Hercules (2014)
Fernando Velázquez
" Velázquez conquers Hollywood by using muscles "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
Hercules has inspired Hollywood for many years now, and in 2014 Renny Harlin and Brett Ratner unleashed their own take on it in several months time. So go ahead and pick your favorite but musically Tuomas Kantelinen's The Legend of Hercules didn't capture my attention enough. So all hope rested on the mighty shoulders of Fernando Velázquez, a Spanish up and coming composer who captured people's interest firmly these past couple of years (Mama, The Impossible, Devil, The Orphanage). But composing for Hollywood requires to step in another world, aka deliver the Hollywood sound. And even though it shows, there is a quality in Hercules that can amuse me, just not enough it seems.
Calling Hercules uninspired is not the right way to put it, but something keeps putting me off when I hear this strong orchestral score. Somehow I feel the score is restricted in its ideas and in its writing, like it's against the law to venture into a more European / adventurous sound that Velázquez so evidently delivered in many European films these past couple of years. There's a no nonsense approach in the suspenseful action music, featuring a decent evil motif. But somehow it's not allowed to stretch its wings. The main theme, an again decent and even fun heroic motif is circling around the cues most promisingly, but again it feels like it's restricted to sound like the themes we've been hearing these past couple of years. It's like it needs to be so many notes, never developing into something greater. I like the theme, but I hear a lack in originality in it, and dare I say freedom.
There's lot of 'Brian Tyler' whirling strings in this score as well, but it does give some kick to several cues such as "Bessi's Battle" and "Training". And the theme makes a large impact when it's surrounded by the best material of the score, (with variation) in the cool "Arrival at Lord Cotys' City, with gusto after lots of evil motifs in the duo packed (and practically similar) "Bessi's Valley" and "Bessi-Battle", and in the second part of "Alternate Ending", which unleashes a soft variation and choral version at the end that gives me finally the required goosebumps (Transformers style). Plus listen to the theme in "End Titles" and you'll hear what I mean by freedom immediately. Suddenly there's room for additional horns and multiple additional variations during the performance of the theme. I noticed this in John Ottman's end credits as well for X-Men: Days of Future Past, suddenly it feels like there's a leash that's torn off the composer and he can suddenly compose his ideas without anyone harassing him. But the moment it's envisioned for a scene, restrictions.
Sadly I must say it, but Hollywood puts some kind of restriction on scores nowadays, because somehow I hear a good Steve Jablonsky main theme in it and powerful but restricted action / suspense music, the kind that halts a composer in his quest for the perfect score. Hercules is fun, and I see it amusing a lot of people. But after having heard his music, and having heard the Hollywood sound by now, it's sad to confirm that there's greatness in Hercules, but you rarely hear it. Or it's during the end credits. However, and in this I must be abundantly clear. Thank you Fernando for at least delivering solid and at times exiting film music, the kind that adds heroism and power to a blockbuster. Not like say Captain America 2 who can only dream of such a score. So in that category it passes with flying colors. Ah a tough score to grade, but somehow I wish the chains would have been torn off earlier in the score, not at the end.
