Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
Andrew Lockington
" Welcome back Andrew "Adventure" Lockington "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
When Trevor handed Sean a copy of the book Atlantis: The Antediluvian World at the end of Journey to the Center of the Earth, is was pretty evident this maneuver meant: sequel time. And considering Journey to the Center of the Earth was a hit all over the world, that time came in 2012. This time it's loosely based on Jules Verne's The Mysterious Island and Sean (Josh Hutcherson) is the only actor of the first movie who returns for the ride. Meaning no Brendan Fraser or the lovely Anita Briem, but Dwayne Johnson (starring as Sean's stepfather), Vanessa Hudgens, Luis Guzman and Michael Caine instead. Luckily new director Brad Peyton knew it was important to capture as much of the feel of Journey 1 as possible.
And considering Andrew Lockington did such a bang-up job on the first one, it was only logical he would return for the ride. Though it has been several years since the adventurous 2008 (which delivered fans City of Ember and Journey to the Center of the Earth), it is wonderful to realize that Andrew hasn't lost a single creative note since then. Even more, years of experience and a fresh adventurous mind makes Journey 2 the thunderous rollercoaster ride we fans demanded from the start. A rollercoaster ride which delivers us 3 exemplary themes.
Yes, it was a magical experience for many no doubt to hear such a rousing orchestral score in a blockbuster movie released today. How often have we criticized the efforts of late for being nothing more than sound design, and how often have we attacked the composer for bringing us uninteresting crap. Luckily Journey 2 doesn't belong in that category. No, Journey 2 is everything that was Journey 1, with the positive exception that we have now 2 legendary extra themes and one returning main theme in the bag-pack of Sean and Hank.
Apparently there are 4 themes according to the liner notes, but I sadly seem to miss the family theme (or as Andrew puts it the camaraderie theme) of this score. But no worries, because Andrew holds nothing back the moment "Vernian's Believe" starts. A threatening opening soon sheds some light on the subject when we spot those enchanting strings of Journey 1, guiding us to the first of many main theme statements. This is the returning main theme of the first score, and Andrew isn't afraid to add some weight to this one the more we reach the end of the score ("Sean's Birthday" anyone?).
A piano theme (could this be the family theme?) opens "The Attic" and makes way for the island theme (a glorious heroic piece that gets better each time to you hear it), followed by a wonderful heroic main theme statement at the end. The final theme is discovered in track 7 when the party of 5 (Sean, Hank, love interest Kailani and her father Gabato and Sean's grandfather Alexander) discover that the island is in fact Atlantis. And this Atlantis theme couldn't sound more magical than what Lockington makes of it. So the track "Discovering Atlantis" becomes a wonderful experience when first choir and then solo vocal (Emilie-Claire Barlow) show us what the Atlantis theme is made off. It's even downright impossible to believe that glorious old school thematic music such as this pops up in a blockbuster of late. Needless to say these 3 themes weave through one another for the remainder of the score, and entrance us time and time again.
The glorious trek scene "Who's Up For an Adventure?" is 2 minutes of movie magic that you rarely hear in movies anymore, "Bee Chase" delivers orchestral performances of the 2 new themes the moment they discover bees are actually larger than life, and "Let's Power This Thing Up" delivers the best combination of the island theme and the Atlantis theme when we hear how orchestra and choir glue the themes together without the least bit of problem. But strangely all that majestic music is beaten by probably the finest orchestral adventure track of Andrew Lockington yet (which is already saying a lot). "Mysterious Island Main Titles" may just be another track having those 3 themes together again, it's the way choir, solo vocal, percussion and thunderous orchestra unite all forces to deliver us one of the most glorious symphonic tracks of the year.
