Best movie “large scale” battle scene of all time

[Deleted member 35598]

Marvel "Avengers Infinity War" had a huge large scale battle scene toward the end of the movie. Even if that scene was impressive, it was average imo. I've seen much better and more impressive large battle sequences before. But which one is the best of all time ?

I think for years the standard has been the Battle of Hoth in "Star Wars the Empire Strikes Back". But I think 2 huge battle scenes comes close imo. The Battle for Germania in Gladiator and the Omaha Beach scene in "Saving Private Ryan".

However, I think that the best huge scale battle sequence of all time is the Battle of the Pelennor fields in the "Return of the King".





What do you think ?

 

[Titik]

That scene in Lotr pretty much inspired copycats in the next decade or two so yeah I don't think anything has topped it yet.

 

[Deleted member 2809]

Yes it's definitely this one

 

[BrokenFiction]

I remember being legitimately awed at the Battle of Coruscant at the beginning of ROTS. There's so much going on in the background it's crazy.

 

[Scullibundo]

Infinity War felt small scale tbh.

RotK takes it for movies this millennium. The final half hour of Avatar was pretty balls out crazy though.

 

[DosaDaRaja]

Red Cliff.

Got some amazing big brain strats (like 'stealing' the enemies' arrows using a decoy boat stacked with hay walls to bait out enemy archers) scenes, plus more 'standard' large scale action sequences, all set in China's Three Kingdoms era.

One of the best historical drama/wuxia I've ever seen.

 

[Sunnz]

I still think the new York battle in avengers 1 was bigger and better than any other marvel battle scene.

 

[subpar spatula]

A Sword Day hasn't been topped yet.

 

[Clefargle]

Yes OP you did it

 

[Deleted member 35598]

I remember being legitimately awed at the Battle of Coruscant at the beginning of ROTS. There's so much going on in the background it's crazy.

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I think Star Wars movies have MANY epic large scale battle scenes, especially in the prequels. I mean the battle at the end of Attack of the Clones is incredible. But the battle of Hoth remains the best one.

 

[Rassilon]

Lawrence of Arabia has some mental shit considering it's all 'real'. Must have been a nightmare of coordination.

 

[Laserdisk]

Why is this all CGI crap??
Hate that stuff.

 

[TheCrackedJack]

It's hard to beat LOTR in this category. I know you said movies but I do want to say that I think stuff like Battle of the Bastards is also better than like 99% of the biggest budget Hollywood movies of all time though.

 

[Rassilon]

Why is this all CGI crap??
Hate that stuff.

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Hear hear! I rewatched the Battle of Waterloo recently, great stuff.

 

[Laserdisk]

Hear hear! I rewatched the Battle of Waterloo recently, great stuff.

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You can do aything with CGI, it's all money if they hire extras or if they pay for ILM but the real stuff cannot be beaten.

 

[Starphanluke]

I think Star Wars movies have MANY epic large scale battle scenes, especially in the prequels. I mean the battle at the end of Attack of the Clones is incredible. But the battle of Hoth remains the best one.

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As much as I find the characters incredibly boring, I think the battle of Scariff from Rogue One is amazing and large-scale as well.

 

[Kormora]

The Waterloo one is insane because the director was given something like 18,000 Soviet troops for extras.

 

[Laserdisk]

The Waterloo one is insane because the director was given something like 18,000 Soviet troops for extras.

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Damn straight.

 

[Gorger]

Gaugamela is the best and most accurate Hollywood made battle I can think of. Everything from the speech to the main battle itself is just incredible.

 

[De-mon]

Some battles from RAN, at least aesthetically, are beautiful.

 

[Mr.Deadshot]

Oh I have to watch that 4 hour cut for Alexenader. Thanks for reminding me.

LotR and Red Cliff are both good picks. I'd also add Kingdom of Heaven. I still really love the intro battle for Gladiator but that one isn't that big in scope.

As for Sci-Fi, nothing beats Battle for Endor from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Battle for Scarrif from Rogue One comes close though.

 

[Deleted member 35598]

Why is this all CGI crap??
Hate that stuff.

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If you like battle with less CGI, then I would suggest those the Four Feathers, Kingdom of Heaven or even Alexander.

 

[CountAntonio]

Those elephants are amazing every time.

 

[Laserdisk]

If you like battle with less CGI, then I would suggest those the Four Feathers, Kingdom of Heaven or even Alexander.

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The last two had quite a bit of CG

 

[Soundscream]

Gaugamela is the best and most accurate Hollywood made battle I can think of. Everything from the speech to the main battle itself is just incredible.

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It's not a great film but both its battle scenes are top of the shelf.

 

[Deleted member 35598]

Gaugamela is the best and most accurate Hollywood made battle I can think of. Everything from the speech to the main battle itself is just incredible.

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It was an amazing battle. I've scene in theatre at the time. It was epic I agree. I nearly put it out there in my op.

I still think Battle of the Pelennor tops it because it was so well scripted, there was incredible dialogues, music, etc. But it's close.

 

[randompasserby]

Battle of Pellenor Fields, most definitely.
... though I'm probably biased considering I still teared up at the scene whenever I reread the books or rewatch the movies. Rohan had come at last ;_;

Watching this thread for recommendations. I love me some epic battles.

 

[jett]

Lawrence of Arabia has some mental shit considering it's all 'real'. Must have been a nightmare of coordination.

