VI. Script Outline

Script Outline for The Escape

1. Set-Up:  Montage: Without getting too in-depth, this shows mediocre reporter Joe in the late stages of his research into the devilish machinations of the fiendish Dr. Nope. We see his work about to produce fruit--then he disappears. Meanwhile, Don is fired from the CIA; he wanders a few days, then happens upon Joe's now deserted ramshackle house. Intrigued, he researches a bit and learns Joe was after Dr. Nope--which fits nicely with his plans to regain favor with his bosses by researching exactly that criminal mastermind. Back to Joe: he now sits in Dr. Nope's ultra-secret, ultra-high-security prison; currently he's just being isolated, but there is a distinct hint of torture in the future. Don comes closer and closer to tracking down the secret prison.
2. Inciting Incident:  As the opening credits end, Don finds himself outside the prison--and Joe is just being taken in for torture. Don must act fast, and he does; somehow he manages to break Joe out just before the gruesome torture begins. But now that they're out, they have another problem: how to stay out. Dr. Nope isn't just going to let them escape like that--he'll send all his minions to bring them back. It is as some of his minions report the escape that we first meet Dr. Nope in person. He is angry.
3. Rising Action:  The majority of the movie is in here. Ironically, this is also the part with the least substance: merely a classic conglomeration of chase scenes, fight scenes, explosions, and other intense action. Any tentative attempt at substantive plot (or the development of any secondary characters) is quickly squashed by yet another attack by Nope minions which forces Don and Joe to go back on the defense or the run.
4. Climax:  This comes as late as possible in the script, to keep suspense artificially high. Our two intrepid heroes, after all their running, have managed to run themselves right into Dr. Nope's main lair (and they didn't sneak in either: they're completely surrounded by all the firepower Dr. Nope has left--despite all the overblown use of resources in the chase sequences, the remainder is still considerable). All seems lost, but of course we know it can't end like that. And indeed, surprise, surprise, they manage to survive once again! How do they do it?!
5. Falling Action:  As short as possible: Dr. Nope gives an extended soliloquy whose gist is that they don't understand his true genius, they can't stop him, and even though they survived this time, they'll never escape. By this time, after all that has happened, this sounds pretty weak. And indeed, as soon as Dr. Nope finishes, Joe and Don immediately escape...
6. Resolution:  Only to meet a final plot twist in the resolution. Because I don't want to spoil the ending, this will have to remain classified information. Suffice it for now to say that, as this is an epic action movie, it's absolutely final for one side of the conflict.