The Rebel
Christopher Wong
" Goldsmith hints in a pleasing orchestral score "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the limited release
1920s Vietnam under colonial French ruling. Anti-French rebellions emerge all over the country to disrupt the foreign occupiers. In respond, the colonialist employed units of Vietnamese agents to track and destroy these rebels. The film follows the journey of Le van Cuong, a French cultured undercover elite. This all sounds pretty tacky but the movie received wonderful acclaim for its political message and of course stellar martial arts action. Alongside all this stands Christopher Wong's Goldsmith like score.
I had the misfortune to miss Wong's acclaimed Journey from the Fall score but I heard nice things about it. Now it was my chance to discover The Rebel as MovieScore Media releases its second Wong album. One thing after listening to it is clear, it is like Jerry Goldsmith is at work. Sadly it lacks the one thing I wasn't expecting at all. It fails to bring that decisive blow.
The Rebel starts dramatically potent with "A Letter to the People" and in here vocal and strings guide the emotional theme towards a strong finish. And yet Wong's emotional voice isn't the only thing that noticeable. His rhythmic action music revokes memories of the late Jerry Goldsmith, at least in style. "The Assassination" is a great listen as it tries to revoke the long lost memories of his music through brassy suspenseful music. Sadly, it halts before it can deliver the blow.
This more or less sums up this entire musical album. The music it at times grand in the development and presentation, but it halts just when it should deliver the finale. Goldsmith was a master at it, and if Wong can reach that level you will receive knock out music from the highest standard. Now The Rebel tries to close that gap but doesn't reach it yet. The percussive "Prison Break" is the same with an awesome build up, but the punch is lacking the moment you expect it.
The lovely intimate piano music during "Shower and Wine", the dramatic stirring drums in "Execution Line", the Untouchables like "Opium House" with the dramatic piano rhythm and percussive writing is all lovely to discover. And the awesome Goldsmith build up in "Escaping from the Army" promises the best and yet it sadly stops where it should have continued.
It is nice however to hear action and soft drama mixed together. "Beating the Crippled Man" is a moody piece with added piano emotion and "If we Could Forget who we Are" is just wonderful when soft strings and piano guide the emotional theme to a really touching version. Yet the action is what's it all about and "Motorcycle Escape" probably holds the most staggering build of all, yet this is again so short. Luckily here a dramatic climax is reached when the emotional theme suddenly makes that point what is missing in other equally noticeable tracks.
The percussive "Cat and Mouse" alongside the brassy notes is once more going to the emotional material. And this is more or less the tale as well of the mammoth "Village Gunbattle / Attacking the Train". Holding lesser action than perhaps promising through the title, it is suspense building mixed with the emotional theme, Goldsmith brass, awesome drums near the end and yet it just doesn't have that finishing touch.
The percussive "Cuong vs Sy" with the brass definitely works well in its build up while the brilliant emotional violin and string version of the emotional theme closes the score with "The Rebel".
It is an utter joy to hear that Jerry Goldsmith influences can still be heard in today's music. And Christopher Wong does a splendid job in revoking that spirit without losing focus of his own voice. Sadly and this keeps The Rebel from a higher rating is that it doesn't offer us the desirable finish. If Wong (and the material would have allowed it) could have given us the finish to his build up, The Rebel would have been true top notch Jerry Goldsmith food. Now the stirring emotional theme and the almost explosive action music will have to suffice.
Tracklisting
1. A Letter to the People (1.41)
2. The Assassination (3.19)
3. Prison Break (2.59)
4. Shower and Wine (2.08)
5. Execution Line (3.04)
6. Opium House (4.03)
7. Escaping from the Army (2.17)
8. Arrival at the Camp (1.03)
9. Beating the Crippled Man (2.02)
10. Motorcycle Escape (2.10) Excellent track
11. If we Could Forget who we Are (4.49) Excellent track
12. Cat and Mouse (4.13)
13. Village Gunbattle / Attacking the Train (8.29)
14. Cuong vs Sy (5.05)
15. The Rebel (5.05) Excellent track
Total Length: 52.34
I had the misfortune to miss Wong's acclaimed Journey from the Fall score but I heard nice things about it. Now it was my chance to discover The Rebel as MovieScore Media releases its second Wong album. One thing after listening to it is clear, it is like Jerry Goldsmith is at work. Sadly it lacks the one thing I wasn't expecting at all. It fails to bring that decisive blow.
The Rebel starts dramatically potent with "A Letter to the People" and in here vocal and strings guide the emotional theme towards a strong finish. And yet Wong's emotional voice isn't the only thing that noticeable. His rhythmic action music revokes memories of the late Jerry Goldsmith, at least in style. "The Assassination" is a great listen as it tries to revoke the long lost memories of his music through brassy suspenseful music. Sadly, it halts before it can deliver the blow.
This more or less sums up this entire musical album. The music it at times grand in the development and presentation, but it halts just when it should deliver the finale. Goldsmith was a master at it, and if Wong can reach that level you will receive knock out music from the highest standard. Now The Rebel tries to close that gap but doesn't reach it yet. The percussive "Prison Break" is the same with an awesome build up, but the punch is lacking the moment you expect it.
The lovely intimate piano music during "Shower and Wine", the dramatic stirring drums in "Execution Line", the Untouchables like "Opium House" with the dramatic piano rhythm and percussive writing is all lovely to discover. And the awesome Goldsmith build up in "Escaping from the Army" promises the best and yet it sadly stops where it should have continued.
It is nice however to hear action and soft drama mixed together. "Beating the Crippled Man" is a moody piece with added piano emotion and "If we Could Forget who we Are" is just wonderful when soft strings and piano guide the emotional theme to a really touching version. Yet the action is what's it all about and "Motorcycle Escape" probably holds the most staggering build of all, yet this is again so short. Luckily here a dramatic climax is reached when the emotional theme suddenly makes that point what is missing in other equally noticeable tracks.
The percussive "Cat and Mouse" alongside the brassy notes is once more going to the emotional material. And this is more or less the tale as well of the mammoth "Village Gunbattle / Attacking the Train". Holding lesser action than perhaps promising through the title, it is suspense building mixed with the emotional theme, Goldsmith brass, awesome drums near the end and yet it just doesn't have that finishing touch.
The percussive "Cuong vs Sy" with the brass definitely works well in its build up while the brilliant emotional violin and string version of the emotional theme closes the score with "The Rebel".
It is an utter joy to hear that Jerry Goldsmith influences can still be heard in today's music. And Christopher Wong does a splendid job in revoking that spirit without losing focus of his own voice. Sadly and this keeps The Rebel from a higher rating is that it doesn't offer us the desirable finish. If Wong (and the material would have allowed it) could have given us the finish to his build up, The Rebel would have been true top notch Jerry Goldsmith food. Now the stirring emotional theme and the almost explosive action music will have to suffice.
Tracklisting
1. A Letter to the People (1.41)
2. The Assassination (3.19)
3. Prison Break (2.59)
4. Shower and Wine (2.08)
5. Execution Line (3.04)
6. Opium House (4.03)
7. Escaping from the Army (2.17)
8. Arrival at the Camp (1.03)
9. Beating the Crippled Man (2.02)
10. Motorcycle Escape (2.10) Excellent track
11. If we Could Forget who we Are (4.49) Excellent track
12. Cat and Mouse (4.13)
13. Village Gunbattle / Attacking the Train (8.29)
14. Cuong vs Sy (5.05)
15. The Rebel (5.05) Excellent track
Total Length: 52.34