I guess I'm just a sucker for those Riders of Rohan moments. :)

To be fair, we never see anything resembling "300,000 blokes" either. Budgetary concerns aside, I think it was the intention of the filmmakers to give just a few snapshots of a vast, multi-day operation (I doubt they all arrived at the same time). And anyway I prefer what I saw to an obviously-fake shot of a vast…

The way those civilians just stand still on the decks like some totems of dour, understated courage is devastating. I don't think I've ever seen a movie scene that feels so damn mythical.

Warning/spoiler: Nolan uses those little boats as a real tear-jerker to glorious effect.