More Geeky Stuff: Batman 3 and the difficulty of scriptwriting

My last post, I was a bit harsh on the newest X-film, Wolverine. I still stand by my conviction, as it was a poorly developed movie, but I wanted to cushion those comments in a writer's context. I think it is difficult to develop a script for a comic movie. I'll put myself in a writer's shoes, but I'll try it for Batman 3.

The first step is to flesh out ideas, themes, the antagonist(s) and obstacles for the protagonist to overcome. Bruce's motivation for becoming Batman is to cleanse Gotham from corruption. The second film established The Batman's moral code or rule set for accomplishing that mission (he can't kill). In that film, the antagonist's goal was to corrupt. So, the third film shouldn't stray too far from that, and should also (perhaps) see some resolution to Gotham's rampant corruption.

What I would like to see, is the development of Batman as a detective (as opposed to the uber-CSI from the second flick), and some vindication to Bruce's decision to run around dressed as a Bat. The Riddler would be the best candidate as villain, as in this portrayal, he could be dark, narcissistic and extremely obsessed with proving his ability and intelligence over Batman. But, he is also easily manipulated. He has started off as a corrupt detective on the take, having been sharing a jail cell for the last year with a clown of a character (as homage to Heath, we will never see the Joker character again, but can still have his presence felt in the third film). This twists Edward Nigma into something more. Upon his early-release, he is recruited by a mastermind who covers his face in bandages.

Comic enthusiasts would know this character as Hush, but he would take on a different role in the movie. To tie into the first film, Hush would act like Hush from the comics for most of the movie until the reveal near the end. Once the bandages come off, he is revealed as Ra's al Ghul (plus we know Liam Neeson would look the part of Hush).

This character is necessary as a way to measure Batman and to ask of the audience essential questions. If Batman cannot kill, is it okay to allow a villain to die? Has Gotham been put on the road to salvation or is it still seething with crime and corruption? Is Batman better for Gotham, or does he bring out the clowns, costumed villains and true dark-side of human nature, just by his presence?

Throughout the film, the audience would see the transformation of the Riddler character from corrupt to anti-hero to eventual 'good guy' under the influence of those the Riddler associates himself with (the role traditionally taken on by the Catwoman character, still cliche, but with a different costume, and also as a counterpoint from Harvey Dent's transformation in the second film).

At the end of the film, Ra's al Ghul, has a chance to kill Batman, who he sees is preventing his League of assassins from carrying out their plan to destroy Gotham (he is not motivated by revenge). Ra's has to make a choice: kill Batman or not. He has seen the influence Batman has made on Gotham, through the redemption of the Riddler and he fails to kill Bruce. However, the audience is left wondering Ra's true motivation for not killing Batman (perhaps he feels that Batman himself will destroy Gotham).

For complexities sake, we could add in another minor villain, such as Talia (Ra's daughter, she knows Bruce/Batman let her father die, but does not know that he survived), who would be relevant to the film and act as a foil for all the other characters; develop Commisioner Gordon's role as an ally to Batman against his professional role (he hires the Riddler (as detective Nigma) to hunt down the Batman as a show, not taking Nigma as a serious threat to Batman) and lastly, add in the obstacles that add drama, tension and action into the movie.

My notes and ideas would then be converted into a treatment, and then a script would have to be devised. Every line, every dialogue, every scene would have to be just right and approved by the powers that be. It is one thing to come up with an idea (which as to be a pretty good one (and mine isn't) and a whole other beast to hammer that idea into a workable script. The Dark Knight was universally praised by most, critics and viewers alike. The script worked and everything flowed flawlessly from it. The script from X-Men: Wolverine was flawed. Everything else failed from that point on.