10 Scores that are better than the Movie

This is an idea that's been brewing for some time now.  I listen to soundtracks more than anything else, and I'd noticed how quite a few of the ones I really like are from films that aren't considered that great.  I couldn't initially think of 10 movies, I think I only got as far as 8; but thanks to the wonders of social media I was helped by others.  So, many thanks to +Steve Nixon +Jaina Mistry +Daniel Silva +Josh Murphy +Valerie J +Benjamin L. Harris and +Alain Kemp for their help, ideas and discussion.

So here is my final list.  Maybe you agree with me, maybe you think I've missed some howlers, or (more likely) you think I'm being unduly harsh on Up!  But, well, you know, that’s just, like, er, my opinion, man.

For those on Spotify, the playlist of all these scores is here.

So, in no particular order:

TRON: Legacy (2010)
The Film:
Practically a re-run of the original 1982 movie, Legacy is surprisingly stale given the potential for excellent effects and Jeff Bridges; but Bridges is kinda cancelled out by Garrett Hedlund who is clearly trying to be as dynamic as Sam Worthington.  Great fun perhaps, but an unnecessary remake/reboot.

The Score:
Daft Punk's thumping soundtrack is definitely the best part of the film: brilliantly complimentary to the digital world of The Grid and loud!  My go to album of choice if I need to wake up.





The Wolfman (2010)
The Film:
Style over substance is the order of the day in Joe Johnston's version of a classic story where the effects are great but the characters are generally bored.

The Score:
Though I'm not generally a fan of Danny Elfman, his score here is very atmospheric and combines with the great Gothic design of the the film to give a lasting impression; shame the rest of the film doesn't.




Pearl Harbour (2001)
The Film:
A typical Michael Bay overblown stodgy mess of a film full of characters no-one cares about.  The film features a couple of dramatic set pieces strung together with lots of boring nothingness.

The Score:
Hans Zimmer has composed some of my favourite scores, Gladiator got me into orchestral soundtracks.  Even for a turkey the size of Pearl Harbour, Hans manages to rise above it and create a sense of longing and loss that Michael Bay could only dream of.




Transformers (2007)
The Film:
Another Michael Bay film on the list, but actually this is rather a guilty pleasure of mine.  For all the appalling failings of the next two films, Transformers actually has (I think) moments of style, and a main character that we can get on with.  I freely admit that this isn't a great film, I just think it's hugely enjoyable.

The Score:
For all I enjoy this film, I like the score even more and I listen to it a lot.  Without a weak track Steve Jablonsky's score is rousing, full of excellent themes and generally fantastic.




Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
The Film
An over-bloated over-storied and overly-complicated entry into the POTC series, but at least Geoffrey Rush was back in it.  There are a few nice moments in it, and it's kinda fun if you ignore all the ridiculous crosses and double crosses, but overall the film is just a big mess.

The Score
The second Hans Zimmer score on this list, and he again proves that sub-par movies are no obstacle to a composer of his talent.  There are many tunes on this soundtrack that are great, but Up is Down is brilliant and is also rather a fun part of the film.




UP (2009)
The Film
Now I know that lots of people really like this film, but it just did my head in.  Other than the first 20 heartbreaking minutes, I just found the whole thing daft and unnecessary.  So essentially from the point when Russell turns up, the film just becomes completely un-entertaining and downright annoying.

The Score
Michael Giacchino's score however is elegant, moving and perfectly uplifting.  Indeed the piece that I've picked as representative, encapsulates the best part of the film.





Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
The Film
What can I say that hasn't already been said about The Phantom Menace?  Jake Lloyd, Jar Jar Binks and Ewan McGregor's plummy accent.  Rather than Death Stars, asteroid chases and AT-ATs we are treated to politics, trade negotiations and Darth Vader shouting Yippee!  It's a good Sci-fi film (with an amazing light sabre fight), it's just not a good Star Wars film.

The Score
John Williams rarely disappoints, and the score to The Phantom Menace is no different.  Perhaps not as amazing as his Empire Strikes Back score, but ranging from the military themes of the Droid army and some great fanfares to the dramatic Duel of Fates this score is nonetheless very good.




Clash of the Titans (2010)
The Film
Rushed out with post-production 3D in the wake of Avatar's successes, this is a real train wreck of a film.  Confusing, headache - inducing 3D (at one point I took my comedy glasses off to massage my sore head and realised that the glasses were making no difference to the image) and featuring personality vacuum himself; Sam Worthington.  A truly bad film.

