The issue isn't so much that the villains don't have motives beyond revenge. They do. Its that the weight of these motivations takes a backseat to the import of the revenge aspects. The issues lie in the execution of all this, that these motives are thin, vaguely explained, and never really adequately developed or explored.
Ra's Al Ghul at least sort of half explained his thoughts on the future in BATMAN BEGINS, on what destroying Gotham would accomplish. Bane just says he's ushering in a "new era of Western civilization". And thats supposed to suffice?
"A new era of Western civilization" is a nice villain concept to think about for about three seconds, but as a part of this film, it means next to nothing if you're not going to explore it, especially when theyre destroying what may well be the remainder of the League of Shadows, as well as Bane and Talia in the explosion. Im not sure how they intend to accomplish this new era in Western Civilization after Gotham is destroyed. I'm not sure Bane even understands what will have to happen for that to take place. Apparently the world will just fall apart if Gotham is destroyed.
Bosef said this, and is spot on:
1 - Talia and Bane want to destroy Gotham. Think - what would happen if NY was wiped off the face of the map. Just clear wiped off the map in a terrifying 5-month siege and nuclear fallout. The world economy would tumble. It would crash. The ripple effect of losing the financial hub of the world, nevermind the psychological fallout, would be terrifying. Talia and Bane hope to destroy Gotham and wipe clean the slate, honoring her father's legacy. Like most children, you tend to only appreciate your parents fully after their gone. Same with Talia... Now wiping Gotham clean off the map in an instant doesn't let the world watch it tear itself apart, which adds to the psychological effect, it stocks fear of your neighbors across the country. He misleads the people of Gotham so they are primed to tear themselves apart. Then, they'll destroy Gotham, completing both the physical and psychological terror necessary to plunge the world into a new era.
And thered be even more of an impact on the world than that. And if that had been satisfactorily explored
and that impact felt
it would have been a decent motivation. Instead, however, we get Were going to usher in a new era of Western civilization. And no, assuming the audience will just get how this would take place is not enough. The only motive given weight is Talias desire for revenge. And these motivations are also fairly derivative, because theyre basically what Ras wanted to do to Gotham in BATMAN BEGINS. They're just not that interestingly handled. Someone elses motivation with a vague impact is just not a strong enough motivation/plot for an individual new character, let alone two new characters.
In much the same manner, when, as a writer, you hinge your film on the idea of economic disparity, but all you show or tell me about Gothams economic issues is that orphans and criminals have been going into the sewers for work because there are no jobs on the surface, a single line of this, that tells me nothing realistic about the state of Gotham City for the average person. So when you tell me theres economic inequality, or that the rich should be viewed as evil, other than my personal bias (which I do not possess against the rich) theres nothing for this to stand on based on what the film shows, and the element just feels forced.
There are so many GREAT ideas in this film, that can foster additional thought about various concepts, but so few of them are paid anything but lip service.
