Regarding movie stars during the 1980s, it does not get any bigger thanArnold Schwarzenegger, who spent this decade starring in some of the most iconic action movies ever produced. From his breakout success inConan the Barbarianto the timeless appeal ofThe Terminator, this Austrian bodybuilder managed to become one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars and earn his place as a touchstone of modern popular culture. With a skill for playing no-nonsense heroes who had little issue with leaving bodies and carnage in their wake, the only thing more unstoppable than Schwarzenegger during the 1980s was his career.
Many of thebest Schwarzenegger action movieswere released during the 1980s, as his ongoing rivalry with fellow action hero Sylvester Stallone meant they pushed one another to continually up the stakes and make increasingly intense, over-the-top action movies. Schwarzenegger played fantasy warriors, unstoppable killing machines, and skilled Special Forces officers during this time, as each film had something special to offer for action movie lovers. While the quality may have varied from film to film, the appeal, charisma, andthe consistent work ethic of Schwarzenegger during the 1980s meant he was the biggest action star of that decade.
Red Sonja
Cast
Red Sonja is a 1985 fantasy adventure starring Brigitte Nielsen as a warrior seeking revenge against the evil Queen Gedren. With help from Lord Kalidor, Sonja battles mystical forces to recover a powerful relic. The film is based on a character from the Conan universe.
As the last of three fantasy sword-and-sorcery movies Arnold Schwarzenegger made in the 1980s, sadly,Red Sonjabelonged at the bottom of the heap. As an attempt to cash in on the success ofConan the Barbarianwithout the power of brand recognition,Schwarzenegger was demoted to the supporting role of Lord Kalidorin this epic Hyborian Age adventure that left viewers wanting. Although it’s refreshing to see the genre get a female twist with Brigitte Nielsen in the title role, this uninspired journey through fantasy tropes and cliches lacked the appeal of Schwarzengger’s greatest fantasy offering.
Schwarzenegger has expressed his dislike for the film by stating (viaXfinity): “It’s the worst film I have ever made… Now I tell my kids that if they get out of line, they’ll be forced to watch Red Sonja ten times in a row.” Although there’s enough campy humor that some viewers may be able to enjoyRed Sonjaas a spoof of the genre. However, the problematic representation of a highly sexualized woman who relied on her male counterpart meant thatRed Sonjawas an unlikely candidate for reappraisal as a forgotten classic by modern viewers.
Conan the Destroyer
Conan the Destroyer is a fantasy action film directed by Richard Fleischer. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as the titular character, the film follows Conan on a quest to retrieve a magical artifact, aided by a motley crew of allies. This sequel to Conan the Barbarian, released in 1982, continues the adventures of the iconic sword-wielding hero in a mystical world of peril and sorcery.
Conan the Destroyerwas Arnold Schwarzenegger’s very first sequel and signaled the beginning of his transition from a non-descript movie muscleman into a bona fide movie star whose presence alone was enough to achieve box office success. With Schwarzenegger and Mako reprising their roles as Conan and Akiro, the Wizard of the Mounds,Conan the Destroyertoned down the violence from the original and upped self-aware humor. While this lighter tone may have made for an entertaining movie, it also lacked the dark undercurrents that made the series stand out in the first place.
For this sequel, Conan the Destroyer softened the edges of a series whose darkness was a major part of its success.
However, despitethe campy comic book fun ofConan the Destroyer, Schwarzenegger had yet to find his comedic voice and struggled with getting the tone right here. Schwarzenegger’s characterizations were a far cry from the knowing tongue-in-cheek style ofLast Action Heroor the poignant balance of humor and sentimentality he pulled off inKindergarten Copduring the 1990s. For this sequel,Conan the Destroyersoftened the edges of a series whose darkness was a major part of its success and, in the process, lost something special.
Raw Deal
Raw Deal features Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mark Kaminsky, a former FBI agent who becomes the sheriff of a small North Carolina town after being dismissed for misconduct. He is recruited by FBI Chief Harry Shannon to infiltrate and dismantle a mob organization led by the notorious Patrovina, in exchange for reinstatement.
