Broken Arrow
Hans Zimmer
" Old School Zimmer in action mode "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the limited release
Broken Arrow was the second movie of director John Woo on American soil, and even though it is not considered to be his best, Broken Arrow still houses treats Woo fans will appreciate. Of course you've got a good old evil villain (played deliciously by John Travolta), a couple of nice old fashioned stunts and a much appreciated score by Hans Zimmer. It was even so appreciated that a 2 CD bootleg surfaced for a while on the black market. I guess this explains why La-La Land took it upon themselves to release a 2 CD edition that kinda duplicates the bootleg experience. Because the one CD release is still easily and relatively cheap to find on most known soundtrack outlets.
And this bothers me a bit. To have more score is always nice, but it has to be worthwhile. And I don't think Broken Arrow has much more that warrants an expanded release. It's way too long now, it doesn't deliver anything we haven't heard before and it brings forward tracks that are split up. Meaning if you really favor your Broken Arrow release of Milan, stick with it. Because neither the expanded material nor the listening experience makes it any better.
The score itself is old school Zimmer. From the familiar sound effects that create an environment aside from the SFX in the movie to the unbelievable catchy instruments that give the action sound an injection of flair, Broken Arrow delivers you Hans Zimmer as he was doing it in the 90's. And it's fun to revisit such an old style from time to time.
This 2 CD release opens the experience with "Rope-A-Dope", introducing the audience immediately to the Brothers theme and the main theme for John Travolta's character, namely Deakins theme. And it is the Deakins theme that will stick in the consciousness the longest. Not only does it use a great sounding bass guitar to heighten an already cool sounding tune, it also reveals that Hal (his partner and the actual hero of the movie) doesn't get a theme to begin with. This because Hal always remains in the background as long as Deakins is around. Hall does get a heroic theme once he partners up with Park Ranger Terry Carmichael, this heard for the first time in "Desert Dawn".
In between that time, we've already received the Randy Edelman influences heard throughout the material (most notably in the unused "The Pentagon"), all the while "Going to War" gives you a zany combination of sounds. First off there's the choir underlining every context (when for instance Deakins shows you he wants the nuke after all), followed by an unusual but welcome sounding harmonica effect. The second part unleashes all hell with a Drop Zone act high in the sky.
As said, besides the Brothers theme, Deakins theme and the heroic theme for Hall and Terry (heard very effectively after a zany banjo rhythm in the new "Something's Coming") we have what still remains my favorite theme of all. Namely the action theme that's unleashed under a pile of SFX in the movie. At least when it's released for the first time underground. This moment remains to appear in the best track of the entire score, namely "Mine Shaft Pt 2". This baby is a whopper 16 minutes long, and delivers you an amazing build up, a large usage of the themes and that first introduction of the new action theme. The heroic theme at the end ignites the suspenseful music as the clock is ticking towards a deadly explosion.
That sadly ends CD 1 rather awkwardly, and it does open CD 2 with a vengeance as well, immediately unleashing a deadly pace in "Big Bang". CD 2 isn't that exciting (at least not in the new material), but it does deliver you a fun moment in "Eat a Bullet" when we receive Deakins theme in a feisty electric guitar version. But it's above all memorable due to the 17 minute long climax entitled "Hammerhead". Here Zimmer returns with all the tricks and sounds we discovered during the first hour. The synth soprano underscoring Deakins theme as he uses Terry to push in the arming code, the driving tempo of the action / suspense music, the use of the Brothers and Deakins theme, and of course the returning versions of the action theme that give Deakins his own Rope a Dope. "Nuke Disarmed (End Credits)" finishes the original release with a return of Deakins and the Brothers theme.
This all together sounds damn exciting, but Broken Arrow is just too damn long now. Even more, what it delivers of new unreleased material is just more of the stuff we heard before, with a couple of Randy Edelman influences as extra bonus. The remastered sound is nice I guess but there was nothing wrong with the sound of the original release to begin with. So the only reason to buy this release would be for the expanded material, and then it is a question if you really wanted to hear more to begin with. So those who ever took the time to get that 2 CD bootleg will find much to enjoy in this expanded treatment. I on the other hand has just discovered that Broken Arrow is much better and a whole lot more enjoyable on 1 CD instead of 2.
Broken Arrow (1996 release) ****
Broken Arrow 2 CD (2011 release) ***1/2
Tracklisting
CD 1: 55.18
1. Rope-A-Dope (5.04)
2. The Bomber (2.31)
3. Going to War / Fire in a Brooklyn Theater* (6.30) Excellent track
4. The Pentagon (Unused)* (1.16)
5. The Search / Broken Arrow (2.42)
6. Desert Dawn (3.40)
7. Day Search (1.28)
8. Right Down There (3.26)
9. Something's Coming (3.50)
10. 10,000 Years* (2.15)
11. Humvee Chase (4.54)
12. Mine Shaft 1 (1.53)
13. Mine Shaft 2* (15.49) Excellent track
CD 2: 60.38
1. Big Bang (2.15)
2. Butterflies (1.57)
3. The Boat / Stowaway* (3.27)
4. Breaking Orders* (2.18)
5. Eat a Bullet (2.15)
6. Hammerhead* (17.04) Excellent track
7. Nuke Disarmed (End Credits) (7.40)
Bonus Tracks
8. Brothers (Original Album Version) (7.07)
9. Mine (Original Album Version)* (5.43)
10. Nuke (Original Album Version) (10.52)
* Contains music "Fire in a Brooklyn Theater" composed by Randy Edelman from the film Come See The Paradise
And this bothers me a bit. To have more score is always nice, but it has to be worthwhile. And I don't think Broken Arrow has much more that warrants an expanded release. It's way too long now, it doesn't deliver anything we haven't heard before and it brings forward tracks that are split up. Meaning if you really favor your Broken Arrow release of Milan, stick with it. Because neither the expanded material nor the listening experience makes it any better.
