X Men Origins Wolverine - Video
PUBLISHED:  Jun 22, 2009
DESCRIPTION:
The music for the X-Men franchise has been anything but consistent. For each new X-Men movie a new composer has come along, and created a fresh new score which does at times echo the music for the previous score, but only in a faint passing. Generally the new composer disregards most of what the previous composer has done and creates something mostly new, and adding to the lack of continuity in the music. Michael Kamen, was brought on board to score the first X-Men film, and the only reason for this being, John Ottman was busy with his directorial debut with Urban Legend : Final Cut. He's normally Bryan Singer's composer of choice, but Singer went with Kamen instead. John Ottman, would finally come on board to score the second film, and he created a more distinctive theme for the franchise which did stray off from what Kamen had done (a wonderful opening suite was created although it does sound as if Ottman is pining to be John Williams). John Powell, followed next for the third film in the franchise, and he once again like his predecessor abandoned most of what had been done before and created a score with his own themes, albeit his score does echo what had been previously done, but only as I stated before only in a faint passing. Now, Harry Gregson-Williams (a fellow Media Ventures composer like Powell) comes on board to score the spin off movie X-Men Origins : Wolverine.

Despite the lack of continuity with each score the music for the X-Men franchise has been able to avoid mediocrity and has been able to maintain a solid level of quality (however I'm not to fond of Ottman's score ; it works well in the movie, but not much to praise about on album). If there has been a composer who has recently taken the mantel away from Klaus Badelt for the most inconsistent composer from the Media Ventures/Remote Control group it would have to be Harry Gregson-Williams, there are times where he can create a masterful piece of work (Kingdom of Heaven), and then create something so lackluster (Number 23) it can be extremely frustrating. However consistent Powell is, Gregson-Williams is the total opposite, and to a certain degree is what we have here, in his score for Wolverine. There's not to much here to really rave about, but there is enough here to enjoy, and it does once again display some classic Media Venture traits. The main theme heard in "Logan Through Time" is very tragic, and appropiately fits Wolverine's character in my opinion, but it also has electronics, and brooding choir to accompany the horn theme, at this point it is rather tiresome to hear over, and over again in nearly every score from a Media Ventures composer, but it is effective despite its cliched sound. The score is very industrial at times and evokes scratches, and sounds of a motorcycles (or airplanes) engines reeving up, and it adds to a unique sound even though it does seem as if Williams is trying to hard to make Logan's theme sound masculine.

The album is littered with the composers traits from other scores, at times I could have sworn I was hearing DeJa Vu because of the electronics used, and the sudden stops in the orchestra, and not to mention the annoying backward edits of notes used. I also don't understand why nearly every single Media Venture/Remote Control score (although Gregson-Williams is not part of that company anymore I believe) must include the chopping sounds when an action scene is going on, it has been employed since Crimson Tide and I wish it would stop by now. A large highlight of the score is the love theme developed in the track "Kayla". It's a piano melody and it adds a lovely touch of warmth and gentleness to the score that is a wonderful welcome, and shows the true talent of Williams. "Kayla", is one of the few moments where there is actual beauty in the score, and it re-emerges in the tracks (towards the end of both tracks) "Two Towers Collapse" and "Memories Lost". Hearing the theme at the end of "Memories Lost" is a wonderful addition, and implies the note of a fading rendition.

The score is not without its problems, but there is plenty of solid material in the score to consider it a solid piece of work. There are moments of harshness, and true beauty in my opinion, but most of the action music does sound generic, and something that Williams can write in his sleep. If they make another X-Men movie, I have my reservations about Williams returning, but I wouldn't balked at the possibility of him scoring another X-Men movie. Much like the film itself the score met with plenty of people who were sorely disappointed, but I maintain that this score isn't a loss, there is some solid material here to be found.
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