With the upcoming release of Arnold Schwarzeneggers new feature The Last Stand, now seems like as perfect a time as any to have a nostalgic look at the classics that Arnie has given to us all. In a career that now spans five decades, there's been a lot of variance in the quality of the films from the colossal beast, but there have been plenty of reasons he has built a reputation as an enduring box-office favourite. Obviously, the big man has taken something of a back step to politics in recent years and his return to the screen in The Expendables 2 wasn't exactly inspiring or particularly enjoyable, apart from that time when he was shooting a big gun, but we're ever the optimists, and fully expect the former Governator to return with a bang. But then should Arnie fail to deliver in his newest films, we can always watch something from the forthcoming list to make us feel better and remind us just how much of a genius and a one of a kind action star he was and hopefully still can be. Now, we doubt that anyone is expecting to see Terminator 3 or the Governator cameo in the all-round disaster movie 2012 to make the list, so don't worry you won't be disappointed - unless you liked those two movies, in which case you will be disappointed, and you probably deserve to be. It was inevitable, you might say... Here are the probable top 5 Arnie films of all time.
5. Predator (1987)
First up is this 1980s classic, from the Golden Age of action and sci-fi movies. Predator makes this list because not only is it a good Arnie film, but generally a well-made film. Would it have been as awesome with someone else in the role of Dutch? Maybe, but the lessons learned from Predator 2 should be indication enough that the property was helped enormously by his presence. Arnolds acting in this film is convincing and enjoyable, the cast of other characters also really help this film to move along and keep you in suspense. Basically Predator is the story of a group of commandos sent on a mission in Central America who encounter an alien entity that has the ability to turn invisible, has big guns, and collects human skulls. Not a bad combination, but unfortunately for him, he picks on Arnie, who is all set to set some traps and kick some alien tail in the jungle. It is still considered a good movie today, and is well loved by Joe Public and critics alike thanks to its mix of sci-fi elements and the real life grittiness of the jungle, and of course, Arnold's classic mid-air arm wrestle with Carl Weathers.
Best quote: Arnie - What's the matter? The CIA got you pushing too many pencils? Huh? Had enough?