If you were to make a Mount Rushmore of Hollywood action icons – and, let’s be clear, I think this is an essential, responsible usage of taxpayer money –Arnold Schwarzeneggerwould undoubtedly deserve a likeness chiseled in stone. While he was born in Austria, the man is the living embodiment of the American dream. He emigrated to America, catapulted to worldwide success first as a bodybuilder, then as an acting icon, then as a freaking governor (sorry, “governator”) of California! Through it all, Schwarzenegger has captured our attention and thensome, anchoring instantly iconic titles likePredator,True Lies, and of course, theTerminatorfranchise. In celebration of the recent installment in that famous robo-series (Terminator: Dark Fate), let’s leave no stone unturned in Schwarzenegger’s muscled body of work. Even if you consider yourself an Ah-nold completist, you just might have missed these more obscure performances. And that would be a shame – these are the best underrated, unsung, and underseen Arnold Schwarzenegger performances that’ll make you look at the icon in a different light.
Stay Hungry
The ‘70s were a golden age of warts-and-all character studies and genre-blending dramedies. And in 1976, Arnold Schwarzenegger broke through in an unfairly unremembered film that combined the best elements of both.Stay Hungry, a 1976 title directed byBob Rafelson(Five Easy Pieces, perhaps the “dramedy character study” definer), followsJeff Bridgesas an Alabama-based real estate magnate who wants to buy a gym to close a particularly shady deal. Getting in the way of his designs to cave in to capitalism’s siren call? The appeal of the gym’s receptionist – played bySally Field– and the appeal of one of the gym’s star bodybuilders – played by Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger made such a splash in this film that he won the now-defunct Golden Globe for Best Acting Debut in a Motion Picture, despite the fact that he appeared in three films previously (including 1969’s bonkers camp classicHercules in New York, which is exactly what it sounds like and more). Upon a modern watch, Schwarzenegger continues to capture and thrill with his utter charisma. So much of his iconic work requires the man to be a dour force of destruction, that when he flips on his smile, it’s easy to see why Bridges would throw away the life he knew to stay involved. It’s also fun to watch this hulking giant exist within the oft-formally constricting world of a “self-contained character study dramedy.” As Rafelson’s handheld camera darts around and captures intimate moments, Schwarzenegger sticks out like a beefy thumb, and makes his character all the more eye-catching. “I don’t like being too comfortable,” he says in one meeting with Bridges. “Once you get used to it, it’s hard to give up. I’ve gotta stay hungry.” This title-dropping quote, beyond being a constructive life philosophy, also encapsulates the joy of getting into Schwarzenegger’s underseen performances. Because they represent the man stretching, getting uncomfortable, staying hungry, they stay alive.
Conan the Destroyer
You’ve likely seenConan the Barbarian, one of Schwarzenegger’s earliest, most successful stabs at screen iconicism. That film, released in 1982, was a hard-R, ultra-violent, testosterone-fueled fantasy from uber-macho directorJohn Milius(Red Dawn). It’s perfect fodder for basement bedroom posters, and I mean that as a compliment. But two years later, Schwarzenegger made a less-celebrated sequel,Conan the Destroyer, from iconic sci-fi directorRichard Fleischer(Fantastic Voyage,Soylent Green). Under orders from Universal Pictures and mega-producerDino De Laurentiis, Fleischer and Schwarzenegger crafted a less violent, lighter in tone, PG-rated picture (not PG-13, because that didn’t exist until literally months later). And – hot take incoming – it might be a more successful watch upon modern eyes thanBarbarian. Part of it involves Schwarzenegger’s exciting interactions with eclectic castmates likeAndre the Giant,Wilt Chamberlain(!), and especially the endlessly iconicGrace Jonesas Zula, a warrior who rivals Schwarzenegger himself in terms of fierce watchability. But another part of it comes from Schwarzenegger’s adaptability to this new, goofier tone. He reminds its audience that fantasy tropes can – and maybe should – be fun. And gets a bit of having cake and eating it too – we have fun watching him perform this big, blistery role with gusto, while recognizing that he just might be poking fun at the unchecked toxic masculinity present in the first film.
I’ll be honest: When I think about the on-screen duos I am itching to see perform together, “Arnold Schwarzenegger andJames Belushi” are not near the top of my list. And yet, despite the odds, the two of them made a pretty underrated picture together:Red Heat(they even got along so well, Belushi made a cameo as a disgruntled low-rent Santa Claus in Schwarzenegger’sJingle All the Way). It contains as pure of a “1980s buddy cop” plot as you are likely to find: Belushi is, of course, a schlubby, beat up Chicago Detective. And of COURSE of course, Schwarzenegger is a buttoned-up, decorated Russian militia captain. And triple of course: The two of them must work together to solve the case of a Georgian drug lord who murdered Schwarzenegger’s previous partner. I’m not gonna lie – I would find this flick wholeheartedly entertaining even if it just provided the requisite genre tropes and thrills you’d expect from the description. So how doesRed Heatwind up a cut above the rest? It might have to do with directorWalter Hill, who made legendary genre films likeThe Warriorsand48 Hrs.In an interview withThe Chicago Tribune, he summarized the screen appeal of Schwarzenegger in a way I found keenly insightful: “Arnold has an ability to communicate that cuts through cultures and countries. They just love to see this guy win. But everyone thinks it’s his muscles. It’s not that at all: It’s his face, his eyes.” Hill’s absolutely right. I want his Russian character – despite knowing this film was made right during the middle of Reagan’s Cold War – to win, and it’s not because of his capacity to cause violence. It’s because when I look into his face, I believe him. And in this film, Schwarzenegger plays everything atypically still and serious, making me believe him even more.
