When people think of action movies, the images of close combat and explosives are in their mind. The sound of gun fire, the clashing sound of steel from swords, the grunts and frustration of swinging punches and getting knocked to the floor. Of course, there is nothing wrong with this idea of action, but it seems as though the long-ranged combat can be underappreciated in film.
It’s not that exciting for some to watch the draw of an arrow, the slowness of breathing to ensure the target is getting hit. But for some, the technique and speed that some of these characters have when using bows are incredibly impressive. And while not all action films have archers, especially modern films, there are still many iconic characters that use bows and arrows to take down their foes. These are some of the most iconic archers in movies.
5 Brave: Merida
Disney is not often looked at when people think of action, but there is no denying that this feisty girl is one of the best archers around. For someone who isn’t allowed to participate in those kinds of activities, she is amazing with the bow. Merida can be compared to Arya from Game of Thrones. They both are forced to do lady-like activities, when all they want to do is join the men.
The best scene to display her skills is during the competition when she goes against her parents wishes, rips her dress and shoots at every target, hitting a bullseye, and even splitting a previous arrow in half with her own. It’s a beautiful work of art and shows her skills wonderfully.
4 Marvel: Hawkeye
Hawkeye is most likely the main archer shown in modern films thanks to MCU. The superhero is quite skilled with the bow, and even faces off gigantic aliens and robots with just his arrows. Granted, the superhero uses modern technology to make sure he can face the biggest of foes without too much effort thanks to the several different arrows he has. The main arrow fans see during his MCU journey is his Explosive Tip arrows, which helps during The Avengers.
Granted, there are several other arrows in his arsenal that seem to be perfect for any occasion, such as Smoke Bombs, Grapple, Flare, Net, and Pym. But even with all of these at his use, he still has a great deal of skill that he shows throughout all his movies and tv appearances.
3 Hunger Games: Katniss Everdeen
Starting as a young adult novel by Suzanne Collins, Katniss Everdeen quickly moved to the big screen to show her amazing skills with a bow. Katniss learned her skills on her own in order to provide food for her poverish family, but it quickly became the main way for her to survive and strike against the Capital.
Like most novel to film adaptations, the book gives fans more insight on her skill, the movie still shows how capable she is with the weapon. One of the most remarkable times fans could see her skills was when Katniss had to perform her skills, which was archery, to the Gamemakers. When she realized they weren’t paying attention to her, she shot an arrow towards them, hitting the roasted pig on the table. Not only was this showing her personality but showing her confidence and skills.
2 Tomb Raider: Lara Croft
As one of the most iconic video game archers, it’s hard not to put Lara Croft into the same list in movies. Lara Croft entered the movie scene in 2001 with Angelina Jolie, but recently had an adaptation in 2018 with Alicia Vikander. The movie didn’t score that well, but it still amazing to see the iconic character on the big screen.
The film follows the games with Lara Croft goes in search of her father’s last-known whereabouts where she’s up against all odds. Lara Croft uses her skills to survive and portrays the video game character at her finest. And with a sequel on the way, hopefully fans will be able to see more of her skills come to life.
1 Lord Of The Rings: Legolas
Of course, Legolas would need to be on this list. Lord of the Rings is an iconic movie to begin with, and Legolas is one of the most iconic characters in the series. With his skill and natural skills at the bow, it’s not surprise that Legolas is one of the best and most iconic archers in movie history.
While everyone else on the list is human, Legolas is an elf, meaning his years of training is not only aiding his skill, but his natural honed abilities make him fantastic at the job. He has proven throughout the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit series that he can take down any enemy on his own.