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G.I.
Joe makes its way onto the big screen welcomed enthusiastically by those
who have seen it. In this debut picture, Rise of the Cobra,
a stellar choice was made by signing
Alan Silvestri to do
the score. Certainly, Alan is no stranger to the summer blockbuster nor is
he void of the tools needed to deliver the goods for such a movie. In fact,
his strong suit is in the area of thematic writing, ensuring that you're
left with something memorable after you've seen (and heard) the film. This
soundtrack release runs a bit too long for my taste, but nevertheless,
brings over 70 minutes of music for your listening pleasure.
I was one of
the many, I'm sure, who was eager to check out what Alan Silvestri had in
mind for the score to G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra.
After all, here is a composer who steadily - and impressively - hits the
target each time out of the box. I feel that his thematic writing is as
strong as anybody's in the business and his knack for it appears to be
growing stronger. So, I was indeed locked and loaded for this tour of duty,
but did it turn out as I had hoped? Well, partially...
Rise of the Cobra
is a soundtrack that has to be heard to completion to fully enjoy it. The
entire structure of the score seems to be aimed at a payoff that awaits the
listener in the final 6 tracks with cues that deliver all that I wanted and
more from this score. The problem is, there is a bit of down time one has to
get through to reach this bit of Silvestri glory.
A few
hindrances include a dated sound design that Silvestri delivers through the
electronic influences of the score. The aim was to cast a modern,
technologically advanced vibe upon the characters of the movie, but to me,
these synth additions came across a bit tacky. I also felt that Silvestri
had a tough time getting the momentum of the score cranked up in full. The
pacing felt a bit disjointed with the stop and go attitude that some of the
earlier tracks gave off. These are, however, a means to an end.
The payoff
of this score delivers a full reward! Silvestri's orchestral music in the
last act is vintage, powerhouse stuff. Wiping away any remnants of the
meager electronic underscore, the final group of tracks on this album
enables Rise of the Cobra to turn the
corner as a solid recommendation choice. Specifically, I got a genuine
charge out of hearing the "End Credits" with its rousing statement of themes
that are delivered in a fluid, energizing manner. The score definitely hits
its apex by the time this final track concludes and felt as though the music
was fully unleashed by this point. Of course, one could ask where this type
of memorable music was all along but I venture to say that Silvestri had to
build this one slowly from the ground up. Come G.I. Joe 2,
you'll get a more steady dose of what was heard on the tail end of this
album. As it is, I happily accepted the ride, as up and down as it was, and
am happy to pass this along as a soundtrack pick that I think you'll dig.
Be sure to
stick around for the full G.I. Joe
soundtrack experience as Alan Silvestri saves his best material for last.
This isn't an album that will win you early on, but by the time the mission
is completed, you'll be feeling a bit of a charge from the orchestral might
of Silvestri's work. |
