5. Commando (1985)
Released just a few months after Rambo: First Blood Part II, Commando was Arnold's answer to the one-man army genre that found success in the glorious 80's. Schwarzenegger's character, John Matrix (yes, that's his name), is practically superhuman as he carries a large tree and later flips over a phone booth with a man inside. One-liners came to prominence here as well, with lines like "He's dead tired" and "Let off some steam, Bennett" being some of the most memorable. The simple premise of Matrix trying to get his daughter back from military kidnappers clears the way for action, especially the brutal climax featuring a high body count and tons of explosions. The steel drum score from James Horner stands out, as does the incredibly cheesy "We Fight For Love" closing credits song by The Power Station, which references the film's tagline: "Somewhere, somehow, someone's going to pay", and pay they did.
4. The Terminator (1984)
After the successful Conan films brought widespread attention to Schwarzenegger, The Terminator catapulted him to superstardom and started a long and successful run of action films. The complex time-travel premise and odd choice to name the film after the villain paid off for James Cameron, and thus started a franchise. Arnold really was the perfect choice to portray a cold, unstoppable killing machine, and his famous "I'll be back" debuted here. For kids in the 80's who sneaked into the living room to catch this one, or whose parents didn't care what their kids watched, The Terminator was cool. It's a blend of action, horror, and sci-fi that Cameron would further perfect with Aliens.
3. Last Action Hero (1993)
Look up any modern review of Last Action Hero and statements like "underrated", "misunderstood", or "ahead of its time" are sure to be found. I am firmly in that camp as well. I saw the film when it released on VHS way back in the 90's and thought it was dumb. I didn't get it. Never bothering to see it again, I gave it another shot a couple of years ago, and understood what everyone was saying about it. Action films were still being taken too seriously in 1993, so audiences must not have connected with the parody/homage that this film offers. It basically takes all of the action film stereotypes and cranks them to eleven for comedic effect. It works now in retrospect, and still manages to pull off impressive action and stunt work.
2. Predator (1987)
Not too many films can top the level of testosterone found in Predator. Every decade produces its fair share of films destined to be "Dad Movies", and this one easily earns a spot. A group of mostly muscle-bound soldiers are sent into the jungle for what seems like a routine mission, until they are stalked by an alien hunter who picks them off one by one. There is tons of quotable dialogue, and it's a treat to see Arnold team up with Carl Weathers (that mid-air arm wrestle has become the stuff of legend). Throw in a "prep for battle" montage and you've got an instant classic.
1. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
One of the best sequels of all time that effortlessly betters its predecessor, Terminator 2 was a massive hit during the summer of 1991. I recall hearing the Guns N' Roses song, buying the trading cards, playing the video game, and reading the comic book adaptation all before actually seeing the movie when it came out on VHS. It blew me away, and is one of the most-watched movies of my teen years. It manages to make the complex time-travel concepts palatable, and offers some of the best action ever put on screen. The effects were groundbreaking, and even though Arnold was playing another cyborg, it's one of his best performances, managing to make the audience care about him. Not just Arnold's best film, one of the best action films of all time.
Runners-Up:
Kindergarten Cop (1990)
True Lies (1994)
James Cameron doesn't quite reach Terminator levels here, but the action is terrific and the comedy mostly works.
