects the boy an earlier model was sent to kill.

Directed by James Cameron · 2h 17m · Rated R

Won 4 Oscars39 wins & 33 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, YouTube TV · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

Arnold Schwarzenegger – 10 Best Movies

Escape Plan (2013)

The Running Man (1987)

Conan the Barbarian (1982)

Twins (1988)

Kindergarten Cop (1990)

Predator (1987)

Total Recall (1990)

True Lies (1994)

The Terminator (1984)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

You might also like

39 Best Prison Movies of All Time

8 Best Movies of 1991

8 Best Movies of 1984

8 Best Movies of 1987

250 Best Movies of All Time

50 Best Movies of the 1980s