What this score misses then is the same thematic approach for the action material. Don't get me wrong, Lockington's action music follows Journey to the Center of the Earth's approach really well, adding an extra layer to them through the use of percussion (performed by the groups Drum Drum, Paluai Sook Sook and Chambri Lakes). But no matter the ferocious quality of each of them, they lack a thematic fluency that I adore so much in the other adventure tracks. So in the end they have to be applauded for their brutal force on disc instead, and it's definitely necessary to get ready for some rhythmic action music in "Lizard Chase", the second part of "Bee Chase", "Finding the Nautilus" and the second part of "The Nautilus Escape". The blazing main theme in "Sean's Birthday" show us there is more Journey magic coming soon, once Sean and Hank will make a trip from the earth to the moon.
Needless to say, Andrew Lockington needs to be on board of that shuttle. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island might be chaotic and frenetic in its action writing (though if you liked Journey to the Center of the Earth you'll not be offended at all by Journey 2's action writing), but hearing 3 majestic adventure themes in one special effects extravaganza is more than what I heard in 10 summer blockbuster movies this year. It's epic stuff that doesn't hold anything back, and the added triumph comes from solo vocalist Emelie-Claire Barlow, who delivers hauntingly beautiful singing. Honestly, it may lack a thematic approach in the thunderous action writing, the action is energetic nonetheless and powerful as hell. Plus there are very few scores this year that match Journey 2's adventurous tone. So, if you believe old school adventure music is dead, get Journey 2: The Mysterious Island of Andrew Lockington now. For it will restore your faith in proper symphonic adventure music for sure.
Track Listing
1. Vernian's Believe (2.53)
2. The Attic (4.11) Excellent track
3. Helicopter Crash (2.13)
4. Island Reveal (3.38)
5. Lizard Chase (2.44)
6. The Treehouse (4.55)
7. Discovering Atlantis (5.34) Excellent track
8. Who's Up For an Adventure? (2.14) Excellent track
9. Gold Dust (2.39)
10. Bee Chase (5.33) Excellent track
11. What A Wonderful World (Film Version): Dwayne Johnson (2.18)
12. Campfire (1.47)
13. The Swamp (2.41)
14. Trident Cliffs (2.33)
15. Finding the Nautilus (3.08)
16. Let's Power This Thing Up (3.08) Excellent track
17. The Nautilus Escape (5.03)
18. Sean's Birthday (2.28) Excellent track
19. Mysterious Island Main Titles (3.22) Excellent track
20. What A Wonderful World (End Credits): Dwayne Johnson (2.43)
Total Length: 65.54
And considering Andrew Lockington did such a bang-up job on the first one, it was only logical he would return for the ride. Though it has been several years since the adventurous 2008 (which delivered fans City of Ember and Journey to the Center of the Earth), it is wonderful to realize that Andrew hasn't lost a single creative note since then. Even more, years of experience and a fresh adventurous mind makes Journey 2 the thunderous rollercoaster ride we fans demanded from the start. A rollercoaster ride which delivers us 3 exemplary themes.
Yes, it was a magical experience for many no doubt to hear such a rousing orchestral score in a blockbuster movie released today. How often have we criticized the efforts of late for being nothing more than sound design, and how often have we attacked the composer for bringing us uninteresting crap. Luckily Journey 2 doesn't belong in that category. No, Journey 2 is everything that was Journey 1, with the positive exception that we have now 2 legendary extra themes and one returning main theme in the bag-pack of Sean and Hank.
Apparently there are 4 themes according to the liner notes, but I sadly seem to miss the family theme (or as Andrew puts it the camaraderie theme) of this score. But no worries, because Andrew holds nothing back the moment "Vernian's Believe" starts. A threatening opening soon sheds some light on the subject when we spot those enchanting strings of Journey 1, guiding us to the first of many main theme statements. This is the returning main theme of the first score, and Andrew isn't afraid to add some weight to this one the more we reach the end of the score ("Sean's Birthday" anyone?).
