Customer Reviews

Under Siege 2: Dark Territory

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's just a real shame that this soundtrack is way too short at 28 minutes, considering that the complete score runs just over 80 minutes it's a pretty big rip-off. It's still worth the asking price though, that's how good it is. Basil Poledouris has created a score that is simultaneously patriotic and magical. The music accompanying Travis Dane torturing the info out of the 2 ATAC Captains (Access Codes) is way cool and the final fight between Ryback and Penn has ace music to go with it. Fans of "Fanfare for the Common Man" will love the rousing main theme.

The complete score runs as follows:

1. Main Title: Dark Territory (Alt. - 2.42)
2. Main Title: Dark Territory* (2.40)
3. Casey Ryback Returns (.45)
4. Casey's Family* (2.07)
5. Train Departure (.55)
6. Compound Assault* (1.49)
7. Family Regrets (1.00)
8. Helicopter Pursuit (.18)
9. The Hijacking (5.20)
10. Access Codes* (Ext. - 2.36)
11. Grazer One Accessed (1.09)
12. Grazer One Accessed (Alt. - 1.11)
13. View From The Reef (2.43)
14. Back In The Train (.25)
15. Demonstration of Grazer (2.07)
16. Demands (1.34)
17. Preparation / Restoring Power (1.10)
18. Fax / Boom ! / "What Did We Shoot Down ?" (2.15)
19. Shooting Lessons (.25)
20. Shooting Lessons (Alt. - .26)
21. "Your Old Friend, Travis Dane" (Source - 2.16)
22. "Still Smarter" (Source - 2.00)
23. Pentagon (1.05)
24. Intruder Discovered* (Ext. - 4.48)
25. Under The Train (.39)
26. Dead, Not Dead* (1.48)
27. Bait / Bomb (6.56)
28. Cliffhanging (1.21)
29. Recovered Disc (.58)
30. Countdown to Disaster* (Gates of Hell Pt.1 - 1.43)
31. Racing After The Train* (Gates of Hell Pt.2 - 2.10)
32. Ditching The Truck / Back On Board (1.11)
33. Saving Bobby* (Gates of Hell Pt.3 - .41)
34. Changing Tracks* (Gates of Hell Pt.4 - 1.13)
35. Target Shooting (2.15)
36. Hitting The Hostage Cars (2.11)
37. How To Fly (3.54)
38. Penn's Wish* (4.20)
39. Penn's Wish (Alt. - 4.20)
40. High-Tech Bullet / Head On (1.37)
41. Casey's Farewell / After The Train Has Gone* (3.51)
42. Casey's Farewell (Film Version) (1.28)

*Contains Previously Released Material

This adds up to 1:26:42. More than an hour of extra material.

The score to Under Siege 2: Dark Territory is some of the best pure action/adventure music ever written. Poledouris' comic-book interpretation with soaring themes for the hero and sinister motifs for the villains is undoubtedly the film's best quality (still a great movie in its own right though).

Varese Sarabande really ought to re-release this soundtrack at it's proper length as a helluva lot of music from the film is strangely not included. But this is still one awesome musical score that no action fan should be without. 5/5 no doubt.

The Score For Under Siege is a fair and good one. Poledouris uses a blend of a full orchestra and heavy synth music for this album. But a good mix goes great for this score. The first track is a brassy, powerfull patriotic theme. For the rest is a mixture of orchestra and synth.

Mainly the CD is chase music. Which some score fans don't like. But I enjoy most of this CD. The almost powerful victory theme at the end of the CD is great but flawed by a gospel song that Segal even wrote himself. For the exception of this, this CD is worth 4 stars.

As a semi-professional trumpet player, I can't say enough about how good the trumpet work is in this soundtrack. In my opinion, Basil Poledouris' work on this score is every bit as good as the more widely known work of John Williams. The lead trumpet parts consistently sore above the high-C range, yet the sound is smooth and powerful without becoming excessively piercing. The lead player handles the full range of this score with such ease and versatility, the casual listener would probably never realize how high the parts really go.

Basil's opening theme is indeed reminiscent of the U.S. Navy music mentioned by the reviewer from Texas. In fact, the piece he is referring to is called "Fanfare for the Common Man", and it has also been widely used in Olympic settings. Basil's theme begins in a nearly identical fashion, but then changes to soar higher and stronger than the piece it is based on. Basil demonstrates impressive versatility in his writing too by creating soft and tender music (Casey's Family) as well as hard-hitting, high-energy pieces (Compound Assault, Intruder Discovered, etc.) that are driven with riveting percussion work.

Steven Seagal's final song on this soundtrack (After the Train Has Gone) is undoubtedly the most criticized piece of the set, but I'm not sure this criticism is completely deserved. This tune exhibits such a stark contrast in genre from the rest of the soundtrack that it basically strikes the listener as being out of place. Whereas the rest of the tracks are non-vocal orchestral pieces, the final tune sounds more like a southern-style gospel choir tune. But if you are willing to accept this radical change in musical style, the piece is actually well done. It is not the genre of music that I listen to often, but it is as good as most of the other music I have heard in the genre.

