The CD booklet suggests that the composers were required to produce a score
suggestive of the World War II–based film scores, the sort of music
that Eric Coates wrote for The dam Busters and Ron Goodwin composed for 633
Squadron. They certainly obliged with music that has heroic sweep and movement
for this sci-fi adventure which to judge by the booklet illustrations, swops
battling aeroplanes for duelling spaceships. The theme from David Arnold
(Stargate and Independence Day) is powerful and stirring enough
with heroically insistent snare drums but its melody that is not strong enough
to linger in the memory and certainly not in the same league as the Coates
and Goodwin works already quoted.
I wonder why Arnold did not complete the score? There is some interest in
the more quietly reflective cues like "Pod Scene" and the hymn-like choral
and string writing for "Pilgrims". The score, for the most part, however,
is a sort of collection of familiar snippets of themes, effects and colour
so often associated with the heroic, romantic, and noble etc elements of
this sort of action screenplay – there is even some hard rock material
used in the worst cue, "Hot Dogs". A large orchestra with a little electronic
stiffening is used. It is all assembled professionally with good orchestrations
and rich harmonisation in stunning sound. Sci-fi fans will be thrilled with
it but they will need indulgent neighbours to tolerate the none-stop battle
batterings of the last few tracks.
Reviewer
Ian Lace
OST
