The Hunted
Brian Tyler
" 4 tracks don't make an album "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
William Friedkin presents The Hunted, a 2003 American action thriller starring Tommy Lee Jones and Benicio del Toro. Nothing special to remember it by considering it wasn't that successful at the box office, but for the filmmusic fans it became something special. For it was the 3rd score of Brian Tyler released in a 3 week period. Yes, I think Brian Tyler is the only composer to have been given so much attention in a short period of time, because few composers have received the same kind of publicity from a giant label in the past few years. 3 scores in 3 weeks time, one bestseller and 2 frequently purchased soundtracks. Not bad for a rookie I must admit.
But you have to take one thing into consideration, hype and marketing is all good if the product is actually worth it. Darkness Falls and Children of Dune were worthwhile, but The Hunted was sadly not (now there's your reason it was chosen as the last of the 3). Because we have to be honest, The Hunted has an amazing opening followed by an uninteresting middle and a boring end. Yes 9 minutes of actual strong Brian Tyler music (though highly unoriginal) followed by 20 minutes of moody eeriness and an occasional atonal stinger.
So thank god for that opening then, for that ferocious rhythmic beginning. As said nothing new considering it follows the same sound of Darkness Falls, but "Asymmetric Rhythms", the short but propulsive "Disordered Patterns" and the nasty "Emergence" has a big ballsy tone that Tyler fans will love to hear. Which is separated by the dramatic "Winter Shift" (featuring brief but lovely piano).
But what follows next is I kid you not one uninteresting succession of mood, eeriness, mood, eeriness, atonal clash, mood. Meaning it's not only theme-less, it's totally forgettable and makes you wonder why on earth that opening sound could not be continued. Of course, we know by now that the Brian Tyler albums feature a certain kind of order, opening usually with the best tracks of all. But The Hunted does it so poorly, it's disappointing for the actual listening experience. As said, even The Hunted did sell pretty well for a short release, but it's absolutely not worth it. Because take the first 4 tracks away, and you have nothing, I mean nothing to show for. Bahh, those Varèse guys are clever little buggers, they knew The Hunted would never have done well if there wasn't something special that came before it. So good marketing for them. Bad product for us.
Track Listing
1. Asymmetric Rhythms (2.30)
2. Disordered Patterns (0.47) Excellent track
3. Winter Shift (2.01)
4. Emergence (3.01)
5. Tracking Hallam (1.54)
6. A Transitory Sonnet (1.28)
7. Pulse (1.12)
8. Sweepers (1.50)
9. Coda Con Furiosa (2.30)
10. The Reluctant Mentor (1.18)
11. Machinations (2.00)
12. Vapor Wall (1.40)
13. Over the Falls (1.14)
14. Illusory (1.36)
15. A Vision of War (2.32)
16. Mirror Image (2.48)
17. The Man Comes Around: Johnny Cash (4.27) Excellent track
Total Length: 34.48
But you have to take one thing into consideration, hype and marketing is all good if the product is actually worth it. Darkness Falls and Children of Dune were worthwhile, but The Hunted was sadly not (now there's your reason it was chosen as the last of the 3). Because we have to be honest, The Hunted has an amazing opening followed by an uninteresting middle and a boring end. Yes 9 minutes of actual strong Brian Tyler music (though highly unoriginal) followed by 20 minutes of moody eeriness and an occasional atonal stinger.
So thank god for that opening then, for that ferocious rhythmic beginning. As said nothing new considering it follows the same sound of Darkness Falls, but "Asymmetric Rhythms", the short but propulsive "Disordered Patterns" and the nasty "Emergence" has a big ballsy tone that Tyler fans will love to hear. Which is separated by the dramatic "Winter Shift" (featuring brief but lovely piano).
But what follows next is I kid you not one uninteresting succession of mood, eeriness, mood, eeriness, atonal clash, mood. Meaning it's not only theme-less, it's totally forgettable and makes you wonder why on earth that opening sound could not be continued. Of course, we know by now that the Brian Tyler albums feature a certain kind of order, opening usually with the best tracks of all. But The Hunted does it so poorly, it's disappointing for the actual listening experience. As said, even The Hunted did sell pretty well for a short release, but it's absolutely not worth it. Because take the first 4 tracks away, and you have nothing, I mean nothing to show for. Bahh, those Varèse guys are clever little buggers, they knew The Hunted would never have done well if there wasn't something special that came before it. So good marketing for them. Bad product for us.
Track Listing
1. Asymmetric Rhythms (2.30)
2. Disordered Patterns (0.47) Excellent track
3. Winter Shift (2.01)
4. Emergence (3.01)
5. Tracking Hallam (1.54)
6. A Transitory Sonnet (1.28)
7. Pulse (1.12)
8. Sweepers (1.50)
9. Coda Con Furiosa (2.30)
10. The Reluctant Mentor (1.18)
11. Machinations (2.00)
12. Vapor Wall (1.40)
13. Over the Falls (1.14)
14. Illusory (1.36)
15. A Vision of War (2.32)
16. Mirror Image (2.48)
17. The Man Comes Around: Johnny Cash (4.27) Excellent track
Total Length: 34.48