Wing Commander
Kevin Kiner
" Big theme for a wannabe big film "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
Not so long ago, computer games weren't adapted to the big screen. One of the first to do so was Tomb Raider. But in 1999 it was Wing Commander that took the game's experience to the next level. Director of the popular games was Chris Roberts, and he took his man vs beast idea (namely the Kilrathi) to the big screen with sadly a weak story and an uncharismatic cast. You see, Wing Commander was already a film onto itself on the little screen, housing incredible actors like Mark Hamill (Luke in the Star Wars trilogy) and Thomas F. Wilson (Biff of Back to the Future) in the leading roles. And I know that if they re created the story of the 4th game (The Price of Freedom) to a motion picture film, they would have had a true blockbuster on their hands, because that game had a thrilling combination of space battles and a captivating story.
Alas it wasn't to be, and Wing Commander the film quickly bombed the possible career of director Chris Roberts back to where he came from. Of course I'm sure he knew actors like Freddie Prince Jr. and Matthew Lillard weren't going to hold the level that Mark Hamill and Thomas F. Wilson held so high in the original games. Luckily, music wise Wing Commander became a different matter. For better or worse, game composer George Oldziey was pushed aside after having fulfilled his job on the third, fourth and fifth game, and composers David Arnold and Kevin Kiner received the job instead. David Arnold's contribution consisted to the point he had to come up with a striking main theme, while Kevin Kiner got the job to write the whole musical score around it.
David Arnold just came on board after a winning streak of nothing but bombastic blockbusters. After Stargate, ID4 & Godzilla, it was up to the man in question to nail the universe of Wing Commander through one single theme. And succeeded he has. A brilliant, proud, over the top fanfare knocks you senseless the moment it opens "Overture", a monumental opening to a fun orchestral score.
That the score never reaches that awesome feeling again is a bit of a disappointment, but Kiner keeps the score enjoyable and bombastic enough though. The occasional breathers presenting the soft theme ("Pod Scene", "Bad Decision / Blair", "Angel's Story") deliver the listening experience brief moments of respite, while electronics give "Briefing / Tricked" and "Hot Dogs" a more cool hard rocking edge. The entire soundtrack is powerful enough though, due to the feeling the main theme makes a couple of appearances throughout the score.
There's an adventurous throwback to Stargate in "Torpedo Kilrathi", a heroic fanfare in "Rescued", a main theme variation with additional choir in "The Fleet" and a bombastic ending with nothing but big powerful orchestral music. In this finale, several tracks stand out. First of all "Kilrathi Battle" that brings forward perhaps the biggest performance of the main theme besides the "Overture" statement, and "Kilrathi Into Scylla" that houses this score's most powerful send off of all.
So, Wing Commander may be an utterly cheap movie adaptation of what is still considered to be a wonderful computer game, we can honestly say that the music is up to blockbuster style. It's big and powerful, and it has a brilliant main theme that surely will win over a few hearts. Kiner's Stargate like score around that does a good job in delivering that big gun ho style, without really making a statement of its own. Because we have to say it, it is the main theme here that makes the score memorable.
Tracklisting
1. Overture * (3.33) Excellent track
2. Pod Scene (1.53)
3. Torpedo Kilrathi (3.31)
4. Pilgrims (1.49)
5. Rescued (0.56)
6. Into The Quasar (2.46)
7. Bad Decision / Blair (1.27)
8. Angel's Story (1.47)
9. The Fleet (1.08)
10. Briefing / Tricked (2.15)
11. Hot Dogs (1.21)
12. Diligent Arrives (2.34)
13. The Gift / Skipper Missile (3.27)
14. Kilrathi Battle (1.40)
15. The Big Battle (2.27)
16. Kilrathi Into Scylla (2.28) Excellent track
17. Big Damn Ending (2.09)
* Wing Commander Theme by David Arnold
Total Length: 37.41
Alas it wasn't to be, and Wing Commander the film quickly bombed the possible career of director Chris Roberts back to where he came from. Of course I'm sure he knew actors like Freddie Prince Jr. and Matthew Lillard weren't going to hold the level that Mark Hamill and Thomas F. Wilson held so high in the original games. Luckily, music wise Wing Commander became a different matter. For better or worse, game composer George Oldziey was pushed aside after having fulfilled his job on the third, fourth and fifth game, and composers David Arnold and Kevin Kiner received the job instead. David Arnold's contribution consisted to the point he had to come up with a striking main theme, while Kevin Kiner got the job to write the whole musical score around it.
David Arnold just came on board after a winning streak of nothing but bombastic blockbusters. After Stargate, ID4 & Godzilla, it was up to the man in question to nail the universe of Wing Commander through one single theme. And succeeded he has. A brilliant, proud, over the top fanfare knocks you senseless the moment it opens "Overture", a monumental opening to a fun orchestral score.
That the score never reaches that awesome feeling again is a bit of a disappointment, but Kiner keeps the score enjoyable and bombastic enough though. The occasional breathers presenting the soft theme ("Pod Scene", "Bad Decision / Blair", "Angel's Story") deliver the listening experience brief moments of respite, while electronics give "Briefing / Tricked" and "Hot Dogs" a more cool hard rocking edge. The entire soundtrack is powerful enough though, due to the feeling the main theme makes a couple of appearances throughout the score.
There's an adventurous throwback to Stargate in "Torpedo Kilrathi", a heroic fanfare in "Rescued", a main theme variation with additional choir in "The Fleet" and a bombastic ending with nothing but big powerful orchestral music. In this finale, several tracks stand out. First of all "Kilrathi Battle" that brings forward perhaps the biggest performance of the main theme besides the "Overture" statement, and "Kilrathi Into Scylla" that houses this score's most powerful send off of all.
So, Wing Commander may be an utterly cheap movie adaptation of what is still considered to be a wonderful computer game, we can honestly say that the music is up to blockbuster style. It's big and powerful, and it has a brilliant main theme that surely will win over a few hearts. Kiner's Stargate like score around that does a good job in delivering that big gun ho style, without really making a statement of its own. Because we have to say it, it is the main theme here that makes the score memorable.
Tracklisting
1. Overture * (3.33) Excellent track
2. Pod Scene (1.53)
3. Torpedo Kilrathi (3.31)
4. Pilgrims (1.49)
5. Rescued (0.56)
6. Into The Quasar (2.46)
7. Bad Decision / Blair (1.27)
8. Angel's Story (1.47)
9. The Fleet (1.08)
10. Briefing / Tricked (2.15)
11. Hot Dogs (1.21)
12. Diligent Arrives (2.34)
13. The Gift / Skipper Missile (3.27)
14. Kilrathi Battle (1.40)
15. The Big Battle (2.27)
16. Kilrathi Into Scylla (2.28) Excellent track
17. Big Damn Ending (2.09)
* Wing Commander Theme by David Arnold
Total Length: 37.41