A piano theme (could this be the family theme?) opens "The Attic" and makes way for the island theme (a glorious heroic piece that gets better each time to you hear it), followed by a wonderful heroic main theme statement at the end. The final theme is discovered in track 7 when the party of 5 (Sean, Hank, love interest Kailani and her father Gabato and Sean's grandfather Alexander) discover that the island is in fact Atlantis. And this Atlantis theme couldn't sound more magical than what Lockington makes of it. So the track "Discovering Atlantis" becomes a wonderful experience when first choir and then solo vocal (Emilie-Claire Barlow) show us what the Atlantis theme is made off. It's even downright impossible to believe that glorious old school thematic music such as this pops up in a blockbuster of late. Needless to say these 3 themes weave through one another for the remainder of the score, and entrance us time and time again.
The glorious trek scene "Who's Up For an Adventure?" is 2 minutes of movie magic that you rarely hear in movies anymore, "Bee Chase" delivers orchestral performances of the 2 new themes the moment they discover bees are actually larger than life, and "Let's Power This Thing Up" delivers the best combination of the island theme and the Atlantis theme when we hear how orchestra and choir glue the themes together without the least bit of problem. But strangely all that majestic music is beaten by probably the finest orchestral adventure track of Andrew Lockington yet (which is already saying a lot). "Mysterious Island Main Titles" may just be another track having those 3 themes together again, it's the way choir, solo vocal, percussion and thunderous orchestra unite all forces to deliver us one of the most glorious symphonic tracks of the year.
What this score misses then is the same thematic approach for the action material. Don't get me wrong, Lockington's action music follows Journey to the Center of the Earth's approach really well, adding an extra layer to them through the use of percussion (performed by the groups Drum Drum, Paluai Sook Sook and Chambri Lakes). But no matter the ferocious quality of each of them, they lack a thematic fluency that I adore so much in the other adventure tracks. So in the end they have to be applauded for their brutal force on disc instead, and it's definitely necessary to get ready for some rhythmic action music in "Lizard Chase", the second part of "Bee Chase", "Finding the Nautilus" and the second part of "The Nautilus Escape". The blazing main theme in "Sean's Birthday" show us there is more Journey magic coming soon, once Sean and Hank will make a trip from the earth to the moon.
Needless to say, Andrew Lockington needs to be on board of that shuttle. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island might be chaotic and frenetic in its action writing (though if you liked Journey to the Center of the Earth you'll not be offended at all by Journey 2's action writing), but hearing 3 majestic adventure themes in one special effects extravaganza is more than what I heard in 10 summer blockbuster movies this year. It's epic stuff that doesn't hold anything back, and the added triumph comes from solo vocalist Emelie-Claire Barlow, who delivers hauntingly beautiful singing. Honestly, it may lack a thematic approach in the thunderous action writing, the action is energetic nonetheless and powerful as hell. Plus there are very few scores this year that match Journey 2's adventurous tone. So, if you believe old school adventure music is dead, get Journey 2: The Mysterious Island of Andrew Lockington now. For it will restore your faith in proper symphonic adventure music for sure.
Track Listing
1. Vernian's Believe (2.53)
2. The Attic (4.11) Excellent track
3. Helicopter Crash (2.13)
4. Island Reveal (3.38)
5. Lizard Chase (2.44)
6. The Treehouse (4.55)
7. Discovering Atlantis (5.34) Excellent track
8. Who's Up For an Adventure? (2.14) Excellent track
9. Gold Dust (2.39)
10. Bee Chase (5.33) Excellent track
11. What A Wonderful World (Film Version): Dwayne Johnson (2.18)
12. Campfire (1.47)
13. The Swamp (2.41)
14. Trident Cliffs (2.33)
15. Finding the Nautilus (3.08)
16. Let's Power This Thing Up (3.08) Excellent track
17. The Nautilus Escape (5.03)
18. Sean's Birthday (2.28) Excellent track
19. Mysterious Island Main Titles (3.22) Excellent track
20. What A Wonderful World (End Credits): Dwayne Johnson (2.43)
Total Length: 65.54