If you look back at some of the best action movies of all time, you’ll probably see Arnold Schwarzenegger pop up on that list more than any other actor. Over the years, the body-builder-turned-actor-turned-governator has made iconic big-screen moments audiences won’t soon forget. And on top of those insane stunts and bonkers action sequences, “Arnie” has also given us some memorable one-liners. Here are some of the best lines that people still quote all the time, for better or worse.
“I’ll Be Back” (The Terminator)
The Terminator could very well be Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most iconic character, but there’s no denying the fact that “I’ll be back” is his most quoted one-liner. This is funny due to the fact that he says this as an ice-cold, homicidal cyborg in James Cameron’s The Terminator, a movie in which he does come back to take out an entire police station.
“Hasta La Vista, Baby” (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)
James Cameron reinvented the summer blockbuster with Terminator 2: Judgment Day, one of the best ‘90s movies, and that’s mostly due to Arnold Schwarzenegger and lines like this one. “Hasta la vista, baby” was one of those lines kids would throw around on the playground, having no idea of its context or really where it came from.
“You’re Fired” (True Lies)
Though True Lies isn’t the best or second-best collaboration between Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Cameron, this 1994 box office hit was more fun than it had any right being. Plus, it gave us the “You’re fired” line just before Schwarzenegger’s Harry Tasker sent a terrorist to an explosive death.
“It’s Not A Tumor!” (Kindergarten Cop)
Sure, a lot doesn’t make sense about Kindergarten Cop, but that doesn’t mean this isn’t a great or hilarious movie, because it is. And why is it so funny? Oh, just because Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Detective John Kimble is yelling stuff like this in a room full of 5-year-olds. It’s just the best!
“C’mon Bennett, Let Off Some Steam” (Commando)
Commando came out when Arnold Schwarzenegger was still on the ascent, and our boy was doing everything he could get over. Not only does he do that with this action skills in this 1985 action spectacle, but he also shows off his comedic timing with one-liners like this one after dispensing of an adversary in a brutal fight.
‘What’s The Matter? CIA Got You Pushing Too Many Pencils?” (Predator)
There’s also an iconic quote that precedes this unforgettable moment between Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dutch and Carl Weathers’ Dillon, but we need to talk about how the “pushing too many pencils” line and handshake-turned-arm-wrestling-match, which is without a doubt the most macho part of Predator not featuring Jesse Ventura.
“Put The Cookie Down, Now!” (Jingle All The Way)
Is Jingle All the Way a good movie? No, unless you were a kid in the ‘90s, and even then, it’s a bit of a slog. However, this 1996 Christmas movie about a dad going to great lengths to not let his kid down over the holidays did give the “Put that cookie down, now” line, which is great. That little pause before “now” is just legendary.
“Consider That A Divorce” (Total Recall)
One of the best sci-fi movies of the ‘90s, Total Recall is a trip if there ever was one. While it would be great to talk about all those crazy moments from the 1990 Paul Verhoeven cult classic, let’s keep it simple and just point out that the “consider that a divorce” one-liner from Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) to Loir Quiad (Sharon Stone) is honestly one of the most absurd things about the movie.
“Ah, He Had To Split” (The Running Man)
In terms of one-liners per capita, no Arnold Schwarzenegger movie hits as hard as The Running Man. Take this scene when Ben Richards defeats Buzzsaw (Gus Rethwisch) in the demented game show. We wouldn’t see cringe-worthy comedy like this until Batman & Robin 10 years later.
“Get To The Chopper!” (Predator)
“Get to the chopper” or “Get to tha choppa,” depending on how you break down Arnold Schwarzenegger’s speech, is another great and iconic one-liner from the ‘80s. And while it’s a small part of the stellar Predator ending, it’s lived on nearly 40 years on.
“Who Is Your Daddy, And What Does He Do?” (Kindergarten Cop)
Detective John Kimble (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and his attempt to get information and solve a crime in Kindergarten Cop leads to all kinds of great moments, including the time he turns an interrogation into a game for 5-year-old students called “Who is your daddy, and what does he do?
“Come With Me If You Want To Live” (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)
The look on Sarah Connor’s (Linda Hamilton) face when the Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) comes not to kill her but to save her from T-1000 (Robert Patrick) is so perfect. The same can be said for Schwarzenegger’s delivery in this key Terminator 2: Judgment Day scene.
“Killian, Here is Subzero, Now Plain Zero” (The Running Man)
Ben Richards (Arnold Schwarzenegger) yelling up to the perfectly cast Richard Dawson as gameshow host Damon Killian in The Running Man to tell him that one of his champions is dead is an admittedly silly moment. However, the actor’s delivery drives it home.
“Oh, I Feel The Baby, The Baby” (Junior)
Though less remembered than the other Arnold Schwarzenegger/Danny DeVito team-up movie, Junior isn’t without its great moments. For example, take this absurd scene in which Schwarzenegger’s Dr. Alex Hesse says he can feel the baby living inside his womb. Yes, a baby, in his womb.
“Your Foster Parents Are Dead” (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)
One of the coolest yet darkest moments in Terminator 2: Judgment Day is the scene when T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) tells a young John Connor (Edward Furlong) that his foster parents have been killed by T-1000 after an intense phone call.
“I Let Him Go” (Commando)
Moments after telling Sully (David Patrick Kelly) he lied about killing him last, John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger) gave audiences a quick yet unforgettable one-liner when asked about what he did with the goon. The simple yet effective “I let him go,” is just perfect.
