LOTR: Legolas' Jaw-Dropping Archery Skills in Helm's Deep Battle - A Master Archery Expert Weighs In!

Summary

Legolas' shooting in the Battle of Helm's Deep earned a low rating from archery expert, Grizzly James.

Legolas' incredible exploits in the Lord of the Rings movies progressively border on the absurd, such as skillfully gliding down stairs using a shield and effortlessly sliding off a moving Oliphaunt.

Although clearly implausible, these fearless instances exhibited by Legolas align with the overarching themes of the franchise and serve as a source of entertainment for the audience.

An expert in archery recently evaluated Legolas' shooting performance during the Battle of Helm's Deep in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Portrayed by Orlando Bloom and based on J.R.R. Tolkien's character, Legolas played a vital role in both Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies. Across these trilogies, Legolas utilized his unmatched archery skills and warrior abilities to protect Middle-earth against Sauron's malevolent forces.

During an interview with Insider, archery specialist Grizzly James assessed the real-world accuracy of bow-and-arrow sequences in popular movies and TV shows, including Legolas' shooting during the Battle of Helm's Deep in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, which received a less satisfactory evaluation. As displayed in the video provided above, James emphasizes that while Legolas does demonstrate some correct techniques, considering the fantastical context, he falls short in certain essential aspects. Take a look at James' insights in the quotes and video below.

His elbow is a bit high, but I'll give him that when you've got some imposing orc dude with a staff approaching, you're not always going to have the opportunity to steady yourself and take a flawless shot. Nevertheless, to achieve such speedy shooting, a bow with relatively light poundage would be required. I'll rate it a four out of ten, but it's still pretty impressive.

Legolas' Feats Get Increasingly Ridiculous Throughout The Films

James observes a relatively mild scene compared to the numerous impressive accomplishments of Legolas throughout the movies. In another instance within the Battle of Helm's Deep, Legolas skillfully rides a shield down a flight of stairs while adeptly shooting arrows at orcs who had breached the fortress walls. Subsequently, his friendly rivalry with Gimli escalates further during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, leading to an even more daring feat.

Legolas effortlessly scales the moving Oliphaunt, swiftly dispatches the warriors riding it, shoots two arrows into the Oliphaunt's head, and gracefully descends as it topples to the ground. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies takes the ambition even further, as Legolas confronts the formidable orc Bolg, second-in-command to Azog the Defiler, on a crumbling stone bridge. Defying gravity, Legolas leaps between the falling stones, ultimately defeating Bolg and achieving victory.

While these scenes may lack realism, they more than compensate with their captivating entertainment value and their alignment with the franchise's thematic elements. The Lord of the Rings saga is an epic tale of the battle between good and evil, showcasing the triumph of unlikely heroes who find their true potential through acts of courage and selflessness. Legolas' daring feats not only captivate viewers, but also resonate with the timeless themes of The Lord of the Rings, regardless of their adherence to the original books or real-world archery.

Source: Insider