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Why is this all CGI crap??
Hate that stuff.

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The Waterloo one is insane because the director was given something like 18,000 Soviet troops for extras.

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Indeed.

The movies of yesteryear can't be beaten. Stuff like Infinity War shouldn't be anywhere near this conversation.

I've never been a fan of the Pelennor Fields sequence in ROTK to be honest, I've always found it extremely artificial looking, which it is (obviously). Also not a fan of the CGI sweeping shot Peter Jackson keeps reusing.

 

[SonicX_Zero]

I never understood the part when they reformed the line, what was their strategy riding straight towards those huge elephants? Were they hoping to scare those huge creatures? To me it just seemed they ended up losing troops for no strategic reason at all.

 

[Anthony Hopkins]

I like the ones with self sacrifice and emotion.
Also climatic ones are always good because it's been built up to.

These are my favs

 

[GestaltGaz]

The Waterloo one is insane because the director was given something like 18,000 Soviet troops for extras.

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Came to see this was posted. Fantastic scale film battle.

 

[Gorger]

It was an amazing battle. I've scene in theatre at the time. It was epic I agree. I nearly put it out there in my op.

I still think Battle of the Pelennor tops it because it was so well scripted, there was incredible dialogues, music, etc. But it's close.

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I agree with Pelennor. It is also my personal favorite battle and LOTR is my favorite movie of all time, but when it comes to a Hollywood historic battle this is the best one.

 

[Rassilon]

I like the ones with self sacrifice and emotion.
Also climatic ones are always good because it's been built up to.

These are my favs

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Probably one of the better moments of First Contact is the battle of Sector 001, except for the Defiant performing terribly, despite being one of the few Federation ships there to have been designed specifically to fight Borg.

 

[jsnepo]

Since OP already covered it, I'd still like to post this.

 

[DonMigs85]

Twilight Breaking Dawn part 2's battle wasn't bad at all

 

[Osahi]

No battle scene has had an impact on my like Omaha Beach of Saving Private Ryan. It's perfect in direction, editing and storytelling. It pulls you in like no other, but doesn't forget to tell a story with clear objectives that move you from one part of the battle to the next. In the meantime it also succeeds in setting up a couple of the most important characters. It's sheer brilliance in every aspect.

Pelennor Fields is amazing too, because in the same way it marries spectacle with story and character.

 

[ZackieChan]

TFW no one posts the GOAT Braveheart

 

[Laserdisk]

Indeed.

The movies of yesteryear can't be beaten. Stuff like Infinity War shouldn't be anywhere near this conversation.

I've never been a fan of the Pelennor Fields sequence in ROTK to be honest, I've always found it extremely artificial looking, which it is (obviously). Also not a fan of the CGI sweeping shot Peter Jackson keeps reusing.

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During King at the cinema I turned to my friend and asked where I plug in my X-Box controller.

 

[Mi goreng]

there's been a restoration of war & peace. yet to see it but the scale of the battle scenes look incredible from this trailer



oh and there you go, it's from the director of waterloo

 

[Maturin]

Big fan of Kingdom of Heaven Director's Cut myself. Wonderful film. Old school epic battles. What I think makes Ridley Scott's big battles stand out is that he doesn't do impossible camera moves, that sells whatever CGI is there much more. I often think it's camera movement not quality of CGI that gives away special effects.





And of course there's Scott's earlier epic battle from Gladiator.

 

[Euler.L.]

Tora Tora Tora is mentionworthy

https://youtu.be/WS_da33g5ac

Since OP already covered it, I'd still like to post this.

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Sadly, it got the Hollywood treatment. The real landing was way more disturbing.

 

[ArcLyte]

The Battle of Scarif in Rogue One is so damn awesome it brings tears to my eyes.

 

[ZackieChan]

I think Gladiator's opening battle turns to shit when it goes all slow Mo and that moaning music starts. Such a great buildup that ends up so disappointing.

I remember the Battle of Stalingrad in Enemy at the Gates being quite great.

 

[Maneil99]

I think Gladiator's opening battle turns to shit when it goes all slow Mo and that moaning music starts. Such a great buildup that ends up so disappointing.

I remember the Battle of Stalingrad in Enemy at the Gates being quite great.

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Yah, the 24 FPS slow mo is awful.

 

[kurahador]

The ambush in the beginning of The Revenant.

 

[ZackieChan]

Yah, the 24 FPS slow mo is awful.

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I hate when LOTR breaks into it, too. I don't understand that at all in either case.

 

[Deleted member 35598]

TFW no one posts the GOAT Braveheart

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You're right ! Stunning and gruesome battle sequences. And one of the most epic speech, Theoden like :)

The Battle of Scarif in Rogue One is so damn awesome it brings tears to my eyes.

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One of the best Star Wars battle. But there are so many of them to be fair.

 

[Maneil99]

The Battle of Scarif in Rogue One is so damn awesome it brings tears to my eyes.

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Wish they kept the scenes cut from trailer

 

[Deleted member 35598]

The ambush in the beginning of The Revenant.

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The ambush in the Last of the Mohicans was way more impressive imo.

 

[Deleted member 7051]

Is it weird I actually prefer Helm's Deep over Pelennor Fields? It just felt more desperate, more impossible to win. The elves showing up to help was really heartwarming and when all seemed lost, Gandalf shows up with the exiled cavalry and like a tidal wave they sweep up a victory.

It was beautiful.