Most documentaries have an underlying agenda they’re trying to push. In some films the message is more obvious than in others. Running With Arnold begins on what the viewer might suppose is an objective note, but by the middle it’s clear that writer/director/producer Dan Cox isn’t too fond of the Governator.

For those familiar with Schwarzenegger’s controversial campaign trail, the documentary might be a rehashing of old news. For those uninitiated, it’s a wealth of information about a teen Austrian body building sensation who transformed himself into a Hollywood star and elected official.

When Gray Davis was blamed for California’s energy crisis and recalled in 2003, Schwarzenegger won the race for governor of California. Republicans looked to Arnold as a fresh face for big business. After all, he was a millionaire by the age of 22.

If you can deliver your lines clearly and look good, you have a great chance to win an election, shares a political consultant at the start of the film, and Arnold fit the bill. He basically campaigned and won on the coattails of his Terminator popularity (T3 had just been released).

Throughout Running With Arnold informational snippets are revealed, making this documentary highly edutaining. We learn that at 21 Arnold proclaimed he wanted to be the President of the United States, a dream he still pursues today. His controversial interview in Oui highlights Schwarzenegger’s penchant for women of all shapes and sizes, and even visits remarks he made about his genital size.

Running With Arnold unveils the many sides of Schwarznegger. Just keep in mind the bias of the filmmakers.

Grade: B+

Running With Arnold releases in select theaters Jan. 11.