10. Aliens 9. Princess Mononoke 8. Excalibur 7. The Matrix Revolutions 6. The Empire Strikes Back (Empirial walkers scene) 5. Alexander Nevsky 4. Gettysburg 3. Kingdom of Heaven 2. Zulu 1. Return of the King
What do you think? Any movies that should have made the list but didn't? Any that shouldn't have been on it but were?
Posts: 1903 | Registered: Sep 2003
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I know they probably don't want two Lord of the Rings movies on the list, but the Battle of Helms Deep from Two Towers should make it. And to make room for it, I would remove either the Matrix Revolutions or Kingdom of Heaven. Both were bad movies overall and don't belong on any top 10 lists but, more importantly, the battles scenes in them were not that great.
Also, what about Braveheart?
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I don't know. The part in Revolutions where all the robot squids come streaming in was extremely cool for me.
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It has to be a real battle? I loved the sword fight in The Princess Bride Doesn't get much better than that!
Posts: 9538 | Registered: Aug 2003
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Ran is a good addition. Kurosawa films have not been seen by enough people to be appreciated. I, unfortunately, have not seen Zulu.
Posts: 102 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Patton. And though I hated Saving Private Ryan, I think the battle scenes were done well.
Excaliber, though!?!? Please. I liked the movie, but the battle scenes were not all that well done.
And the Matrix karate fight scenes were all well done, as were the fights invovling the ships, but the Zion battle was laugh-out-loud stupid. Seriously, you have killer robots that aren't armed fighting humaniform tanks that don't have even a sheet of paper defending the operator. The complete lack of any strategic or tactical sense in the Zion battle pretty much erased any respect I had for the other battles.
Posts: 218 | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:I don't know. The part in Revolutions where all the robot squids come streaming in was extremely cool for me.
I couldnt help hearing the "challenging stage" music from Galaga everytime a swarm of squids came out of the hole.
Too much. Zulu is so good because the survival against the overwhelming odds is believable. In Revolutions, it wasn't. At least to me.
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Also, wasn't there a really well done Normandy scene in a movie I didn't watch a few years back? Saving Private Ryan or something?
Posts: 1903 | Registered: Sep 2003
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The ones that popped to mind instantly were Two Towers, Braveheart, and Alexander Nevsky. So you guys are way ahead of me. I'm not sure I agree with Return of the King being number 1.
Posts: 1810 | Registered: Jan 1999
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The first battle scene, storming of Normandy, in Saving Private Ryan was good. The subsequent scenes became too Hollywood, little outnumbered guys stand up to the big guys, for me.
Posts: 102 | Registered: Nov 2005
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I can think of a couple things come to mind reading the list. I think that the opening battle from Gladiator definitely deserves to be on the list, the lobby fight scene in the Matrix was better than anything in reloaded, and I'd say that Zulu was overrated. Other than that, I either agree with the choices or haven't seen the movie.
Edit: Somehow I forgot about Saving Private Ryan. The beach landing was very well done and probably deserves a place on the list.
Posts: 2437 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Aerto, I agree, which is why I didn't like Private Ryan. But that first scene is well done.
One of the aspects I liked in the other battles was that it accurately portrayed the importance of movement. If you'll note, the US sniper only hit people who were sitting still, he missed the guys who were running. But, yeah, way too much Hollywood after that first scene.
Posts: 218 | Registered: Mar 2005
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I might add Taps. And I'd change Matrix Revolutions to Matrix. A million Smiths was cool-ish, but there's nothing like the original.
Posts: 12266 | Registered: Jul 2005
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I didn't like the Matrix Revolutions battle scene with the robots. There was one in Reloaded that I liked a lot better, but I forget what actually happens in it.
Posts: 2867 | Registered: May 2005
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I'm partial to the Battle of Agincourt in Henry V (Branagh, not Olivier).
Also, rather than Return of the King they should use the battle of the five armies from the Hobbit. All those elf dots and dwarf dots moving around and the Eagle dots swooping down and picking up orc dots and dropping them, and the dust cloud. Oh wait, they mean the live action one, not the cartoon. Nevermind. Posts: 2926 | Registered: Sep 2005
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I'm going to have to give a HUGE thumbs down to that scene in Revolutions. Its one of my least favorite battle scenes ever. I was actually quite bored. I could go into all the different reasons I thought that battle was stupid, but I don't see any reason to. Sorry Ruth.
I love the movie Aliens, but which scene are you referring to? Theres the one where the marines get creamed in the beginning. Then there's the extended retreat scene where the marines are trying to hold the Aliens back. Then two fight scenes with Ripley versus the Queen, but I don't think those would be considered "battle" scenes.
