1 |
Main
Title (5:28) |
2 |
Training
Montage (3:41) |
3 |
Cassidy
Funeral (6:61) |
4 |
We're
Out Of Gas (:24) |
5 |
The
Last Battle (3:09) |
6 |
Dogfight
(5:36) |
7 |
Rawlings
And Luciane Fly (2:32) |
8 |
Rawlings
And Luciane (3:32) |
9 |
The
Planes Arrive (1:53) |
10 |
ID
The Planes (:49) |
11 |
The
Cuffs Are Off (:46) |
12 |
Have
To Get Luciane (1:17) |
13 |
Heroes
(4:31) |
14 |
Battle
Hymn (1:47) |
15 |
Black
Falcon (4:12) |
16 |
Briefing
Room (2:12) |
REVIEW
The
last time we reviewed a war movie score for Clint Eastwood’s
Flags of Our Fathers, we expected lots of action cues and
were left dissatisfied. Here we have another soundtrack album
chronicling the lives of World War I fighter pilots, and we
must say it surely lives up to our expectations of a typical
war action music score.
The
problem is - it still did not have much impact on us.
Composer
Trevor Rabin (Snakes on a Plane, Gridiron Gang) is known for
his creative variation of themes and action cues in his works.
This is evident in this 48-minute album. But perhaps, there
are too many themes to leave a lasting impression on the casual
listener.
The
soundtrack opens with a patriotic “Main Title”
with soaring strings and uplifting melodies. Then it moves
on to a percussion-led piccolo theme in “Training Montage”
which is probably the most memorable track on the disc. The
rest of the album plays itself out with more dramatic orchestral
compositions that are pleasant and engaging at first listen,
but does not create any lasting memory after that.
The
album is not without its merits though. The substantial amount
of score material indicates effort put in by the album producers
to come up with a sincere soundtrack. And to score fans, this
probably makes a good exposure to Rabin’s talent for
composing. For those who have watched the movie, this is also
a fine score to enhance the visuals with.
Also,
we love the creativity in “Cassidy Funeral”, where
a tinkling piano surprised us with its imminent tune. Accompanied
by an oboe solo, the cue does create an affecting emotion.
The
reviews for this Tony Bill-directed movie aren’t that
rave, and probably this would be the same sad fate that will
befall on this sincere album as well. We guess this is probably
a matter of expecting too much in a world of media where things
are progressing too fast for its own good.
At
least, this soundtrack still lived up to our standards of
a decent war film score.
SOUNDTRACK
RATING:
Review
by John Li
|