Arnold Schwarzenegger is The Man, pure and simple. What Arnie has accomplished in his life is staggering. Even in his downtime he makes it a point to be incredible, in 2004 he saved a drowning mans life during a Hawaiian vacation. Unlike the celebrities society drools over these days, The Austrian Oak has earned his place as an icon in America and all over the world. By constantly setting and achieving lofty goals for himself and through an intense work ethic, he has become one of the world’s most recognizable figures.
Dutch hasn’t lead an easy life, he lived his early days in a poor household in a remote village of Austria and once stated that a highlight of his youth was getting a refrigerator. Money was not his only issue growing up, as Conan’s father showed extreme favoritism for his older brother, due to a notion that his younger son was a product of an affair (not true). In order to gain respect from his distant dad he entered the world of sports as a young teen. At fourteen his football (soccer) coach introduced him to the world of bodybuilding and the rest is history. By history I mean accruing a net worth of $200 million, although some have speculated upwards of $800 million.
Growing up with action movies, Ahnald was a huge part of my childhood. His over the top brand of action has seen Mr. Olympia killing bloodthirsty aliens, terraforming mars, wrestling Harrier jets, and terrorizing the future as a cybernetic killing machine. All the while, he finds the time to spout off some amazing one liners that have become deeply embedded in our culture. Though his acting will never be recognized during award season, it does have a certain charm that keeps movie goers coming back to the cinema. More importantly, he has made it a point to constantly get better; The Running Man was a big improvement from his early days.
Since 2003, there has been a void in cinema. A void that can only be filled by our Austrian friend. Whether or not you’re a fan of Detective John Kimble’s politics, his governorship will soon be coming to a close. Once his term is up, some have speculated that he might continue his life in politics and run for the Senate. I say NAY! The time is ripe for Arnold’s return to the big screen and here are 7 reasons to back me up.
7. ‘Terminator Salvation’
We’ve already covered why ‘Terminator Salvation’ is terrible. But I would like to reflect on the good parts of the film, the only good part: Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold was the best thing about ‘Terminator Salvation’ and he technically wasn’t even in the movie. Upon seeing the midnight showing of ‘Salvation’ there was a buzz of excitement that filled the air. Fans of all ages waited hours in line to get seats to the hyped sequel, hoping to witness ‘Terminator’ brought back to its glory days of the early 90’s. After the opening title sequence the energy, which was once abundant, seemed to be leaking out of the theater. About half way into the flick, it had all but deflated.
Towards the end though, something happened. I watched as the ever serious John Connor single-handedly infiltrated the machine HQ before hearing a familiar jingle. The crowd soon erupted into cheers and applause as the camera panned up from bare feet to show us the T-800. The palpable excitement rushed back into the theater as Connor battled the cybernetic foe. I believe this huge reaction wasn’t just from seeing a robot, but from watching such a beloved actor come back to life on screen. People are ready for more Arnold.
6. Health
To put it mildly, Arnold has gotten out of shape. Although, I think he has more than earned a little rest. At the age of 22 he was awarded Mr. Universe from there he went on to win the Mr. Olympia competition, the highest award in bodybuilding, seven times. As Arnold got older he still kept in shape. For ‘Terminator 3′, he got in peak physical condition besides being 56 years old. The man really is a machine.
Of course, he has had more important things to do besides spending three hours a day in a gym. At 61, his physical glory days are behind him. Arnold could try and prove me wrong, but the last thing I want to see is him in the sad steroid boosted state Stallone is in now. On the other hand I would hate for him to go Brando on us. I think there is a happy medium he can find without going to the physical extreme. Slim down, tone up, nothing too drastic. Don’t be afraid to show a little age.
5. New Action Stars
During Arnold’s absence from the big screen, a whole new crop of actors have arisen in the action genre. We now have Statham, The Rock, and Vin. Even respectable character actors like Matt Damon, Christian Bale, and Robert Downey Jr. are making action blockbusters. The action movie itself is also changing into a more character driven medium. Would Arnold have a place in this new world of action?
No matter what role he is given, Arnold does his best to bring excitement and energy to the screen. I see many veteran actors sleep walk through roles so they can get a paycheck. I would love to see a boring Jon Voight performance replaced by Arnold. I am not talking about headlining a self serious action movie (‘Rambo’) or taking roles in a cheap attempt to reclaim former glory (‘Righteous Kill’). From the grizzled veteran to the wise mentor, there are a plethora of roles in which he would be perfect in. As long as he accepts his age he will fit in fantastically along side our current crop of actions heroes.
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Tags: Arnold Schwarzenegger