I haven't seen 9, 8, 5, 3, or 2, but the rest I would agree with. I would put the battle of Helms Deep on there above the battle in RotK, but that's just me.
I think the Battle of Sterling from Braveheart is probably near the top of my list (even if it wasn't accurate to history, especially since it was the "Battle of Sterling Bridge" in real life, and there was no bridge in the movie). I agree with others that the battle in Saving Private Ryan was a good scene.
Recently, I was pleasantly surprised with the battle scene in the Narnia movie, but I don't think it would make the list.
There's more, but none are coming to me...
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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I have to say, I was extremely suprised Braveheart wasn't on there. And I would tie ROTK and Helms Deep battles. ROTK was pretty freaking awesome I thought, but then so was Helms Deep. And that's pretty much all I feel qualified to comment on.
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Helm's Deep should be on there for sure if Minas Tirith is.
Gettysburg should be higher. Glory should be on there too. Glory had some fantastic battle scenes, especially the one at the end.
Braveheart I agree with too. If we're talking INDIVIDUAL scenes from movies though, Gettysburg would have to be on there like three times. The Battle of Little Round top is for me one of the best battle scenes in film, but you'd also have to include Pickett's Charge. The Battle of Stirling in Braveheart, Battle of Helm's Deep in Two Towers, Battle of Minas Tirith in ROTK, and really the Battle of Dagor-Lad in Fellowship was pretty sweet too.
If we're including Sci Fi type battles, I would consider the space battle in Revenge of the Sith, and the battle in The Last Starfighter. Even the battle against the Death Star in A New Hope, but I'd separate space battles from ground battles, they operate on different plains of existance, literally.
The battle in Kingdom of Heaven wasn't bad, but I don't know if it should make the list.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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L.A. Confidential was a great movie until it got to the final shoot-out scene, which was simply too Hollywood and too convenient of a way to wrap up the story. Even then, if they had actually killed Bud White after he was shoot multiple times, the ending could have been salvaged. As it is, I love the movie, as long as I stop watching it before Exley shakes hands with White at the end.
Posts: 102 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Helm's Deep should be added and not only should Zulu not be number one, but I think it should be off the list altoghter. If that was an accurate depiction of the Battle of Rorke's Drift then frankly the Zulus were just plain dumb. They foolishly allowed the British to use their range by sending small wave after small which allowed the defenders to defeat each wave individually and reload their weapons in between. The obvious and logical move would be to send in one massive wave during which the long range British rifles would only be able to be used once. Besides, as far as I'm concerned the good guys lost and they shouldn't have.
Also, while not as bloody as Saving Private Ryan, The Longest Day may very well have been the best overall depiction of D-Day.
Posts: 3446 | Registered: Jul 2002
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The scenes with Riddick from Pitch Black against the monster alien things get a vote from me. Does that count as a battle? They sure are intense, especially in the movie theater (home video just doesn't compare).
Posts: 1319 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Call me a crazy fanboy, but the final battle in Serenity was fantastic. I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it, but the feeling I had watching that battle the first time... well, I can't think of many movie experiences that made me feel that way. If you've seen the film I'm pretty sure you'll know what I mean.
I would also rate Helm's Deep higher than Minas Tirith... And now I'm getting sleepy, time for bed.
Posts: 204 | Registered: Dec 2004
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Best battle scene? There was a movie made in Britain with Dustin Hoffman that had an assault on his home by a group of thugs. It was taken from a book with a title of something like "Assault on Trench's Farm," or something like that. I can't remember it, but I DO remember the final "battle" as he defends the simple farmhouse.
Also, I saw a loser of a cop movie on video a short while ago about a NYPD station house that is closing on 1 January. There is a skeleton crew on New Year's Eve who gets "hit" by a group trying to free a prisoner. It was a pretty interesting "battle." I believe that it was called "Assualt on Precient 13."
For all out length, in a comedic vein no less, try the very long battles at the end of the first two "Trinity" movies. In #1, the battle of the "Mormons" against the Major's hired henchmen was as long as it was funny. In #2, the battle of the Catholic priests against the gun runners was the same. Not very artistic, I agree, but still quite a "battle."
Posts: 101 | Registered: Nov 2005
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I don't know on what planet Braveheart doesn't make that sort of list. If we're talking large numbers of people fighting other large numbers of people, that is.
I really don't see Revolutions as having a good battle scene...the walkers were simply ridiculous. And the order of battle was absurd as well. The squids could've just swarmed the walkers, gotten right on top of them, and gutted the drivers easily with one of their near-ubiquitous tentacles. Instead of all that aimless flying around crap.
We Were Soldiers should definitely make that list. Some stuff from Spartacus, most especially the breakout from the gladiator school/prison.
