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Originally Posted by Tuor of Gondolin
Poor scene: PJ getting wrong Theoden's charge at Helm's Deep. There were many more then the three or four horsemen shown (and if you watch, you can see some orcs just jumping off the causeway- not attacked or pushed).
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In both book and film, the battle of the Hornburg goes badly for the defenders and Theoden's charge is a last, desperate and defiant, measure. I would agree that there were many less involved in the charge in the film than in the book, but then there were a lot less defenders (at least proportionate to the attackers) generally in the film than in the book. In my view, there were good cinematic reasons for this, primarily to heighten the tension and desperation so as to provide a thrilling climax to the second film. Of course, this version of the battle will not appeal to everyone, and that's fine. My point simply is that it was not done gratuitously, but for good reasons.
On this board, many of Jackson et al's changes are consistently described as "screw-ups" or "mistakes". I have to say that these words in this context rather irk me, since I would not categorise them as such, but rather as judgments based on the constraints (and opportunities) of the medium and/or particular themes and aspects that they wanted to bring out. Whether the judgment made is right or wrong is generally down to the individual viewer's reaction.
As for the realism of the Orcs falling off the causeway, I appreciate your point but it doesn't, for me, detract from the power of the moment. I suppose they were trying to convey the sheer force of the charge. I actually found the charge of Gandalf and Eomer less realistic because the horses leap into a wall of spears and pikes. All the Orcs had to do was stand firm and hold their pikes in front of them (sunlight notwithstanding). Nevertheless, I still had a lump in my throat as I watched this scene.