9. Ensure That Each Main Character Has A Clear Motivation
Here's a fundamental rule that always seems to get lost in the wake of all kinds of screenplays - produced and unproduced. But just like in real life, human beings are interesting because of their ambitions and motivations. What does that person hope to
achieve? Same goes for the movies. And here's where - once again -
The Dark Knight Rises remains vaguely thin. Though there are a few characters embedded in the movie's world that are working illogical agendas, the main culprits here are Bane and Talia al Ghul. What, really, is Bane's motivation? There are a number of options scattered throughout the movie, sure, though the execution is messy and unclear. Whether it's because he's in love with Talia or not, his extensive plan is made weak by the fact that he's - up until the end - working an unclear plan. The movie waits 'til the last moments to let us know that Bane is in cahoots with Talia, so for over two hours we're left in a state of confusion. If crime is down in Gotham and has been lowered thanks to the Dent act, why would the League of Shadows even need to destroy Gotham? It's a revenge mission, you say? Okay, but why would Talia be hellbent on carrying out her father's intentions wrongly, as opposed to just murdering Batman? Plot gripes aside, the target here is absolutely the screenwriting itself. Bane is a badly written character because he doesn't stand for anything. Eventually, it's revealed that he's just a puppet of sorts, and the impact of his speeches and rallies are reduced as a result on further viewings. Even if there is an answer of sorts buried within the screenplay, what use is it, really? In
The Dark Knight, we knew from the very beginning that the Joker's intention was to "watch the world burn." That's it. Done. Okay, we know he's insane and that he just likes causing mayhem. Not exactly the most original reason, but hey, we know where we stand. All these turns for the sake of a meaningless "twist" isn't worth the strain it puts on the script. When writing your own screenplay, it's seriously important to ensure that each one of your main characters has a clear motivation from the start. How else are we supposed to know what's at stake, and whether or not we agree with the cause?