The Last Action Hero

The action genre has never been regarded as a serious branch of cinema. However, it is often the action heroes—muscular, laconic, tough guys with bulletproof irony and a habit of shooting first and talking later—who become public idols, mass favourites, and top-tier stars. If one were to determine the king of this genre, it would undoubtedly be Arnold Schwarzenegger, the actor and bodybuilder who has done as much for Western pop culture as Da Vinci and Raphael did for the European Renaissance.

On July 30, the "Iron Arnie" turns 77—a respectable age even for the Terminator. Yet the former governor of California, athlete, film producer, actor, billionaire, and now social media star, Schwarzenegger has not lost his good-naturedness, optimism, and zest for life, inspiring his devoted fans with the same. Today, when all large-scale action in films is "painted" on green screens, the cult films starring Schwarzenegger appear outdated and nostalgic, but that is precisely where their charm lies. Real sets, actual location shoots, complex stunts, and the craftsmanship of pyrotechnicians—all these created the unique atmosphere of films that generations of viewers fell in love with. No matter how advanced computer graphics become, no high-budget instalment of James Cameron's franchise will come close to the success of "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." Because cinema is not just about technology; it's also about magic, character charisma, and audience trust.

There is no point in recounting Schwarzenegger's biography for the thousandth time—from an Austrian boy from a poor family, whose father was a member of the Nazi party, and for whom the major event of childhood was the purchase of a refrigerator, to the 38th governor of California, founder of the eponymous Climate Conference, bodybuilding icon, Netflix action director, and top-tier Hollywood star. Numerous articles, books have been written about him, films made, and he himself is not averse to indulging in memoirs—his latest opus, "Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life," published in 2023, was not dedicated to his beloved self but saw him in a new role as a motivational coach. Given the thousands of people whom the star of "Commando" and "Conan the Barbarian" inspired to take sports (or an acting career) seriously, the book is definitely worth recommending. Arnold knows how to motivate and ignite like no one else, and he always does it with a huge dose of irony and kindness, which, of course, contrasts sharply with his canonical image of an emotionless cyborg from a post-apocalyptic future.

But a glance at the star’s Instagram makes everything clear. The image of the brutal, taciturn bruiser is washed away by the sea of charm and self-irony that Schwarzenegger exudes in his short videos. His partners on the home filming set are not international villains, combat robots, and alien monsters, but cute animals, including a malamute, a pig, a pony named Whiskey, and a donkey Lulu.

Despite Arnie's father once making a fatal choice by joining the Nazis, Schwarzenegger himself never doubted he was on the right side. Back in 2014, he publicly supported the people of Ukraine and called on Putin to stop military aggression against the peaceful democratic country. That same year, he publicly wore a T-shirt with Ukrainian Crimea and the inspiring inscription, "I'll Be Back."

And in 2022, after the full-scale invasion of Russian occupiers in Ukraine began, Schwarzenegger recorded several videos addressing both the leadership of the Russian Federation and his Russian fans. In these videos, Arnie called for an immediate end to military aggression and for Russian forces to leave the sovereign state's territory.

Also in 2022, Arnold Schwarzenegger addressed Europe with a call to stop purchasing energy from Russia, thus halting the financing of their war. "Let's be honest with ourselves—there is blood on our hands. We must be part of the solution, not the problem," Arnie stated, demanding a refusal to buy Russian oil and gas.

In addition to video appeals, Arnie also wrote a lengthy post on his Instagram, trying to convey to Russians poisoned by imperial chauvinism the absurdity and tragedy of the war:

"My thoughts are with the Ukrainian people. I have been asked several times for interviews, but I believe all the news should focus on what is happening in Ukraine. On the tragedy that has broken our hearts, and on the courage of the Ukrainian people, which inspires us. I am not an expert in foreign policy, so I will leave the analysis to smarter people. But I know what it's like to grow up after a war in an occupied country, and I know that in war, no one wins. Everyone suffers. War breaks both the victors and the vanquished. I have both Ukrainian and Russian friends and fans. As far as I can tell, none of them wants war. I hope reason will eventually prevail and put an end to this senseless war before too many lives are broken. Meanwhile, I stand with the people of Ukraine. I share your grief and your hope for peace.

You inspire me with your bravery and humanity in the face of this nightmare. God bless you."

Unfortunately, Schwarzenegger's calls for peace did not have the desired effect on Russians (nor did the appeals of many other worthy and famous Hollywood stars), but it is still important to realise that your favourite childhood movie hero is still on your side and, as in his numerous films, is not afraid to call evil by its name.