Throughout the 1980s, Arnold Schwarzenegger had one major cinematic rival, Sylvester Stallone. Asthe feud between Schwarzenegger and Stalloneintensified throughout the decade, the pair would criticize one another in the press and compete for box office success. One major example of this was the release ofRaw Deal, a straight-up action movie that was essentially the same kind of bare-bones killing spectacle as Stallone’sCobra, a movie released just one month prior.
WhileCobrafound incredible box office success and has since become a cult classic, Schwarzenegger’sRaw Dealreceived mixed reviews and underperformed at the box office. As a rare misstep for Schwarzenegger during the 1980s,Raw Dealinvolved a former FBI agent going undercover to infiltrate the mafia and just felt derivative of so many other movies during this time. WhileRaw Dealworked well as mindless popcorn action movie fun, it just didn’t add anything to the genre and gave viewers little reason to revisit it today.
Arnold Schwarzenegger as Captain Ivan Danko
Red Heat
Ivan Danko is a tough Russian cop who is forced to work alongside extrovert detective Art Ridzik. The pair investigate a major international criminal involved in drug trafficking who has fled Russia for the United States.
By the late 1980s, Schwarzenegger had truly found his footing in the realm of action comedies, and this was a style he would continue to embrace throughout the 1990s. InRed Heat, Schwarzenegger portrayed an intense Soviet policeman in a1980s buddy cop filmthat paired him with a laidback Chicago lawman played by Jim Belushi. This duo worked well together, and althoughRed Heatrelied heavily on action genre clichés, strong direction from Walter Hill and two fantastic lead performances meant viewers were in for a good time.
Red Heatfeatured plenty of over-the-top violence as the heroes shot their way through Chicago with almost comic book-like recklessness. Schwarzenegger was perfectly cast as the determined and resolute Captain Ivan Danko, while Belushi’s lighter touch made them the perfect pair of mismatched cops. While audiences will have to throw their sense of realism out the window to enjoyRed Heat, as an enjoyable action comedy, it’s firing on all cylinders.
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.
In the far distant future of 2017, Arnold Schwarzenegger played Ben Richards, a police helicopter pilot living in a totalitarian state featuring a popular television show where contestants must run from professional killers to earn a shot at freedom. Based on a novel by Stephen King,The Running Manwas an enjoyable sci-fi adventure that satirized modern media and its increasingly mean-spirited and exploitative content. While its social critique doesn’t go quite far enough, it was thrilling to see Schwarzenegger back into the realm of science fiction three years after the astounding success ofThe Terminator.
As a precursor to later works such asThe Hunger Games,The Running Manhad a clever concept that could have gone even further.
The Running Manwas a fast-paced, futuristic film that walked the fine line between intense action and self-aware parody as, after being falsely blamed for the deaths of 60 people, Schwarzenegger must become a “runner” on the TV game show while being pursued by deadly “stalkers” trying to murder him. Asa precursor to later works such asThe Hunger Games,The Running Manhad a clever concept that could have gone even further to become truly great. Although, this just might happen as director Edgar Wright looks set to make his own upcoming adaptation ofThe Running Man(viaDeadline), starring Glen Powell.
Commando
Commando is a 1985 action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as John Matrix, a retired special forces soldier who sets out to rescue his daughter from a group of mercenaries. Alyssa Milano, Vernon Wells, Bill Duke, Rae Dawn Chong, and Dan Hedaya round out the rest of the cast.
If someone took everything that was great about Arnold Schwarzenegger during the 1980s and condensed it down into one movie, they’d haveCommando. From the intense, over-the-top action, a highly-skilled, no-nonsense hero, and a self-aware brand of humor,Commandowas pure 1980s fun wrapped in a sentimental story about a father who will stop at nothing to save his kidnapped daughter. Schwarzenegger played Matrix, a former Special Forces colonel being blackmailed into carrying out a political assassination by his former subordinate.
In a thrilling journey that saw Matrix jumping from planes, in outrageous car chases, and leaving a whole host of bodies in his wake,Commandowas packed with cheesy one-liners and had just about everyone a viewer could want out of a Schwarzenegger movie. While it’s true the plotline was paper thin, this really didn’t matter as it provided Matrix with the perfect motivation to ruthlessly take out his adversaries.Commandohad a serious influence on the action movie genreand inspired later movies such asStrike Commando,Commando Squad, andWhen Eagles Strike.