The Score
From the man who gave us the brilliant score for Game of Thrones, Ramin Djawadi has composed another top notch soundtrack to this abomination.  There are plenty of dramatic themes as well as a few surprisingly thumping tunes too.  Listening to it, I almost want to see the film again, but not quite.



X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
The Film
Starts out promisingly, but by the time Logan escapes following his adamantium treatment, the film degenerates into inconsistent contrivance and farce.

The Score
Harry Gregson-Williams score is a fairly dramatic affair (unlike the movie) with some great themes and a real cinematic feel to it.



Man of Steel (2013)
The Film
Possibly the biggest disappointment of 2013, I was looking forward to seeing Snyder's interpretation, but instead of a Superman we got a morally questionable weapon of mass destruction.  A completely preventable Jonathan Kent death and a pointless Lois Lane completed a completely mediocre unnecessary film.

The Score
The third and final Hans Zimmer entry on this list, and another cracker.  Clearly the usual Superman themes were given a wide berth, and the score is all the better for it.  Where John Willams originally went for a score as iconic as the character himself, Zimmer went for real power and the result is quite tremendous.

Cowboys and Aliens (2011)

When I first heard about Cowboys and Aliens I just assumed that it was the latest Pixar animation. Finding out that John Favreau was directing it piqued my interest; and upon discovering that Bond and Indy were it I became quite excited. Surely this couldn’t fail? Well, the critics have mostly lampooned this film; but I for one, found it very entertaining.

Daniel Craig’s character, Jake Lonergan, wakes up with a fancy new wristwatch, obviously not of this world. Very reminiscent of Bourne, he can’t remember anything. He slowly finds out that he is a wanted criminal; but before he can be taken away in the sheriff’s wagon, aliens attack! Several members of the community are abducted, including Percy Dolarhyde, son of the influential cattle herder Woodrow Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford). Many of the remaining men from the community of Absolution set off into the wild to track down the aliens and get their folks back. Lonergan goes too, as does the mysterious Ella Swenson...

I really enjoyed the first 20 minutes; the intrigue, Daniel Craig being gruff, the atmosphere of Absolution, the usual kind of Western stuff, I really love that. Once the aliens attack it is obviously less of a western, but the intrigue is still there (What are aliens wanting with these people? What has happened to Lonergan? Who is Ella?), Daniel Craig is still gruff, Harrison Ford is still cool, and Olivia Wilde is still good to look at. The aliens are cool and very well done, not really scary (this is only a 12a), but very well realised, especially since a lot of the action is in daylight.

Lonergan’s character is essentially atoning for his previous mistakes; though because he can’t remember any of it, he is getting a second chance to do the right thing. Daniel Craig is good in this role; thought Matt Damon did it a lot better as Bourne. Harrison is good as Dolarhyde, essentially a slightly villainous Han or Indy, who has some paternal and racist issues to get over. Lonergan and Dolarhyde also have history together which adds to some of the tension in the film. Also featuring in the cast are Sam Rockwell and Paul Dano, both of which are very underused and are capable of so much more. I’m not really sure why they were cast, their characters could have been played by anyone really.

Apart from the history of the main three characters the plot was fairly straightforward but didn’t clip along at the pace that you might expect; I did feel that there were sections where not very much happened. Then after a period of exposition it was time for the aliens to turn up again for some action; it all felt a bit formulaic. I thought that the cinematography could have been better. There were no expansive vistas to give that epic feel; though it was shot in New Mexico, so they could have done so much more.

The film isn’t without its silly moments either, particularly the clichés that have been used so many times before in so many middle of the road action films. Sam Rockwell can’t shoot for toffee, so he practises and practises; mmm do you think he’ll be a dead-shot at a really important part in the climax? “Hey son, take good care of that knife!”; do you think he might really need that knife later on? Despite Dolarhyde getting on with the Indians by the end of the film, it is still the one Indian in the party that sets out from Absolution who is the tracker! Another criticism would be that I never felt that any of the characters were in danger, I never felt that any of the main group wouldn’t make it.

On a more positive note: the music was very cool from Harry Gregson-Williams (the man who brought music to Kingdom of Heaven, Team America and The Tigger Movie - make your own mind up!), it’s very Westerny kind of music but modernised, and it works really well. Overall, I thought it was very enjoyable: a strong main cast, atmospheric, great effects, perhaps not the epic that the title may conjure up, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.