Arnold Schwarzenegger finds out veterans are missing out on basic entertainment, but what he arranges for them goes way beyond expectations

According to People, the 78-year-old actor was celebrating Veterans Day with his “heroes” at the West LA VA. That’s when he learned the center’s movie screening area was completely broken. That’s terrible, especially for veterans who should have access to basic entertainment. Schwarzenegger decided right away that he wouldn’t let this problem continue.

In just one week, he arranged for buses to take the veterans straight to the Paramount lot. There, they got to watch a special showing of the action film remake. That’s a huge upgrade from a broken VA theater.

This gesture shows real respect for those who served

Before the screening, Schwarzenegger talked to the cheering crowd. He’s the star of the original 1987 version of The Running Man, and he told them he was really proud of that classic film. He said the 1980s was the decade when most of the best action movies were made. He usually doesn’t like remakes, believing those original films are perfect the way they are.

He always thought, however, that The Running Man was the one exception. He said the movie turned out really well, but he felt it “didn’t have the budget to … paint the future [where] this story takes place.” He always felt that specific story “could be redone in a better way so we can paint the future better.”

Schwarzenegger told the audience that he had just watched the new version for the first time. He was completely “blown away” by it. He thought the visual effects, the acting, the action, and the storytelling were all fantastic. He got so excited that he decided right then, while eating pizza with the veterans on Veterans Day, that he had to show them the movie.

Schwarzenegger shared this whole story on his social media. He posted a video of his speech and challenged his followers to stop complaining and start doing good. This kind of genuine support for veterans stands in contrast to misleading promotions that disappointed service members. He wants everyone to remember that they have the power to take action in the world around them.

He pointed out that posting complaints on social media doesn’t actually fix anything. “I wanted to share this because we all have power if we are willing to act,” he wrote in the caption. He compared taking action versus complaining, noting, “Most people would just post on social media: ‘it’s bogus our vets can’t watch movies at the VA.’ That doesn’t get them into a movie.”

He knows most people can’t arrange for buses and a screening room at the Paramount lot. That’s totally fine. He said the smallest acts count, saying, “But you could buy one veteran a movie ticket and do more good than any social media post.” That’s a great way to think about it.

Schwarzenegger said you shouldn’t let anyone take away your greatest power, whether it’s the government, social media, or politicians. He offered some really smart advice for dealing with problems: “When you want to complain about something bad, say, ‘what good can I do?'”

Even the people behind the film were excited by his kindness. Glen Powell, the star of the new remake, commented on the post, calling Arnie “one of a kind.” Schwarzenegger’s actions join other memorable moments, like when a former president surprised veterans. The director, Edgar Wright, also responded, simply writing, “This is amazing!!! Thank you Arnold x.”