Last Friday’s March Movie Madness battle left voters split about whether The Bride could actually take on one of the most iconic film characters of all time. While Han Solo pulled out the win, there were a lot of comments arguing that The Bride should have been able to easily dispatch him. In the other matchup, Maximus bested Tallahassee, showing us that maybe the sword is sometimes mightier than the gun. Let’s head on over to the other side of the tournament today to check out a couple contests over there.
In the HD DVD Bracket, we have a very interesting matchup. On paper, this one seems cut and dry. But the more we dissect it, the more we find out that things may not be so black and white.
We have a lot of crazy ladies in this tournament, and Annie Wilkes has already shown us the power that an obsessed female can wield. Now we have a new matchup that pits The Terminator against based-on-real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos. There are so many things that absolutely terrify me about Wuornos that I almost advanced her to the next round out of fear. It still amazes me that Charlize Theron was able to pull off such a frightening portrayal of such a determined killer. She’s going up against The Terminator, though. This should be a walk in the park for a killer robot from the future, right? Not so fast, lest we forget that The Terminator was done in by an equally resourceful and determined young lady in the first film. She wasn’t a serial killer, but she was just as resolute in her ability to kill what stood in her way.
The Terminator – Created in the future and sent back to destroy the leader of the uprising. He’s a force to be reckoned with, not to mention that his one-liners are the stuff of legend. He’s practically invincible, with metal skeleton that can withstand all sorts of explosions, gunfire, and man-made weaponry.
Strengths: He’s the freaking Terminator. What other strengths need to be listed? He’s a hardcore killing machine with a practically indestructible skeleton.
Weaknesses: He can be crushed or melted to death. One capable woman was able to take him down. What happens when a psychopathic nut-job like Wuornos tries the same thing?
Aileen Wuornos – She’s just as scary in the movie as the lady was in real life. Out of anyone in this tournament, I truly think that she’s the best match for The Terminator. She’s going to put up a fight.
Strengths: She’s an insane, driven woman who does anything and everything to get what she wants. She kills for because she wants to.
Weaknesses: She is just one woman going up against a cyborg from the future.
Aileen Wuornos vs. The Terminator
- The Terminator (93%, 99 Votes)
- Aileen Wuornos (7%, 8 Votes)
Total Voters: 107
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This next fight to the death has us pitting two well-known characters head-to-head. First is quite possibly the most famous action hero in all of film, Indiana Jones. Armed with a whip, wit, and the occasional gun, Jones will take on Jules Winnfield from ‘Pulp Fiction’, the gun toting hit man who incidentally really loves tasty burgers.
Indiana Jones – He’s a legend in every sense of the word. He’s traveled the globe, defeated the Nazis, found the cup of Christ, and even survived a nuclear bomb while encased in a refrigerator. He’s the hero or heroes, and was only beat out by Atticus Finch as the greatest cinematic hero of all-time. Will anyone be able to stop his run to the championship?
Strengths: His whip is his constant companion, but his brains always help him get through the many tough spots he winds up in. He’s also very adept at bobbing and weaving, causing automatic gunfire to whiz on by.
Weaknesses: Snakes. If there’s one thing that Indy hates, it’s snakes.
Jules Winnfield – There has been talk in the comments during previous matchups that using guns outweighs any other sort of weapon. Winnfield is a modern day hit man with a giant arm cannon for a gun. While Indiana Jones using guns sparingly, they’re never his main choice. Jules carries a gun everywhere, and exacts righteous vengeance on those who wrongly cross his path. Will Jules’ gun be enough to overcome the legendary-ness of Indiana Jones?
Strengths: Carries a massive gun and knows how to use it. He’s also great at reciting memorized scriptural references, the belief of which seem to work for him in the way of bullet-missing miracles.
Weaknesses: Doesn’t actually want to be a killer for the rest of his life. He’s going soft, so that could hinder his chances.
Jules Winnfield vs. Indiana Jones
- Indiana Jones (82%, 89 Votes)
- Jules Winnfield (18%, 19 Votes)
Total Voters: 108
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HuskerGuy
Easy choices today. Terminator and Indy all the way.
Josh Zyber
This does seem to be a cakewalk for the Terminator and Indy today. The Terminator vs. Indy will be a much more exciting match if we get to it.
For future rounds, I think it should be clarified whether we’re talking about the evil Terminator from T1 or the good Terminator(s) from T2 and 3.
Aaron Peck
AuthorWe could do that, but I like the idea of just letting people choose which one they want to use. That’s what I’m planning for the Bond matchup. Choose your Bond and go with it.
Josh Zyber
We voted on Batmen, though.
Aaron Peck
AuthorThat’s true, and I guess we could have done a playoff for which Bond to include. The Batmen thing was simply a way to get people used to the tournament and what was going to happen. We could’ve used it for other characters too, but I just felt like that would take pretty long to narrow every character down to an exact actor or version.
