Pale Horse said:Udvarnoky or the well remembered Dr. Gonzo may remember better a conversation from a 1/2 a decade ago about what happens when screenwriters start to take over from previous authors, how character, motivation and intent fall apart. It was either in the Nathanson; Boam; Koepp; or Darabont screenplay discussions. Too many cooks, spoil the brew. And these were accomplished craftsmen.
There is a pretty big gulf between six screenwriters over nineteen years and two screenwriters over two years. In addition, Darabont managed to come up with a script that was fairly cohesive and not at all of the "patchwork quilt" quality that characterizes Koepp's contribution, so there is at least some evidence that the skill of the screenwriter is a factor here.