The Last Stand
In his later, post-governor years, Schwarzenegger’s screen work has been marked by some calculated experimentation. He’s choosing different roles that either tweak his well-established screen persona, or throw out the rulebook altogether. We’d call 2013’sThe Last Standthe first entry in this new, experimental phase of Schwarzenegger’s canon – one we hope he stays in for a long time (with obvious detours allowed; like, say,Terminator: Dark Fate). Schwarzenegger is always best when he’s working with an incredible director with a specific vision, and in this film, he’s guided by the mega-talentedKim Jee-woon, known for South Korean genre masterpieces likeA Tale of Two SistersandI Saw the Devil. Here, Jee-woon lightens up his purview a bit, taking Schwarzenegger and co-stars likeJohnny Knoxvilleon a lighter, comedically-tinged tale of self-contained action. Schwarzenegger stars as Sheriff Ray Owens, who moved to a sleepy town in Arizona after screwing up a bunch of stuff as a hot-headed LAPD officer. If you’ve seen any action movie, you know that Ray needs to redeem himself, and you know that he needs to redeem himself by solving the case of a notorious drug lord (Eduardo Noriega) who just happened to zoom his way through Arizona on his way to Mexico. We’re not here to argue novelty inThe Last Stand’s premise or narrative beats. In fact, there’s much pleasure to be found in the familiarity ofThe Last Stand’s premise and narrative beats – after Schwarzenegger’s hiatus from regular screen acting, it feels good to see him return to this kind of stuff. But this time, there’s something markedly “different” about it all. It’s particularly surprising to see Schwarzenegger wear “a regular guy fed up by all the shenanigans around him,” and honey, it looks good on him. We’re so used to him as an impenetrable force of destruction and activated action, that when we see him perform as a bruised symbol of reaction just trying to get by – even when he blasts motherfuckers away with a damn gatling gun – it feels tantalizingly new. Maybe it’sThe Last Stand, but it’s also the first step in Schwarzenegger’s late-period evolution.
Killing Gunther
Let’s start with a blunt truth:Killing Guntheris not great.Taran Killam(Saturday Night Live,Single Parents) writes, directs, and stars in the mockumentary about a team of assassins desperate to kill the world’s greatest and most notorious hitman: Gunther (played, of course, by Schwarzenegger). Killam’s enthusiasm is palpable, perhaps too much so – his performance is pitched at an excitably high level, his attempts at world-building reveal a genuine love of the genre, and he’s trying for some interesting action-meets-mockumentary staging. Unfortunately, the script’s repetitive nature really gets in the way, and the production’s lower budget is felt in nearly every aspect. However, despite all this,Killing Guntheris still worth your time. And that is because every time Schwarzenegger is on screen, the picture sings. Schwarzenegger is having the time of his life playing the broad, metatextual comedy ofGunther. This might be a hot take, but I’ve always loved Schwarzenegger in goofy mode. I watchJingle All the Wayevery year, and his work inKindergarten Copis under-freaking-rated. InKilling Gunther, Schwarzenegger’s comedic performance feels fresh and different for a fundamental reason: He’s playing the unusual character, not the voice of reason. InJingleandKindergarten(yeah, I’m shortening those names; we’re on a first name basis), Schwarzenegger reacts to an insane world around him, and does it very well. InKilling Gunther, heisthe insanity. He causes chaos and makes others react to him, and you can feel his utter joy in getting the chance to cause some comedy carnage. I guess what I’m saying is this: Arnie, if you want to join an improv practice group, you’re more than welcome to sit in on mine. We meet Fridays 6-8, and that time is non-negotiable.
From directorEliot Lester, who made a similar tale of singular obsession with the underrated HBO movieNightingale(starringDavid Oyelowo),Aftermathfollows Schwarzenegger on a path of grief, despair, rage, and violence in the search for justice. Based on a chilling true story, Schwarzenegger’s wife and pregnant daughter die in a plane crash, as the result of possible negligence from an air traffic controller played with ambiguous ickiness byScoot McNairy(Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood). As McNairy’s character wrestles with his own changing feelings of guilt, negligence, and survival, Schwarzenegger retreats further and further into himself, clinging to an idea that some form of remorse from any party responsible will help assuage his pain. So when lawyers offer him settlement fees and expenses paid, Schwarzenegger says no – because it’s not what he needs. He needs an apology… or he needs to act. Aftermath lurches forward disquietingly, slowly building its pace with effectively small scenes until its inevitable climax and existentially miserable denouement. If you likedFoxcatcher, you will absolutely be on this particular true crime drama’s wavelength. And just likeFoxcatcherhas a radically against type performance fromSteve Carell, Schwarzenegger here feels like a completely different actor. His character, Roman, is a simple man with simple needs. He does his best to keep his true emotions, whether empathetic or horrific, repressed at bay. When they finally explode, look out. This film shows us all that we’ll be feeling the aftermath of Schwarzenegger’s screen legacy – both well-known and underseen – for many years to come.