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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quote:Originally posted by NinjaBirdman: Call me a crazy fanboy, but the final battle in Serenity was fantastic
That is what I was forgetting! Yeah, that one!
Also, Tora Tora Tora.
I think in addition to categories, you have to state what the battle is being judged by. * Length (the longer it is and still hold intereest the better). * Intensity (are your knuckles white afterwards?). * Size (is it a huge army or small groups of individuals--this is more of a category to me though) * Tactical (is it just hack and slash, or is there real cunning and suprises involved) * Sci-Fi/Fantasy factor (is there the coolest magic or coolest machines involved--this is probably a category item too)
I didn't like the Matrix III battle because it lacked tactics and the length seemed to go forever and it lost interest, and thus lost intensity. Towards the end, who cared who won or lost. The way it ended was kind of a dissapointment too. And when I watched it, I was really trying to like it. It was a while before I admitted it was poorly done.
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Wesley vs. Inigo - Princess Bride Obi Wan vs. Anakin - Star Wars Revenge of the Sith Qui Gon & Obi Wan vs. Darth Maul - Star Wars the Phantom Menace Tom Cruise vs. Nameless Thugs - Last Samurai Boromir vs. Uruk Hai - Fellowship of the Ring Aragorn Legolas Gimli vs. Uruk Hai - Fellowship of the Ring Cool guy vs. Cool guy - Hero Cool guy vs. Cool girl - Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Jedi Death Scenes - Revenge of the Sith Indianna Jones vs. Sword guy - Raiders of the Lost Ark
Category 2:
Pearl Harbor (Hated the Movie overall, liked their portrayal of the battle) D-Day - Saving Private Ryan Pickett's Charge - Gettysburg Collisseum Fight - Attack of the Clones Siege of Coruscant - Opening Scene Revenge of the Sith Black Hawk Down Almost any Fight - Band of Brothers
Category 3:
Helm's Deep - The two Towers Minas Tirith - Return of the King Braveheart Charge - Braveheart Attack on the Camp - First Knight Battle of Agincourt - Henry V (Branaugh) Death of the Samurai - Last Samurai
Category 4:
Princess Mononoke Rurouni Kenshin
EDIT: added pearl Harbor
Posts: 250 | Registered: Aug 2005
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The final battle in "Serenity" was better than anything "Revenge of the Sith" had to offer. The graphics were slightly less purty, but the pacing and direction were undeniably superior. I was *scared* when Serenity flew through the Alliance fleet... the big space battle in "Revenge of the Sith" actually got boring after a while.
Don't get me going on the duels in "Revenge of the Sith." Those were boring from the start. As far as I'm concerned, the Luke-vs-Vader fights in the original trilogy, plus the Darth Maul fight in "Phantom Menace," are the pinnacle of Star Wars lightsaber battles.
Another vote for the Normandy beach landing in "Saving Private Ryan."
Posts: 1321 | Registered: Sep 1999
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- posted December 14, 2005 07:59 PM Profile for newfoundlogic Email newfoundlogic Edit/Delete Post Reply With Quote Helm's Deep should be added and not only should Zulu not be number one, but I think it should be off the list altoghter. If that was an accurate depiction of the Battle of Rorke's Drift then frankly the Zulus were just plain dumb. They foolishly allowed the British to use their range by sending small wave after small which allowed the defenders to defeat each wave individually and reload their weapons in between. The obvious and logical move would be to send in one massive wave during which the long range British rifles would only be able to be used once. Besides, as far as I'm concerned the good guys lost and they shouldn't have.
Zulu is an accurate portrayal of the battle of Rorkes Drift, believe it or not. I did some research on it and apparently that's pretty much what the Zulu's did. I imagine there was some reason for it, cultural or tatical, but I'm not sure what it might have been.
Posts: 3295 | Registered: Jun 2004
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I think if the focus of the Revenge of the Sith battle had been different, it would have been better than the Serenity battle. You got a LOT more wide shots of the fight in Serenity, whereas the RotS battle was focused almost entirely on two individual fighter pilots.
I have to say though, the one shot in RotS where the starfighter was hit, exploded, and then time stopped and the picture was rotated 180 degrees while time resumed was friggin awesome, and is one of the better shots I think I've ever seen in a sci fi movie.
I also really liked the fight at the end of 13th Warrior.
Following Zarex's guide, I would add much of the battle scenes from Midway, and a ton of fights from Gundam Wing and G Gundam (which is a series about people who do nothing but duel one on one basically).
And Tarrsk, oy. I can follow you a bit on the lightsaber battles in Ep II, and some of Ep III, but the Obiwan vs Anakin fight was ANYTHING but boring. It was so charged with emotion and energy, I don't see how you could posssibly call it boring.
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