The Expendables 2
Brian Tyler
" Why read it? You've already heard it! "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
When the Expendables kicked ass in 2010, it was a requirement to kick more ass in 2012. After all, the brief cameos of Bruce Willis and (above all) Arnold Schwarzenegger demanded a rerun, and their roles suddenly became a lot more heavy in The Expendables 2, one of the top summer blockbusters. Looking for a story is not an issue, considering it's all about one liners, kicks, punches, explosions, gunshots and top action stars in what is essentially a fun ride. Though Sylvester Stallone left the directional duties to Simon West, they found it wise to continue with the sound that made the first one work. And so Brian Tyler returned to kick ass, musically.
However, I wasn't totally happy with The Expendables. It was way too long, completely expectable and barely interesting to listen to. So, I was hoping this one would at least do it a little differently. And make that now the one thing where Tyler always fails in. The opening track "The Expendables Return" is nothing remarkable, but it does leave a bit of an impression. After all, the opening minute pumps pure adrenaline through your speakers, all the while strings, rhythm, electronic roughness and percussion do exactly the same after that. Sadly, that entertainment lasted for about 4 minutes. Because by then "Fists, Knives and Chains" and the somewhat boring suspense build up of "Track 'Em, Find 'Em, Kill 'Em" doesn't surprise us anymore.
"Making an Entrance" is a whole other party. Though typical Tyler stuff, at least it's robust, exciting and brassy. "Respect" is nothing to remember, except when the noble main theme statement of the first score makes a first of many appearances. "Preparations" is also noble because it transforms into an Annapolis noble march (without the theme of course) and "Escape" is noteworthy because of that 2 note Goldsmith fanfare Tyler introduced in the first one. However, and this is killing The Expendables 2 the most, even though it adds the thrilling part, stuff like "Rest in Pieces", "Rescue", "Bad Way to Live" and "Dueling Blades" is absolutely 100% Tyler material, offering zero change in pace, tone or idea. This kind of action music holds no theme to build on to, no original thought that could keep it fresh and doesn't stand out anymore if you heard it a fricking dozen times before. It even started to irritate me because of the way it morphs into one big Brian Tyler blur.
Truthfully, I've heard real positive buzz about The Expendables 2, making the disappointment perhaps even greater. There's no denying that Tyler sounded so goddamn cool in the beginning, simply because of the way he could make a score sound so powerful. Now it has literally no chance of winning because of its same returning attitude. This sounds and will forever sound like Tyler on autopilot. The only problem is, he's not going on autopilot, it's the only goddamn way he can make it sound. For all you Tyler admirers, The Expendables 2 is a must buy, considering it's almost non stop action material from start to finish. For all you Tyler haters, it's frisbee time, AGAIN.
And for me, thank god the frisbeeing lasted only for about 57 minutes.
Favorite Moment - The Expendables Return (0.01 - 0.54)
The opening, because then it still sounded fun
Track Listing
1. The Expendables Return (4.40)
2. Fists, Knives and Chains (3.05)
3. Track 'Em, Find 'Em, Kill 'Em (4.54)
4. Making an Entrance (4.08)
5. Respect (3.58)
6. Rest in Pieces (2.55)
7. Preparations (3.15)
8. Party Crashers (5.19)
9. Rescue (4.43)
10. Countdown (4.25)
11. Bad Way to Live (3.41)
12. Vilain (2.42)
13. Dueling Blades (4.32)
14. Escape (4.28)
Total Length: 56.45
However, I wasn't totally happy with The Expendables. It was way too long, completely expectable and barely interesting to listen to. So, I was hoping this one would at least do it a little differently. And make that now the one thing where Tyler always fails in. The opening track "The Expendables Return" is nothing remarkable, but it does leave a bit of an impression. After all, the opening minute pumps pure adrenaline through your speakers, all the while strings, rhythm, electronic roughness and percussion do exactly the same after that. Sadly, that entertainment lasted for about 4 minutes. Because by then "Fists, Knives and Chains" and the somewhat boring suspense build up of "Track 'Em, Find 'Em, Kill 'Em" doesn't surprise us anymore.
"Making an Entrance" is a whole other party. Though typical Tyler stuff, at least it's robust, exciting and brassy. "Respect" is nothing to remember, except when the noble main theme statement of the first score makes a first of many appearances. "Preparations" is also noble because it transforms into an Annapolis noble march (without the theme of course) and "Escape" is noteworthy because of that 2 note Goldsmith fanfare Tyler introduced in the first one. However, and this is killing The Expendables 2 the most, even though it adds the thrilling part, stuff like "Rest in Pieces", "Rescue", "Bad Way to Live" and "Dueling Blades" is absolutely 100% Tyler material, offering zero change in pace, tone or idea. This kind of action music holds no theme to build on to, no original thought that could keep it fresh and doesn't stand out anymore if you heard it a fricking dozen times before. It even started to irritate me because of the way it morphs into one big Brian Tyler blur.
Truthfully, I've heard real positive buzz about The Expendables 2, making the disappointment perhaps even greater. There's no denying that Tyler sounded so goddamn cool in the beginning, simply because of the way he could make a score sound so powerful. Now it has literally no chance of winning because of its same returning attitude. This sounds and will forever sound like Tyler on autopilot. The only problem is, he's not going on autopilot, it's the only goddamn way he can make it sound. For all you Tyler admirers, The Expendables 2 is a must buy, considering it's almost non stop action material from start to finish. For all you Tyler haters, it's frisbee time, AGAIN.
And for me, thank god the frisbeeing lasted only for about 57 minutes.
Favorite Moment - The Expendables Return (0.01 - 0.54)
The opening, because then it still sounded fun
Track Listing
1. The Expendables Return (4.40)
2. Fists, Knives and Chains (3.05)
3. Track 'Em, Find 'Em, Kill 'Em (4.54)
4. Making an Entrance (4.08)
5. Respect (3.58)
6. Rest in Pieces (2.55)
7. Preparations (3.15)
8. Party Crashers (5.19)
9. Rescue (4.43)
10. Countdown (4.25)
11. Bad Way to Live (3.41)
12. Vilain (2.42)
13. Dueling Blades (4.32)
14. Escape (4.28)
Total Length: 56.45