Arnold Schwarzenegger has reflected on how 1990's Kindergarten Cop, his comedy reuniting him with Twins director Ivan Reitman, sparked a backlash that he estimates cost the film $25 million at the box office. The movie, in which Schwarzenegger plays an LAPD detective going undercover as a kindergarten teacher, was criticised by reviewers as unfunny and poorly plotted, with many objecting to its uneasy mix of violent action and childish humour, leaving it feeling too mature for children and too juvenile for adults.

Despite the negative reception, Schwarzenegger has named it one of the few films in which he felt his performance was genuinely good, telling Interview magazine he "believed" himself in the role. He acknowledged sharing responsibility for the backlash alongside Reitman, noting he could not distance himself from criticism while claiming credit when a film succeeded. The film currently holds a 54% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and despite the controversy it still finished 1990 as the tenth-highest-grossing film of the year, though it earned less than Twins despite a bigger budget.