Mission: Impossible 2
Hans Zimmer
" the most atypical Mission: Impossible score you'll ever find "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
This review will self destruct in 5 seconds, but luckily not without leaving some room for Hans Zimmer's score to present its highlights. And Mission: Impossible II has got a few. It was 4 years after Brian De Palma successfully re ignited the flame, long enough to let the fuse burn for another director and a whole different style. And that was definitely evident once Tom Cruise selected John Woo for the gig. Fresh off his success of Face/Off, the creative slow motion style worked for some fans while angering others, making it a financial box office winner but not the highly regarded film of the franchise.
For the music, Hans Zimmer was chosen, straight of his success of Gladiator. And this made the choice for re hiring Lisa Gerrard again simply more understandable. Her input is not that widely used here, but her effect creates nonetheless the biggest impact once we receive an emotional climatic shoot-out fight underscored by Lisa Gerrard's haunting vocals. That moment is of course THE highlight cue "Injection". Much has been said about this cue, but its effect inside the film and on the album remains an artistic tantalizing choice. You don't expect it in a Mission: Impossible film and we never received it again, but the effect and vulnerability it unleashes onto Ethan Hunt's character makes it perhaps one of the best moments of the franchise.
Another moment that I think to be one of the best moments is "Bare Island", not specifically for the amazing fight choreography but for the famous moment when the masks are used for fooling his enemies. And right after a balls to the walls Carmina Burana choral moment, we receive that stunning moment when the MI theme gets a cool encore for electric guitar. I love those first minutes because it once again delivers music you just don't expect from Hans Zimmer in a Mission: Impossible film, making it by far the 2 most electrifying moments of the disc.
A moment that's electrifying for a whole other reason is the injection of Latin passion and flair, enhancing Woo's slow motion style in "Seville" (aided by Gerrard's singing in the film, though slightly different here on album) and through Heitor Pereira's sensual guitar playing in "Nyah (Film Version)". This moment gets more airtime in the wonderful closing piece "Nyah and Ethan", showing once again how different things can sound like when Hans Zimmer gets carte blanche.
What remains is the opening cue "Hijack", a cue that unleashes the first bad guy theme statement, a rocking electric guitar motif that works for this kind of motion picture (and for this kind of bad guy), returning in "Ambrose" slightly more sinister and in "Bare Island". The out of control ruckus of "Bio-Techno" feels totally out of place if you consider what it falls in between and deserves a skip button. More effective is the percussive music for the slow motion fight sequence "Mano a Mano", often enhanced by Gerrard's haunting vocals.
In general, Mission: Impossible II has got flaws, but it also delivers diversity unlike any other Mission: Impossible score to date. And aside from the highlights, it remains the god honest truth that Hans Zimmer remains Hans Zimmer during his more known musical moments. Call it what you will, but the score does offer a unique palette where every fan will discover something they were not expecting in the first place. Kudos for that.
Favorite Moment - Bare Island (1.03 - 2.15)
No matter the brilliance of Injection, this choral moment kicks ass
Track Listing
1. Hijack (4.09)
2. Iko-Iko: Zap Mama (3.23)
3. Seville (4.32)
4. Nyah (Film Version) (2.20)
5. Mission: Impossible Theme * (0.39)
6. The Heist (2.22)
7. Ambrose (2.37)
8. Bio-Techno (1.42)
9. Injection (4.49) Excellent track
10. Bare Island (5.30) Excellent track
11. Chimera (1.42)
12. The Bait (1.00)
13. Mano a Mano (4.22)
14. Mission: Accomplished (1.44)
15. Nyah and Ethan (5.05) Excellent track
* Composed by Lalo Schifrin (Adapted by Hans Zimmer)
Total Length: 45.56
For the music, Hans Zimmer was chosen, straight of his success of Gladiator. And this made the choice for re hiring Lisa Gerrard again simply more understandable. Her input is not that widely used here, but her effect creates nonetheless the biggest impact once we receive an emotional climatic shoot-out fight underscored by Lisa Gerrard's haunting vocals. That moment is of course THE highlight cue "Injection". Much has been said about this cue, but its effect inside the film and on the album remains an artistic tantalizing choice. You don't expect it in a Mission: Impossible film and we never received it again, but the effect and vulnerability it unleashes onto Ethan Hunt's character makes it perhaps one of the best moments of the franchise.
Another moment that I think to be one of the best moments is "Bare Island", not specifically for the amazing fight choreography but for the famous moment when the masks are used for fooling his enemies. And right after a balls to the walls Carmina Burana choral moment, we receive that stunning moment when the MI theme gets a cool encore for electric guitar. I love those first minutes because it once again delivers music you just don't expect from Hans Zimmer in a Mission: Impossible film, making it by far the 2 most electrifying moments of the disc.
A moment that's electrifying for a whole other reason is the injection of Latin passion and flair, enhancing Woo's slow motion style in "Seville" (aided by Gerrard's singing in the film, though slightly different here on album) and through Heitor Pereira's sensual guitar playing in "Nyah (Film Version)". This moment gets more airtime in the wonderful closing piece "Nyah and Ethan", showing once again how different things can sound like when Hans Zimmer gets carte blanche.
What remains is the opening cue "Hijack", a cue that unleashes the first bad guy theme statement, a rocking electric guitar motif that works for this kind of motion picture (and for this kind of bad guy), returning in "Ambrose" slightly more sinister and in "Bare Island". The out of control ruckus of "Bio-Techno" feels totally out of place if you consider what it falls in between and deserves a skip button. More effective is the percussive music for the slow motion fight sequence "Mano a Mano", often enhanced by Gerrard's haunting vocals.
In general, Mission: Impossible II has got flaws, but it also delivers diversity unlike any other Mission: Impossible score to date. And aside from the highlights, it remains the god honest truth that Hans Zimmer remains Hans Zimmer during his more known musical moments. Call it what you will, but the score does offer a unique palette where every fan will discover something they were not expecting in the first place. Kudos for that.
Favorite Moment - Bare Island (1.03 - 2.15)
No matter the brilliance of Injection, this choral moment kicks ass
Track Listing
1. Hijack (4.09)
2. Iko-Iko: Zap Mama (3.23)
3. Seville (4.32)
4. Nyah (Film Version) (2.20)
5. Mission: Impossible Theme * (0.39)
6. The Heist (2.22)
7. Ambrose (2.37)
8. Bio-Techno (1.42)
9. Injection (4.49) Excellent track
10. Bare Island (5.30) Excellent track
11. Chimera (1.42)
12. The Bait (1.00)
13. Mano a Mano (4.22)
14. Mission: Accomplished (1.44)
15. Nyah and Ethan (5.05) Excellent track
* Composed by Lalo Schifrin (Adapted by Hans Zimmer)
Total Length: 45.56