Sam Maw
I can’t come up with a good Snakes on a Plane joke.
Aaron Peck
AuthorHa. It didn’t even register to me that the Samuel L. has an advantage over Indy because he’s not afraid of any mutha f’in snakes.
Gareth Callenby
The gun thing being on Jules’ side doesn’t mean much considering that Jones has dodged the bullets of Nazis, the Chinese mob, Thugis, Nazis again, and commies.
Lucas
I chose to go with Jules because of how much I hated Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Indy, you sold out and now prepare to have scripture recited before dying.
rudy
Easy picks today. I went with the Terminator and Indy.
Ryan Megan
I’d give it to Aileen only is Kyle Reese was with her. Assuming she hadn’t killed him while they humped.
Ryan Megan
I think I’m the king of unintentional innuendo. To clarify, when I said give it to Aileen if kyle reese was with her, I meant the win in this head to head contest. Not you know, “giving it to her”.
wait a minute, head to head? Man, I really have a problem.
Alex
It’s pure fanboy-ism but I gotta give it to Indy. Think of that one Egyptian swordsman; while Jules starts spouting off Ezekiel (misquoted, incidentally), Indy just hauls off and shoots him.
Oh, and the Terminator versus Aileen Wuornos? Puh-lease!!!
Shannon Nutt
I voted for Indy, but thought the vote would be a lot closer.
Ivan Gomez
I think we are missing some plot points in the fights, Terminator can and will be defeated by a woman, now imagine if Aileen Wuornos´ kid is going to become the human race savior of the post nuclear machine holocaust… Besides, Termi will be using cheapo striper clothes this time.
On the other hand Jules is a miracle walking, therefore cannot be killed and Indy needs Shia to rescue him due to gout, glaucoma, diabetes, you name it.
My point is, Terminator, Indiana, Darth Vader and other “franchise” players in this tournament have been hampered down by secuels and precuels and sidekicks and whatnot. If we ended voting for Batman due to so many incarnations and ended up with one for the tournament, then we must consider the characters on display as a whole in their respective stories, unless told otherwise
Ivan Gomez
I feel that at some point we are going to end up disscussing Goku vs Superman…
RBBrittain
Like Han Solo in the previous round, it seems franchise fanboys are carrying The Terminator and Indy thru this round–even though their opponents are truly more worthy.
Argue all you want about which Terminator it is, but the description all but guarantees it’s the original Terminator that Sarah Connor beat; if she could beat him, so can Wuornos. And Indy’s got too many ailments to avoid a shotgun blast from Jules.
Shannon Nutt
Ivan, you’re right, but sadly this tournament has turned into what all such tornaments do: a popularity contest. It might be cool for some of the staff at HDD to get together and vote on their own “winners” for a comparison with the “fanboy” winners.
Aaron Peck
AuthorNo worries people. The whole tournament is all in good fun.
Thulsadoom
Ahh, the old “Populists/Fanboys are taking over!” argument! 😉 Isn’t that kind of what this whole fun tournament is? Kinda of like dumping a few Trekies in a room with a bunch of Star Wars fans, shouting: “Fight!” and seeing who comes out first lol! (Star Wars fans would kick posterior, of course) 😉
Terminator and Indy for me please!! 😀
If good, the Terminator always succeeds against villains. If bad, the Terminator always at least succeeds against those who are themselves villainous or on the fringe. Aileen may be a woman, like Sarah Connor, but she’s a villain. Terminator wins!! 😀
As for Indy vs Jules? I’d sooner vote for a Psychlo than any character from Pulp Fiction! 😀 Any film character could take him down, let alone one of the greatest heroes of cinematic history. 😉 Heck, Indy would probably leave him for Short Round or Marcus and it STILL wouldn’t be a fair fight! 😀
Ivan Gomez
I have nothing against fans, i am a big fan of Terminator (1 and 2 only) and StarWars (original trilogy) and even Indiana (the one with Connery is my personal favorite).
I was just explaining my votes as the tournament said in its rules at the start, its all just fine and dandy 🙂
I just dont like watered down for your money only secuels precuels.
EM
Regarding fandom, I’ll quote myself from the very first March Movie Madness poll:
Regarding Aileen Wuornos, I haven’t seen her movie and I’m not terribly familiar with the real-life inspiration, but my understanding is that she murders men who are or think they are having a session with a seemingly harmless prostitute (Wuornos) and therefore have probably let their guard down. I doubt Wuornos would have this advantage against the Terminator, at least not without further reprogramming, which I assume she is not qualified to do (or likely to get into a position to effect before he succeeded in terminating her).
Ryan Megan
Again I point out, Sarah Connor wold have been dead with in the first 5 seconds she saw the terminator if it wasn’t for Kyle Reese.
No one ever survived a Terminator encounter solo.