Favorite Moment - End Titles (1.35 - 3.24)
Wow, suddenly the theme becomes that something extra, just listen to the additional instruments giving it its mighty strength
Track Listing
1. Son of Zeus (3.22)
2. Pirate's Camp (1.47)
3. Hercules (0.23)
4. Arrival at Lord Cotys' City (1.31)
5. Flashback (0.53)
6. Athens (0.59)
7. Lord Cotys' Palace (1.44)
8. I Will Believe in You (1.13)
9. The Lion's Tooth (0.52)
10. Bessi's Valley (6.29)
11. Bessi-Battle (6.12)
12. The Campfire (2.02)
13. Training (1.43)
14. Centaurs (4.27)
15. The Battle (4.42)
16. Rhesus Caught (0.55)
17. Dungeon & I Am Hercules (6.30)
18. Kill Eurystheus (2.11)
19. Cotys Brings Out Arius (1.45)
20. Final Fight & Tydeus' Death (3.28)
21. The Statue Falls (2.04)
22. Comrades Stand Together (2.04)
23. Alternative Ending (3.07) Excellent track
24. End Titles (3.24) Excellent track
25. Choir Theme (1.26)
Total Length: 65.30
Calling Hercules uninspired is not the right way to put it, but something keeps putting me off when I hear this strong orchestral score. Somehow I feel the score is restricted in its ideas and in its writing, like it's against the law to venture into a more European / adventurous sound that Velázquez so evidently delivered in many European films these past couple of years. There's a no nonsense approach in the suspenseful action music, featuring a decent evil motif. But somehow it's not allowed to stretch its wings. The main theme, an again decent and even fun heroic motif is circling around the cues most promisingly, but again it feels like it's restricted to sound like the themes we've been hearing these past couple of years. It's like it needs to be so many notes, never developing into something greater. I like the theme, but I hear a lack in originality in it, and dare I say freedom.
There's lot of 'Brian Tyler' whirling strings in this score as well, but it does give some kick to several cues such as "Bessi's Battle" and "Training". And the theme makes a large impact when it's surrounded by the best material of the score, (with variation) in the cool "Arrival at Lord Cotys' City, with gusto after lots of evil motifs in the duo packed (and practically similar) "Bessi's Valley" and "Bessi-Battle", and in the second part of "Alternate Ending", which unleashes a soft variation and choral version at the end that gives me finally the required goosebumps (Transformers style). Plus listen to the theme in "End Titles" and you'll hear what I mean by freedom immediately. Suddenly there's room for additional horns and multiple additional variations during the performance of the theme. I noticed this in John Ottman's end credits as well for X-Men: Days of Future Past, suddenly it feels like there's a leash that's torn off the composer and he can suddenly compose his ideas without anyone harassing him. But the moment it's envisioned for a scene, restrictions.
Sadly I must say it, but Hollywood puts some kind of restriction on scores nowadays, because somehow I hear a good Steve Jablonsky main theme in it and powerful but restricted action / suspense music, the kind that halts a composer in his quest for the perfect score. Hercules is fun, and I see it amusing a lot of people. But after having heard his music, and having heard the Hollywood sound by now, it's sad to confirm that there's greatness in Hercules, but you rarely hear it. Or it's during the end credits. However, and in this I must be abundantly clear. Thank you Fernando for at least delivering solid and at times exiting film music, the kind that adds heroism and power to a blockbuster. Not like say Captain America 2 who can only dream of such a score. So in that category it passes with flying colors. Ah a tough score to grade, but somehow I wish the chains would have been torn off earlier in the score, not at the end.
Favorite Moment - End Titles (1.35 - 3.24)
Wow, suddenly the theme becomes that something extra, just listen to the additional instruments giving it its mighty strength
Track Listing
1. Son of Zeus (3.22)
2. Pirate's Camp (1.47)
3. Hercules (0.23)
4. Arrival at Lord Cotys' City (1.31)
5. Flashback (0.53)
6. Athens (0.59)
7. Lord Cotys' Palace (1.44)
8. I Will Believe in You (1.13)
9. The Lion's Tooth (0.52)
10. Bessi's Valley (6.29)
11. Bessi-Battle (6.12)
12. The Campfire (2.02)
13. Training (1.43)
14. Centaurs (4.27)
15. The Battle (4.42)
16. Rhesus Caught (0.55)
17. Dungeon & I Am Hercules (6.30)
18. Kill Eurystheus (2.11)
19. Cotys Brings Out Arius (1.45)
20. Final Fight & Tydeus' Death (3.28)
21. The Statue Falls (2.04)
22. Comrades Stand Together (2.04)
23. Alternative Ending (3.07) Excellent track
24. End Titles (3.24) Excellent track
25. Choir Theme (1.26)
Total Length: 65.30