Passengers

Passengers was a movie I quite liked. It had a good connection between too likable stars (Lawrence and Pratt), an interesting concept and a very big design. The score of Thomas Nemwan floated by, a score that wasn't noticed during the first listen. After having discovered the film, I decided to give it a second chance. The thing is, Passengers isn't bad but it doesn't grab you like it should. It's slightly noticeable in the film, serviceable on disc and occasionally entertaining. But overall it lacks a specific theme (or themes considering there's room for various creations), it's the Thomas Newman you heard before and it sort of made me realize I liked that other space adventure Wall-E just ... a little more. But like in Wall-E there's a specific moment the characters go out on a space walk. And this suddenly becomes a little lovelier once you realize it's the same composer bringing something just slightly different. And sometimes Newman nails it just about right, like when he underscores the urgency of Lawrence's awakening in "The Sleeping Girl", or when "Zero-Gratify" and "Looking for Wrong" happens to raise the urgency to maximum levels. Near the end those levels are appearing even more once we reach the end of the story ... or not? In general Passengers pleases more in the second part than the first. But to call it a masterpiece is stretching it. What could have made it a masterpiece was the use of themes. After all 2 main protagonists, a love story. I mean some people would kill for those odds. Then again, Newman is Newman and his tinkling otherworldly style somehow worked for the picture. Just on an overlong basis.

Score picks up when Lawrence character is awoken (around the 10th's cue).
A noticeable moment is the betrayal moment when Pratt's character wakes up Lawrence. The dramatic deception is definitely felt in Newman's cue.
The suspense is at times gripping.
Lacks specific themes, it definitely would have worked for the characters.
Album's just too long for repeated listening.

Track Listing

1. The Starship Avalon (Main Title) (4.15)
2. Hibernation Pod 1625 (1.19)
3. Command Ring (0.57)
4. Rate 2 Mechanic (2.08)
5. Awake For 7 Days (1.26)
6. Crystalline (4.08)
7. Precious Metals (2.08)
8. Aurora (1.45)
9. Robot Questions (2.53)
10. The Sleeping Girl (3.15)
11. Build a House and Live In It (2.07)
12. I Tried Not To... (3.54)
13. Spacewalk (3.07)
14. Passengers (1.48)
15. 50% of Light Speed (3.13)
16. Cascade Failure (2.55)
17. Zero-Gravity (2.44)
18. Never Happy Here (1.22)
19. Red Giant (1.26)
20. Looking for Wrong (1.46)
21. Chrysler Bldg. (2.25)
22. Untethered (2.34)
23. You Brought Me Back (5.41)
24. Starlit (3.12)
25. Accidental Happiness (3.03)
26. Sugarcoat the Galaxy (End Title) (3.13)

Total Length: 68.44