When it come to action movie wizard , the two braggy public figure in the game are Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger . These two heftiness - bound badasses rose to prominence throughout the 1980s in some of the most democratic activeness film ever produced . Over the course of their decades - farsighted careers , they ’ve contribute some of Hollywood ’s most recognizable icons to life .

Both of these immensely successful actors have surprised critic who’veshrugged them off as bodybuilders who gush one - linerswith a fistful of powerful dramatic performances . Sly alone has three Oscar nominations under his swath . So , here are the five secure performances by each doer .

Stallone As John Rambo In First Blood

Thanks to the more action - pack sequel , John Rambo is think asan anoint - up badass who spray bullet train from a automobile gun . But inFirst Blood , he was just a soldier who returned from Vietnam and receive himself hurtle out of beau monde . He arrives in a little townspeople and get a line that the last of his war buddies has die , then gets drive out of town by the local cops .

As Rambo stay fresh re - entering the town , he ’s eventually pick up , triggering his PTSD , and he fly into the woods , pursued by the cops . First Bloodwasdriven by fibre , not by action , and Stallone ’s performance really made you care about Rambo .

Schwarzenegger As Wade Vogel In Maggie

The post - apocalyptic dramaMaggiestarred Arnold Schwarzenegger as a man who is deep conflicted when his girl gets infect with a zombie virus . ordinarily , report about zombie Revelation revolve around groups of survivors contend off swarms of the undead , so it was interesting to see a more intellectual take on the premise .

Schwarzenegger proved himself as a spectacular actor in the use of Wade Vogel in this flick , sharing terrific chemistry with Abigail Breslin as his nominal girl .

Stallone As Johnny D. Kovak In F.I.S.T.

Loosely inspired by Jimmy Hoffa and the Teamsters union , F.I.S.T.was Stallone ’s first starring role after his unprecedented breakout inRocky . This was long before he was screw as an action star , andF.I.S.T.gave Stallone a chance to show off his acting chops .

Much likeRocky , F.I.S.T.is a news report about the fiddling guy standing up for himself , as a Cleveland warehouse employee gets involved with the top governing body at his task union . Stallone really sinks his teeth into the function of Johnny D. Kovak , bring his discharge to life .

Schwarzenegger As Sheriff Ray Owens In The Last Stand

A lot of Stallone and Schwarzenegger ’s latter - day , Expendables - era drive in the action writing style have been disappointing , but the Schwarzenegger - starringThe Last Standwas a delightfully ultraviolent neo - western about a little - township sheriff who becomes America ’s last line of merchandise of refutation against a drug lord driving toward the Mexican border .

It ’s a New - 24-hour interval take on a story about a cattle king terrorize a dusty town in the Old West and incur the ire of the grizzled veteran sheriff . Schwarzenegger fills that role stunningly in Kim Jee - woon ’s funny sales pitch - black funniness .

Stallone As Lt. Marion Cobretti In Cobra

Before it was retooled as a drollery and it became Eddie Murphy ’s first starring vehicle , Beverly Hills Copwas visualize as a dark activity thriller with Sylvester Stallone save the screenplay and play the lead role . WhenBeverly Hills Copchanged its creative focal point , Stallone recycle his material to createCobra . He starred as Lt . Marion Cobretti , who was conceptualize as a gun - toting Bruce Springsteen .

As a motion-picture show , Cobraisn’t perfect , but Stallone ’s portrayal of the fiber as a nerveless - as - ice , toothpick - chewing , tad - wearing renegade copper makes it an unforgettable drive .

Schwarzenegger As Dutch In Predator

“ If it bleeds , we can shoot down it . ” Interestingly , the screenplay forPredatorgrew out ofan inside joke in Hollywoodthat Sylvester Stallone ’s iconic Rocky Balboa character had run out of opponents and would have to fight an alien in the next picture .

Arnold Schwarzenegger stars inPredatoras Dutch , a Special Forces badass who direct his squad into the jungle , watches them all get killed by a bloodthirsty special - terrestrial , and then take on the E.T. himself when he figures out its natural selection tactics . This insane movie would n’t have form nearly as well without Schwarzenegger ’s commitment to the lead use .

Stallone As Sheriff Freddy Heflin In Cop Land

Sylvester Stallone packed on the pounds to dally Sheriff Freddy Heflin in James Mangold ’s neo - noir law-breaking thriller , Cop Land . Instead of playing an ass - kicker with the organic structure of a god , he played a regular guy with a beer belly and emotional issues . Cop Landshowed critics a whole new side of Stallone .

Schwarzenegger As Doug Quaid In Total Recall

Adapted from a taradiddle by sci - fi skipper Philip K. Dick , Total Recallplays like a gonzo Hollywood version of aBlack Mirrorepisode . Arnold Schwarzenegger mavin as Doug Quaid , a grammatical construction worker in the future who pays a company to implant memories in his top dog of being a secret agent on Mars . midway through the process , he flick out of it and commence yelling about terminate his mission .

From then on , the plot twists get loopier and nuts . The audience only ever have it away as much as Doug , and Schwarzenegger plays the character ’s discombobulation bright at every mind - bow turn .

Stallone As Rocky Balboa In Rocky

Sylvester Stallone joined the rank of Charlie Chaplin and Orson Welleswhen he incur Oscar nominating address for writing and starring in the same movie . By throwing out traditional screenplay complex body part and rather focusing on building its fictitious character ( particularly its lead protagonist ) , the original 1976Rockymovie is a chef-d’oeuvre .

The great affair aboutRockyis that it ’s not about box ; it ’s a love story . Some of the later instalment in the franchise lose that focus , but it ’s as cleared as day in the original movie .

Schwarzenegger As The T-800 In The Terminator

James Cameron prorogue production ofThe Terminatorby a few month to accommodate Arnold Schwarzenegger ’s schedule , because he knew thatno one else could make for the titular sea wolf cyborg as dead as the Austrian Oak .

As an A.I. , the T-800 talk with a monotone robotlike interpreter , and it would be gentle to joke that the role does n’t command any performing , but playing a cold , thickened killing machine unencumbered by human emotion is actually a rattling acting challenge , andSchwarzenegger boom it .

NEXT : Robert De Niro Vs Al Pacino : Each Actor ’s 5 Best Performances

Ben Affleck as Christian drumming his hand on the table while talking to Cynthia Addai-Robinson’s Marybeth in The Accountant 2

A collage image of Luke Skywalker in A New Hope

Sidious, Tyranus, Maul, and Vader.

Rocky and Terminator

Rambo death

Arnold Schwarzenegger in Maggie

Sylvester Stallone in FIST

Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Last Stand

Sylvester Stallone chewing on a toothpick in Cobra

Predator Fix - Characters

Sylvester Stallone’s character bleeding in Cop Land

Martian Cash Total Recall Original

Rocky with his trainers in the ring

Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator saying ‘I’ll be back’

Movies

Terminator