Which do you prefer in a war movie? Battle scene or story/emotion
 

I preferably would prefer a battle scene but I can still deal with a story or the emotional stuff.

Both. Although if i had to choose just one it would be battle.

i think i'd have to go with both. i couldn't watch a war movie for battles only. good nods go to patriot, braveheart, an last of the mohicans. their stories intertwine greatly enhancing their battle scenes that much more.

Both are often essential to war movies, but I think the story/emotion tends to interest me more.

Then, there's something like the Lord of the Rings movies, hwere the story/emotion are all that interest me, the endless battle scenes have been most extremely boring, particularly in the sequel.

Windtalkers vs The Thin Red Line.
I prefer the Thin Red Line.

Story/emotions make the battle scenes more intense!

:up:

The good ones have both, but some can't pull it off.

Take "We Were Soldiers". The battle scenes were pretty good, but the characters were dry and not believable. The plot was weak and cheesy. As a result- while the action scenes were impressive, the film failed in my mind.

I wouldn't watch it again.

Story is the most important. The very idea that you would think it's acceptable to have no story or emotions and just watch a film with battle scenes is kind of disturbing. Without a story it's just a video game. But then again everyone on here loves Band of Brothers and Blech-hawk Down.

Both, you need to have a compelling story in order to enhance the battle scenes.

Battle scenes if you can't have both.

I enjoyed We Were Soldiers, Black Hawk Down and Saving Private Ryan. Couldn't get into Thin Red Line. Haven't seen Windtalkers though. I wonder how it is compared with the other war movies?

i think both are needed for a successful war movie, but i tend to enjoy the battle scenes the most

I think if the wovie is genuinely ABOUT a war, as opposed to just a film set during wartime, then both. Otherwise, a story is always most important to me. The relationships between characters is what makes or breaks a film. If I'm not engaged, then it's not worth it.

That's not to say I don't enjoy mindless FX-fests occasionally, but I at least need some semblance of plot to keep them going.

Gotta have both as you can't appreciate one without the other.

battles. that's what war is.

You need both, but the story and emotions are what's needed to put things into context. That's why I much prefer "Band of Brothers" to "Saving Private Ryan."