The score itself is old school Zimmer. From the familiar sound effects that create an environment aside from the SFX in the movie to the unbelievable catchy instruments that give the action sound an injection of flair, Broken Arrow delivers you Hans Zimmer as he was doing it in the 90's. And it's fun to revisit such an old style from time to time.
This 2 CD release opens the experience with "Rope-A-Dope", introducing the audience immediately to the Brothers theme and the main theme for John Travolta's character, namely Deakins theme. And it is the Deakins theme that will stick in the consciousness the longest. Not only does it use a great sounding bass guitar to heighten an already cool sounding tune, it also reveals that Hal (his partner and the actual hero of the movie) doesn't get a theme to begin with. This because Hal always remains in the background as long as Deakins is around. Hall does get a heroic theme once he partners up with Park Ranger Terry Carmichael, this heard for the first time in "Desert Dawn".
In between that time, we've already received the Randy Edelman influences heard throughout the material (most notably in the unused "The Pentagon"), all the while "Going to War" gives you a zany combination of sounds. First off there's the choir underlining every context (when for instance Deakins shows you he wants the nuke after all), followed by an unusual but welcome sounding harmonica effect. The second part unleashes all hell with a Drop Zone act high in the sky.
As said, besides the Brothers theme, Deakins theme and the heroic theme for Hall and Terry (heard very effectively after a zany banjo rhythm in the new "Something's Coming") we have what still remains my favorite theme of all. Namely the action theme that's unleashed under a pile of SFX in the movie. At least when it's released for the first time underground. This moment remains to appear in the best track of the entire score, namely "Mine Shaft Pt 2". This baby is a whopper 16 minutes long, and delivers you an amazing build up, a large usage of the themes and that first introduction of the new action theme. The heroic theme at the end ignites the suspenseful music as the clock is ticking towards a deadly explosion.
That sadly ends CD 1 rather awkwardly, and it does open CD 2 with a vengeance as well, immediately unleashing a deadly pace in "Big Bang". CD 2 isn't that exciting (at least not in the new material), but it does deliver you a fun moment in "Eat a Bullet" when we receive Deakins theme in a feisty electric guitar version. But it's above all memorable due to the 17 minute long climax entitled "Hammerhead". Here Zimmer returns with all the tricks and sounds we discovered during the first hour. The synth soprano underscoring Deakins theme as he uses Terry to push in the arming code, the driving tempo of the action / suspense music, the use of the Brothers and Deakins theme, and of course the returning versions of the action theme that give Deakins his own Rope a Dope. "Nuke Disarmed (End Credits)" finishes the original release with a return of Deakins and the Brothers theme.
This all together sounds damn exciting, but Broken Arrow is just too damn long now. Even more, what it delivers of new unreleased material is just more of the stuff we heard before, with a couple of Randy Edelman influences as extra bonus. The remastered sound is nice I guess but there was nothing wrong with the sound of the original release to begin with. So the only reason to buy this release would be for the expanded material, and then it is a question if you really wanted to hear more to begin with. So those who ever took the time to get that 2 CD bootleg will find much to enjoy in this expanded treatment. I on the other hand has just discovered that Broken Arrow is much better and a whole lot more enjoyable on 1 CD instead of 2.
Broken Arrow (1996 release) ****
Broken Arrow 2 CD (2011 release) ***1/2
Tracklisting
CD 1: 55.18
1. Rope-A-Dope (5.04)
2. The Bomber (2.31)
3. Going to War / Fire in a Brooklyn Theater* (6.30) Excellent track
4. The Pentagon (Unused)* (1.16)
5. The Search / Broken Arrow (2.42)
6. Desert Dawn (3.40)
7. Day Search (1.28)
8. Right Down There (3.26)
9. Something's Coming (3.50)
10. 10,000 Years* (2.15)
11. Humvee Chase (4.54)
12. Mine Shaft 1 (1.53)
13. Mine Shaft 2* (15.49) Excellent track
CD 2: 60.38
1. Big Bang (2.15)
2. Butterflies (1.57)
3. The Boat / Stowaway* (3.27)
4. Breaking Orders* (2.18)
5. Eat a Bullet (2.15)
6. Hammerhead* (17.04) Excellent track
7. Nuke Disarmed (End Credits) (7.40)
Bonus Tracks
8. Brothers (Original Album Version) (7.07)
9. Mine (Original Album Version)* (5.43)
10. Nuke (Original Album Version) (10.52)
* Contains music "Fire in a Brooklyn Theater" composed by Randy Edelman from the film Come See The Paradise