script flaws

Rating: 8/10 (7 March 2008)

OK, this movie was indeed really good. However, I think there are some moderate flaws in the script. The motivation for the decay of Daniel Plainview is simply stated by him: "I have this competition in me. I don't want anyone else to succeed". This might be true and I do not have anything against it. But, from Daniel's actions one does not understand this key idea. It is simply set aside throughout the whole film. In my opinion, this compromises the link between the reasons/causes behind the actions and the actions themselves, therefore, leading to a flaw in the cause-effect relationship that should exist between these.