Battle of Helms Deep vs. Arena Battle On Geonosis

[Ordinary Guy]

As most know me around here I'm a very big (fill in the blank if you remember).

I haven't seen Two Towers and have no immediate plans to see it. But after seeing that the Helms Deep battle beat the Arena battle from Episode II at the Mtv Movie Awards for the Best Action Sequence award.

I just gotta know?

Is the Two Towers battle that much better than the Episode II battle?


Holla!!!!!

[Jin Kazama]

Personally? Yes. Absolutley.

I'm a big fan of both movies, but with LotR, it just seemed more important. I know that's kind of a lame excuse, but the build-up always plays a big part for me. I'd much rather take a fight with an hours build-up than a all-out brawl for no reason.

Not to say AotC didn't have build-up. Actually, I think the big fight scene in the next SW movie will be incredible, as the AotC fight never really ended. As Yoda mentioned, it was just the begining.

Ask me again after the next SW movie. :)

[Simpler Simon]

Granted, I've only see The Two Towers once, while I've watched the AOTC DVD dozens of times over, so I'm really biased. ;) However, from what I remember, and this was true of Fellowship of the Ring too (which I also have on DVD and have watched several times over), the battle scenes are, epic, grand - but too cluttered for their own good.

Mind you, this is preference, but in AOTC, even in the mass chaos, you always had a clear view of what was going on. Lucas keeps the background and sides busy, but its never in doubt what the main action is. Jackson, on the other hand, seems to prefer letting the action happen, filming what he can, and then let the blurred bits tell the frantic action. You can argue its more realistic this way, but I can barely follow whats going on, who held what blade that sliced whom in half, before it jumps to another shot. Not all the action scenes are like this, but the major ones are (such as when the wall is destroyed, and the two armies charge at each other), and it becomes an annoyance.

As a side note, Spielberg basically pioneered the technique in Saving Private Ryan, and his action seemed a lot more coherent than Helms Deep.

[Chris Wood]

Helm's Deep all the way. Episode II doesn't really get into the cool massive battle with all the mecha and troops very much, and spends too much time on the entertaining but silly arena fight.

[Kathy Kane]

"PARTY'S OVER"-- Mace Windu

Yes, I did like that sequence from AOTC but for me,
I think that the odds at Helms Deep were stifer, the battle was against an million orcs versus a small army of men and eleves who are trying to protect women and children hiding in the caves nearby.
They had more to lost then anything. The whole battle, with the odds and everything else reminded me of the classic battle from Henry V or the last Buffy episode.

[Mackenzie Rainelle]

Even if it DIDN'T happen that way in the book, there was one thing about Helm's Deep that won it for me: The entrance of Gandalf and the Rohirrim was SO much cooler than that of Yoda and the clone army.

[DarkAngel]

I'm a big fan of both movies, but with LotR, it just seemed more important. I know that's kind of a lame excuse, but the build-up always plays a big part for me.
I preferred the Helm's Deep battle for the same reason. There was a lot more tension. We could see and feel the fear from those that waited at the fortress in the rain. Meanwhile, we could also see and hear what they did: the torches of the approaching orcs in the distance and the sound of their marching slowly rising as they approached. Those we're definitely chilling sights and sounds. So even before the battle begins, we're drawn in.

[Obi]

Helm's Deep. There was a LOT more tension while the Genosis battle was just random lightsaber swinging and then random firing.

Now, if they had kept in everything that ILM had come up with during production....definately the Geonosis Battle. There were SO many cool shots and scenes they had to eliminate for time.

[Mango Fett]

Despite the removal of Plo Koon's big scenes i shall have to go with the geonosis battle.

I liked the lead up, and the actual battle, and then seeing all the jedi come out, followed by commander Yoda when thigns got really bad. That was great, and then the little bit of quiet as the battle was moved to better grounds.
I really would have liked more to the Jango/Mace fight, and I really really wanted the droid control assult that Plo Koon and Ki Adi Mundi went on.
But over all i loved that battle.

Where as helms deep was...eh...
Maby im a nit picker...but I hate the changes. And Gandolfs entrance didn't really wow me. Oddly i liked it better in the Baski animated feature.
Then there was the addign of the elves, and Legolas's utterly stupid snowboarding trick.
And, yes it was too chaotic. Chaos may be the norm in a real battle, but this is art...art involving elves and orcs.

[wonderfly]

Even if it DIDN'T happen that way in the book, there was one thing about Helm's Deep that won it for me: The entrance of Gandalf and the Rohirrim was SO much cooler than that of Yoda and the clone army.


I have to agree whole heartedly with this sentiment. ;)

[Psilon]

I didn't like either too much.
For pure hectic combat, I think black hawk down was more impressive than both.

I didn't get the last scene with Gandalf coming down that steep hill - too steep to come down. Also the orcs were in perfect formation. The cavalry would have been ripped apart.

The battle in star wars made the jedi look like wimps.
And the Force is so underused.
It was silly.

[The Master Con]

I really going top have to wait for the DVD to answer this question. But I believe that Helm's Deep was a much greater battle with Orcs constantly trying to climb to wall ala Alamo.

[Chumpmaster2000]

without a doubt, Helms Deep. the orc army approach, the defenders anxiety at the sight of that huge army, the epic battle, and a sense of hopelessness...far out weighs that from what i remember from AotC (or is that because i've repressed AotC to the far deep unreachable part of my psyche). i actually remember the Helms Deep scene instill emotion and feelings in me, compared to, well...nothing in AotC.

[DarkAngel]

I didn't get the last scene with Gandalf coming down that steep hill - too steep to come down. Also the orcs were in perfect formation. The cavalry would have been ripped apart.

Gandalf timed their approach with the rise of the sun. The orcs were blinded by the light.

And I don't think the Jedi came across as wimps. They were greatly outnumbered. And their use of the Force was similar to what we've seen from Jedi in the previous four movies: to heighten jumps, knock things over (in this case droids), increase reflexes.

[Psilon]

Gandalf timed their approach with the rise of the sun. The orcs were blinded by the light.

And I don't think the Jedi came across as wimps. They were greatly outnumbered. And their use of the Force was similar to what we've seen from Jedi in the previous four movies: to heighten jumps, knock things over (in this case droids), increase reflexes.

Even if the light did hit them, the spears would have ripped through cavalry. To defeat the formation you have to break it. (The reason why cannons were used intially in battle other than for siege purposes).

Well, this is my beef for all the prequels. I'm less impressed with the Jedi the more I see them. I would think the force is something that connects everything. Like a giant overmind. The Jedi should have seemed like a flawless machine.

[DarkAngel]

The Jedi should have seemed like a flawless machine.
The Jedi aren't gods. One-on-one against a non-force user, we saw how dominant a Jedi could be (Mace vs Jango), but when they're outnumbered, they're at a disadvantage. Without the Force, they would have been wiped out completely and the battle would have been far shorter.

[JohnCrichton]

I'm a Star Wars fan, but Helm's Deep all the way...