Arnold Schwarzenegger's best Hollywood movies of all time: 'The Terminator', 'Predator' and more

Before superheroes took over the multiplex, there was one man who was the entire genre all by himself. Arnold Schwarzenegger did not just make action movies; he invented a template for them that Hollywood has been borrowing ever since. With a presence that was equal parts intimidating and oddly magnetic, he turned one-liners into catchphrases and blockbusters into cultural events. Here are nine films that prove nobody has ever done it quite like Arnold.

The film that changed everything, 'The Terminator', follows a cybernetic assassin sent back in time from a post-apocalyptic future to kill Sarah Connor before her unborn son can lead humanity's resistance against the machines. Arnold plays the T-800, a cold, emotionless killing machine who moves through crowds and corridors with a terrifying mechanical certainty, and it remains one of the most iconic screen presences in cinema history. Linda Hamilton and Michael Biehn round out a cast that grounds the science fiction in genuine human stakes, and if the franchise appeals to you, 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day' takes everything further and hits even harder. It is streaming right now on Prime Video.

A near-perfect action thriller that starts as a jungle rescue mission and slowly reveals itself to be something far more terrifying, 'Predator' follows an elite special forces team being hunted in the Central American rainforest by an extraterrestrial creature that kills for sport. Arnold plays Major Alan Dutch Schaefer, a battle-hardened mercenary who is used to being the most dangerous thing in any room, and watching that confidence slowly crack as he realises he is hopelessly outmatched is what gives the film its real tension. For fans of survival action, it is on Disney+ Hotstar.

One of the most imaginative and genuinely strange blockbusters ever made, 'Total Recall' follows a construction worker who discovers that his entire memory may have been implanted and that he might actually be a secret agent with a mission on Mars. Arnold plays Douglas Quaid, an ordinary man slowly uncovering an extraordinary and deeply unsettling truth about himself, and he navigates the film's escalating paranoia with a physicality and bewildered intensity that keeps you hooked. For fans of mind-bending science fiction, Sharon Stone and Michael Ironside round out a sharp supporting cast, and it is all waiting on Prime Video.

A spectacular, wildly entertaining blend of action comedy and spy thriller, 'True Lies' follows a top secret government agent who has kept his entire career hidden from his wife, only for their worlds to collide in the most explosive way imaginable. Arnold plays Harry Tasker, a man who is simultaneously the most capable spy in the world and a hilariously oblivious husband, and watching him toggle between those two modes is one of the great comedic pleasures of his career. For anyone who loves their action served with genuine laughs, this one is on Prime Video and well worth the evening.

Pure, unapologetic, and enormously fun, 'Commando' follows a retired special forces colonel who tears through an entire army to rescue his kidnapped daughter before a deadline runs out. Arnold plays Colonel John Matrix, a man of very few words and an almost supernatural tolerance for punishment, delivering each one-liner with the straight-faced conviction of someone who has never once doubted himself. For those who want their action movies uncomplicated and absolutely relentless, with Rae Dawn Chong providing the comedic spark alongside him, it is streaming on Prime Video.

A prescient and wildly entertaining science fiction thriller set in a dystopian future where convicted criminals are hunted for sport on a live television game show, 'The Running Man' follows Arnold's wrongly convicted Ben Richards as he fights his way through a gauntlet of costumed killers on live TV. Arnold plays Richards with a righteous fury and dry wit that makes him enormously watchable, a man who refuses to be entertainment for a system that has already decided he is disposable. For fans of dystopian action with something real to say, it is available on Prime Video.

A sleek and satisfying mid-nineties thriller, 'Eraser' follows a US Marshal who specialises in faking the deaths of witnesses in danger, only to discover that someone inside his own organisation is trying to have one of his protectees killed. Arnold plays John Kruger, a man whose entire professional identity is built on being invisible and untraceable, which makes it all the more compelling when his own cover begins to unravel around him. For anyone who enjoys a good conspiracy thriller with serious firepower, Vanessa Williams holds her own alongside him, and it is on JioCinema.

A clever, self-aware deconstruction of the action movie genre that arrived before audiences were quite ready for it, 'Last Action Hero' follows a young boy who uses a magic ticket to enter the world of his favourite action film and bring his hero out into the real world. Arnold plays Jack Slater, a larger-than-life movie hero who must confront the absurdity of his own existence when dragged into a reality where the rules no longer bend in his favour, and he plays the comedy with a self-deprecating charm that is genuinely delightful. For fans of meta comedy with a genuine love for the genre, it deserves a rewatch on Prime Video.

The film that proved Arnold could do absolutely anything, 'Kindergarten Cop' follows a tough, no-nonsense detective who goes undercover as a kindergarten teacher to find a drug dealer's ex-wife and protect her young son. Arnold plays Detective John Kimble, a man built for confronting hardened criminals who finds himself utterly defeated by a classroom of five-year-olds, and watching that slow, reluctant surrender to their chaos is one of the most genuinely funny arcs of his career. For those who love their action with a big warm heart at the centre, it is streaming on Prime Video and JioHotstar.