Red Sonja is Not the Worst Movie of Arnold Schwarzenegger as Many Fans Would Brand His 1st Movie Unwatchable

If you think Red Sonja is a cinematic low for Arnold Schwarzenegger, hold onto your popcorn! Helmed by Richard Fleischer and penned by Clive Exton and George MacDonald Fraser, this 1985 flick might not have snagged any Oscars, but it does offer a buffet of campy fun and over-the-top sword fights.

Fans of the Austrian Oak, however, argue that this sword-and-sorcery movie isn’t even close to his worst film. That dubious honor goes to Hercules in New York (1970), the actor’s debut flick.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Brigitte Nielsen in Red Sonja (1985) | Credit:
MGM/UA Entertainment Co.

Schwarzenegger’s first big screen outing, directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman, has been widely panned. The movie’s reputation is so poor that fans often scratch their heads, baffled by how the actor went from this flop to a superstar. One especially puzzled viewer even asked, “How did he become a star?”

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Blunt Take on Red Sonja

When it comes to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s filmography, it’s clear that The Terminator star isn’t exactly known for his subtlety or artistic finesse. His movies often trade in highbrow for high kicks and over-the-top special effects. 

Among his many cinematic endeavors, 1985’s Red Sonja stands out as a particularly unimpressive entry—so much so that even the actor himself has had a bone to pick with it. Schwarzenegger, 77, hasn’t sugarcoated his feelings when it comes to this movie. He’s gone on record calling it the “worst film” he’s ever made. 

With a meager $6.9 million box office haul against a hefty $17.9 million budget, the film was a financial flop (Box Office Mojo), and critics didn’t exactly roll out the red carpet for it either. Red Sonja got a Rotten Tomatoes score of 21%, and critics weren’t shy about calling it “dull, poorly directed”, and—yes—badly miscast.

The actor’s disdain for the film is so strong that he’s jokingly admitted to using it as a form of parental discipline. Schwarzenegger quipped (via Far Out Magazine):

When my kids get out of line, they’re sent to their rooms and forced to watch Red Sonja 10 times. I never had too much trouble with them.

Despite its troubled history and Schwarzenegger’s personal gripes, Red Sonja has earned its stripes with fans. Some say his debut film, Hercules in New York (1970), truly takes the cake for being a tough pill to swallow.

Fans Weigh In: Is Red Sonja Better Than Hercules in New York?

Hercules in New York, directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman in his directorial debut, is a low-budget fantasy work where Arnold Schwarzenegger, fresh from his acting apprenticeship, plays the titular hero.

Arnold Schwarzenegger & Arnold Stang in Hercules in New York (1970) | Credit: RAF Industries

And yes, the actor’s thick Austrian accent was so thick it was dubbed over by another actor. 

Reviews for this 1970 film were also not that warm, with a meager 14% on Rotten Tomatoes and a cringe-worthy 3.3/10 on IMDb. Schwarzenegger himself once recalled his first foray into film with a chuckle (via Forbes): 

The producers hired an acting coach and a dialogue coach, but two weeks with them couldn’t make up for my lack of English and lack of experience. … I couldn’t even understand all the sentences in the script. When they edited the film, they dubbed another actor’s voice over mine, because my accent was too thick for anybody to understand.

So, while Red Sonja might not be the pinnacle of Schwarzenegger’s career, it’s at least not wearing the ‘Worst Movie Ever’ crown. For that particular privilege, you’ll have to dive headfirst into the bewildering world of Hercules in New York. Fans aptly summed it up:

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In a nutshell, if you’re on the hunt for a film that’s so gloriously terrible it’s a hoot, Hercules in New York is your go-to. Meanwhile, Red Sonja may not be a masterpiece, but it’s a far cry from the bottom of the barrel.

Red Sonja is available to rent on Apple TV. Meanwhile, Hercules in New York is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.