“Shut Up!!!!” (Kindergarten Cop)
Sometimes it’s the facial expressions and delivery of a one-liner that makes it so unforgettable. This is the case in a hilarious scene in Kindergarten Cop in which Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character yells “Shut up!” to get a classroom to quiet down. The anger, the frustration, and again, those facial expressions, make this an all-timer.
“All Right, Everyone! Chill” (Batman & Robin)
Batman & Robin is definitely not the best Batman movie, but that shouldn’t stop anyone from having a good time with this 1997 disaster. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who goes all out with Mr. Freeze and his never-ending series of puns, is the best thing about this over-the-top comic book adaptation.
“Terminated” (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)
When replying to a young John Connor who asks if the T-1000 is dead in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, the battered T-800 responds with “Terminated,” because it just makes sense. Who needs poignant moments from a machine when you have this?
John McTernan’s Last Action Hero is a movie that came out like 15-20 years too early, and it’s hard to imagine the 1994 meta action-comedy not hitting with audiences much later. The movie is full of great moments, including this scene when Jack Slater (Arnold Schwarzenegger) calls himself “Arnold Braunschweiger.”
“Allow Me To Break The Ice” (Batman & Robin)
If you are looking for a way to start a conversation about terrible Arnold Schwarzenegger puns and even worse comic book movies, look no further than this line from the actor’s take on Mr. Freeze in Batman & Robin. Memorable for all the wrong reasons, this one-liner is lukewarm at best.
“I’m Not Into Politics, I’m Into Survival” (The Running Man)
It’s quite ironic that Ben Richards says he’s not into politics in The Running Man, considering Arnold Schwarzenegger would later go into politics and serve two terms as the governor of California. It’s hard to watch the scene from this 1987 action spectacle and not get a chuckle out of how things ended up for the “Governator.”
“Let’s Kick Some Ice” (Batman & Robin)
Though it’s a bad movie, there are a lot of reasons to love Batman & Robin, and Arnold Schwarzenegger is definitely one of them. The puns, which are some of the worst to ever make it into a final cut of a film, are terrible, but they do add a charm to the experience. The “Let’s kick some ice” line is one of the best/worst offenders, by far.
“Yeah, But They Were All Bad” (True Lies)
Everyone loves a good “truth serum” scene, right? Well, this spy movie trope manages to find its way into True Lies during a pivotal scene when Harry and Helen Tasker (Jamie Lee Curtis) are tied up and awaiting their fate. The fed-up wife, after finally learning of her husband’s true profession, asks if he’s ever killed anyone. Nonchalantly, the Omega Sector agent says “Yeah, but they were all bad,” which isn’t a lie.
“Yeah, He Was A Real Pain In The Neck” (The Running Man)
Ben Richards is on a roll throughout The Running Man, and it seems like Arnold Schwarzenegger was insistent on including as many puns as humanly possible in this over-the-top Stephen King adaptation. Case in point, after strangling Subzero with some barbed wire, the game show contestant lets out a short yet memorable line: “he was a pearl pain in the neck.” Not the best from the movie, but definitely a delivery that won’t soon be forgotten.
“See You At The Party, Richter!” (Total Recall)
Total Recall has some amazingly gory scenes, including the one where Richter (Michael Ironside) gets his arms ripped off by an elevator. To add insult to injury (quite literally), Douglas Quaid (while holding both severed hands) says “See you at the party, Richter.” Tasteless, you’ve got to love it.
“I’m The Party Pooper” (Kindergarten Cop)
Before he’s off dressing up like a glorified babysitter in Kindergarten Cop, John Kimble goes undercover in one of those insane Arnold Schwarzenegger action sequences of the ‘90s. The “party pooper” line is absurd, but it does set the tone for the rest of this wild comedy.
“If It Bleeds, We Can Kill It” (Predator)
Though Dutch’s words end up ringing true with his “If it bleeds, we can kill it” line in Predator, the statement isn’t without consequence. This all-time great hero moment in the quintessential ‘80s action movie is so foreboding yet so awesome.
“What A Hothead” (The Running Man)
Do the puns from The Running Man ever get old? No, not really. That’s what makes the 1987 sci-fi action thriller so much fun. Though the “have a light” line is great when Ben Richards is fighting Fireball (Jim Brown), the follow-up – “What a hothead” – is even better and so dang sarcastic.
“I Did Nothing. The Pavement Was His Enemy” (Twins)
Julius Benedict is one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most innocent and sincere characters, but that doesn’t mean he can’t give bad guys a beating (even if by pure accident) or let out a funny quip. Both happen in the same scene in Twins when Julius thwarts a robbery and sends the would-be thief flying off his motorcycle.
“You’ve Just Been Erased” (The Eraser)
Though it’s not one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most iconic movies, The Eraser isn’t without its great moments. For example, the ending where his character tells U.S. Marshal Robert DeGuerin (James Caan) he’s “just been erased” before his limo is destroyed by a train is just so awesome.
“No Sequel For You” (Last Action Hero)
Jack Slater killing Benedict (Charles Dance) in Last Action Hero just wouldn’t be the same without the meta-action movie character telling the villain he wouldn’t be in the sequel before pulling the trigger. Sure, it’ll make you groan, but it’s also impossible to hold back the laughter.
