The Scorpion King
John Debney
" Doesn't capture the Mummy scores nor CutThroat Island in scope but is damn fun. "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
It's stupid to tell you that a lot of people were looking forward to this score. Ever since John Debney scored a movie called CutThroat Island, people could only wonder why he didn't score more of those (instead of those lighter than light comedies). After all these years, we have seen why he is still good at it. The Scorpion King is a spin off from the Mummy movies, presenting The Mummy Returns' bad buy The Rock as the good indestructible hero. Walking alongside Jerry Goldsmith and Alan Silvestri, now is John Debney.
It's fair to say that loud speakers are a minimum when playing this score, since they hardly stand still. The Scorpion King is by no means as good as the Mummies but has things worth checking out, especially if you consider it is John Debney in epic sense. His blending of the pop / heavy metal genre with a rousing orchestra and a full blooded choir is all what separates The Scorpion King of either different Mummy score. Since people seem to accept this specific approach, they will appreciate the sheer complex bravura of the Studio Symphony Orchestra, something we didn't want any other way.
Varèse Sarabande once more releases the almighty goods upon us with a forty minute release. Yet one of the lesser qualities is the listening experience, at least if we compare with The Mummy and The Mummy Returns. These are the better examples and those two culminate over 60 minutes of running time.
Anyway, when you want orchestral bombast, you have come to the right address. Things start to rock with "Boo!". This is an odd yet powerful opening, infusing heavy metal guitars with an orchestral sound. I must say it is quite effective and interesting to hear. "Night Attack" is a good track as well. John Debney rocking away with a guitar in the beginning before a rousing piece explodes in the Jerry Goldsmith The Mummy sense. Furthermore we have the ethnic vocal that is reminiscent to a degree of Gladiator in "Vision of Doom". "The Cave" is above anything else a track that is both dissonant and strange, when suddenly out of nowhere The Matrix-like strings are whooshing over the speakers.
However, Debney in epic sense is not something to hate easily. "Valley of the Dead" is one massive adventurous rush containing a mighty boost of choral magnitude, while "Die Well Assassin" is definitely the loudest track of the CD, culminating in a complex orchestral powerplay (choir overlapping the continuous orchestral play). While there isn't specifically a big main theme present in the score, noticeable returning motifs are picked up in 1, 5, 8, 12 and 14.
So, while The Scorpion King doesn't reach the peaks of CutThroat Island, The Mummy nor The Mummy Returns, it is on its own a wonderful bombastic soundtrack. John Debney might be stuck in a rut composing too much silly comedies, he still knows how to rock a score to a mighty finish. I definitely recommend this release to Debney complainers, considering it is a score you can't really complain about. If the brief heavy metal style doesn't bother you, The Scorpion King has everything on board that will keep you carrying that wicked smile for days to come.
Tracklisting
1. Boo! (1.28)
2. Main Titles (1.40)
3. Night Attack (3.57)
4. Vision of Doom (1.05)
5. Pickpockets (2.44)
6. Valley of the Dead (2.14) Excellent track
7. The Cave (3.39)
8. Mathyus Arises (1.28)
9. Balthazar's Camp (5.10)
10. I Had a Vision (2.37)
11. I've Come for the Woman (3.27)
12. Die Well Assassin (3.44) Excellent track
13. Balthazar Arrives (3.10)
14. The Scorpion King (3.27)
Total Length: 39.59
It's fair to say that loud speakers are a minimum when playing this score, since they hardly stand still. The Scorpion King is by no means as good as the Mummies but has things worth checking out, especially if you consider it is John Debney in epic sense. His blending of the pop / heavy metal genre with a rousing orchestra and a full blooded choir is all what separates The Scorpion King of either different Mummy score. Since people seem to accept this specific approach, they will appreciate the sheer complex bravura of the Studio Symphony Orchestra, something we didn't want any other way.
Varèse Sarabande once more releases the almighty goods upon us with a forty minute release. Yet one of the lesser qualities is the listening experience, at least if we compare with The Mummy and The Mummy Returns. These are the better examples and those two culminate over 60 minutes of running time.
Anyway, when you want orchestral bombast, you have come to the right address. Things start to rock with "Boo!". This is an odd yet powerful opening, infusing heavy metal guitars with an orchestral sound. I must say it is quite effective and interesting to hear. "Night Attack" is a good track as well. John Debney rocking away with a guitar in the beginning before a rousing piece explodes in the Jerry Goldsmith The Mummy sense. Furthermore we have the ethnic vocal that is reminiscent to a degree of Gladiator in "Vision of Doom". "The Cave" is above anything else a track that is both dissonant and strange, when suddenly out of nowhere The Matrix-like strings are whooshing over the speakers.
However, Debney in epic sense is not something to hate easily. "Valley of the Dead" is one massive adventurous rush containing a mighty boost of choral magnitude, while "Die Well Assassin" is definitely the loudest track of the CD, culminating in a complex orchestral powerplay (choir overlapping the continuous orchestral play). While there isn't specifically a big main theme present in the score, noticeable returning motifs are picked up in 1, 5, 8, 12 and 14.
So, while The Scorpion King doesn't reach the peaks of CutThroat Island, The Mummy nor The Mummy Returns, it is on its own a wonderful bombastic soundtrack. John Debney might be stuck in a rut composing too much silly comedies, he still knows how to rock a score to a mighty finish. I definitely recommend this release to Debney complainers, considering it is a score you can't really complain about. If the brief heavy metal style doesn't bother you, The Scorpion King has everything on board that will keep you carrying that wicked smile for days to come.
Tracklisting
1. Boo! (1.28)
2. Main Titles (1.40)
3. Night Attack (3.57)
4. Vision of Doom (1.05)
5. Pickpockets (2.44)
6. Valley of the Dead (2.14) Excellent track
7. The Cave (3.39)
8. Mathyus Arises (1.28)
9. Balthazar's Camp (5.10)
10. I Had a Vision (2.37)
11. I've Come for the Woman (3.27)
12. Die Well Assassin (3.44) Excellent track
13. Balthazar Arrives (3.10)
14. The Scorpion King (3.27)
Total Length: 39.59