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian, released in 1982, follows Conan, portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger, on a quest for vengeance after his parents are killed by the sinister Thulsa Doom. Trained in combat, Conan forms an alliance with thieves Valeria and Subotai, embarking on a perilous journey involving a king’s missing daughter.
While Arnold Schwarzenegger had already made a name for himself as the seven-time bodybuilding champion Mr. Olympia and had broken into acting withHercules in New YorkandThe Villain,Conan the Barbariantruly signaled his potential as a major movie star. This epic fantasy adventure about a barbarian warrior seeking vengeance for his parents’ deaths was a major success at the box office that, despite negative reviews, struck a chord with viewers. Until its success was surpassed byThe Lord of the Rings,Conan the Barbarianstood as the benchmark by which all other sword-and-sorcery movies were compared.
Conan the Barbarianwas a brutal and uncompromising fantasy film that was unafraid to embrace quieter moments in favor of worldbuilding. With long stretches without action sequences focused on building mood and suspense,Conan the Barbariandiffered from much of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s other action movies during the 1980s. However, this was also part of its appeal as audiences witnessed Conan exploring the dark undercurrents of his magical world and the kill-or-be-killed mentalities of the sinister thieves, warriors, and wizards he encountered.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 10 Best One-Liners, Ranked
Arnold Schwarzenegger is the king of pithy one-liners, so here is a list of his all-time best action movie quotes, ranked.
Predator
A team of elite commandos led by Major Dutch Schaefer is sent on a rescue mission deep in the Central American jungle. However, they soon find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior with advanced technology and a penchant for collecting human trophies. As the creature picks them off one by one, Dutch must rely on his wits and combat skills to survive the ultimate test of man versus alien.
As the inception of a major movie franchise, the firstPredatorhad everything going for it and pulled off one of the best sci-fi action movies of the 1980s. Not only didPredatorboast Arnold Schwarzenegger at the height of his fame, but he was also paired with the exceptional Carl Weathers, and thefutureDie Harddirector John McTiernan was at the helm. Take all these aspects together, throw in a truly terrifying alien creature whose only mission was to hunt and prey, and the result was a true action movie classic.
Schwarzenegger excelled as the Vietnam War veteran Dutch Schaefer, whose one-liner “get to the choppa” might just be the only catchphrase in his impressive filmography that can compete withThe Terminator’s“I’ll be back.”Predator’sjungle setting, unique monster, and strong, simple characterization made this a no-nonsense action smash hit that ticked all the right boxes. With a beloved legacy that meant the franchise has continued to this day,Predatorwas right up there with the best action Schwarzenegger movies, regardless of the decade they were made.
The Terminator
The Terminator, directed by James Cameron and released in 1984, features a cyborg assassin sent back in time to eliminate Sarah Connor, the mother of a future resistance leader. As the relentless machine pursues its mission, a human warrior is sent to protect her and secure humanity’s survival.
There was only ever going to be one answer when it came to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s greatest action movies of the 1980s, and that was his definitive role in James Cameron’sThe Terminator. As the unstoppable killing machine sent to the past to kill the savior of the future, Schwarzenegger will forever be associated with the T-800 cybernetic organism he first played in 1984, and as has reprised in different iterations over the subsequent decades.The Terminatorwas the perfect sci-fi movie, as it brought together intense action and societal critique and was filled to the brim with unique and exciting concepts.
The Terminatorbecame the perfect vehicle for Schwarzenegger’s meteoric rise to stardom.
For how greatThe Terminatoralready was on paper, it would not have been nearly as successful without Schwarzenegger, as his iconic imagery of a sunglasses-wearing, AR-18 rifle-wielding, overbearing murder machine made him an integral part of cinematic history. Mix this with hilarious one-liners and an intense cyberpunk style, andThe Terminatorbecame the perfect vehicle forArnold Schwarzenegger’smeteoric rise to stardom. It truly never got any better than this, and it’s a testament to its quality thatThe Terminatorholds up perfectly four decades later.
