predator
A group of muscle-bound mercenaries hunts down a bloodthirsty alien in the Central American jungle – that’s the premise of “Predator”. What at first sounds like a dull action flick is actually one of the best action movies of all time. To this day, the classic inspires with its virtuoso staged action sequences, extreme tension, its criticism of the (Vietnam) war and one of the most iconic movie monsters of all time. And Scharzenegger convinces every second as a cool mercenary leader and knocks out one iconic saying after the other. “Predator” resulted in three sequels and two crossover films with the “Alien” franchise. A prequel called “Prey” will launch on Disney+ on August 5, 2022.
Terminator 2 – Judgment Day
In his big breakthrough “Terminator”, Arnold Scharzenegger promised as an almost indestructible killer robot from the future: “I’ll be back.” And so he did. In “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”, Schwarzenegger returned as a T-800 – but this time as a protector for the future leader of the humans in the fight against the machines. His opponent: a killer robot made of liquid metal. “Terminator 2” really has everything a representative of its genre needs: brute action, cool sayings (“Hasta la vista, baby!”), spectacular effects – and a pinch of humor and emotion. It’s not for nothing that James Cameron’s masterpiece still ranks high on the action genre’s top lists. And there is no other role Scharzenegger is associated with as closely as that of the Terminator. Unfortunately, the follow-up films in the franchise have been more of a disappointment.
True lies – true lies
After the sometimes rather serious and dark violent orgies of the 1980s, Arnold Schwarzenegger also turned to funnier material in the 1990s. A highlight from this time is without question the action comedy “True Lies”. In it, Schwarzenegger plays a top anti-terrorist agent whose wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) is looking for an affair because she thinks he’s a total bore because of his fake identity as a computer salesman. When he finds out, he spies on her and wants to give her a lesson. But then she is kidnapped by terrorists. “True Lies” masterfully plays with the clichés of the genre, but also knows how to shine with cool action sequences and impressive effects. And Schwarzenegger is wonderfully self-ironic – and delivers a one-liner parade in a class of its own.