Most times, sequels don't live up to the originals and the same can be said about some of the soundtracks. Even though I liked Under Siege better than Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, both were good movies. In the case of the soundtracks, both are quality soundtracks. Basil (who composed other soundtracks like 'Conan', 'Hunt for Red October', 'Starship Troopers' to name a few) composed a moving, action filled soundtrack that always keeps you waiting for the ending. I am very satisfied with this soundtrack as far as quality. The only real complaint I have is in length. The whole soundtrack is just under 28 minutes long leaving you wanting more.

The score for Under Siege II is ignored by most movie score fans mainly because most of them don't know that there is a score to that movie released. This however is my shortest movie score album yet clocking at 27:43. (Thank goodness I bought it used!) Anyway, it is a great soundtrack even for the short time given. It is missing many great cues from the movie but we have to thank Varese Sarabande for providing what they could for us. (It's expensive! ) Now for the score, the main title is very patriotic and reminds me of the music I saw on T.V. once advertising the U.S. Navy. It is a remarkably patriotic tune using lots of trumpet sound which I like. The rest of the album is fast paced action music with the main theme occurring here and there. Casey's Family however is a quiet cue showing the innocence of his niece in the movie. The use of synthesizers adds to the action and fast pace of the score. Now there is one flaw in this score and it is the song at the very end called After The Train Has Gone. Steven Seagal co-wrote it and did a lame job at it. The music business is one area he should stay away from. The score by Poledouris however is good so there's nothing to worry about. Overall it is a great score usually ignored by most movie score fans. Since it is so short, I personally recommend to buy it used like I did. If you can't find it used, order it through Amazon.com because chances are you won't find it in store anywhere.

As a semi-professional trumpet player, I can't say enough about how good the trumpet work is in this soundtrack. In my opinion, Basil Poledouris' work on this score is every bit as good as the more widely known work of John Williams. The lead trumpet parts consistently sore above the high-C range, yet the sound is smooth and powerful without becoming excessively piercing. The lead player handles the full range of this score with such ease and versatility, the casual listener would probably never realize how high the parts really go.

Basil's opening theme is indeed reminiscent of the U.S. Navy music mentioned by the reviewer from Texas. In fact, the piece he is referring to is called "Fanfare for the Common Man", and it has also been widely used in Olympic settings. Basil's theme begins in a nearly identical fashion, but then changes to soar higher and stronger than the piece it is based on. Basil demonstrates impressive versatility in his writing too by creating soft and tender music (Casey's Family) as well as hard-hitting, high-energy pieces (Compound Assault, Intruder Discovered, etc.) that are driven with riveting percussion work.

Steven Seagal's final song on this soundtrack (After the Train Has Gone) is undoubtedly the most criticized piece of the set, but I'm not sure this criticism is completely deserved. This tune exhibits such a stark contrast in genre from the rest of the soundtrack that it basically strikes the listener as being out of place. Whereas the rest of the tracks are non-vocal orchestral pieces, the final tune sounds more like a southern-style gospel choir tune. But if you are willing to accept this radical change in musical style, the piece is actually well done. It is not the genre of music that I listen to often, but it is as good as most of the other music I have heard in the genre.

It's just a real shame that this soundtrack is way too short at 28 minutes, considering that the complete score runs just over 80 minutes it's a pretty big rip-off. It's still worth the asking price though, that's how good it is. Basil Poledouris has created a score that is simultaneously patriotic and magical. The music accompanying Travis Dane torturing the info out of the 2 ATAC Captains (Access Codes) is way cool and the final fight between Ryback and Penn has ace music to go with it. Fans of "Fanfare for the Common Man" will love the rousing main theme.

The complete score runs as follows:

1. Main Title: Dark Territory (Alt. - 2.42)
2. Main Title: Dark Territory* (2.40)
3. Casey Ryback Returns (.45)
4. Casey's Family* (2.07)
5. Train Departure (.55)
6. Compound Assault* (1.49)
7. Family Regrets (1.00)
8. Helicopter Pursuit (.18)
9. The Hijacking (5.20)
10. Access Codes* (Ext. - 2.36)
11. Grazer One Accessed (1.09)
12. Grazer One Accessed (Alt. - 1.11)
13. View From The Reef (2.43)
14. Back In The Train (.25)
15. Demonstration of Grazer (2.07)
16. Demands (1.34)
17. Preparation / Restoring Power (1.10)
18. Fax / Boom ! / "What Did We Shoot Down ?" (2.15)
19. Shooting Lessons (.25)
20. Shooting Lessons (Alt. - .26)
21. "Your Old Friend, Travis Dane" (Source - 2.16)
22. "Still Smarter" (Source - 2.00)
23. Pentagon (1.05)
24. Intruder Discovered* (Ext. - 4.48)
25. Under The Train (.39)
26. Dead, Not Dead* (1.48)
27. Bait / Bomb (6.56)
28. Cliffhanging (1.21)
29. Recovered Disc (.58)
30. Countdown to Disaster* (Gates of Hell Pt.1 - 1.43)
31. Racing After The Train* (Gates of Hell Pt.2 - 2.10)
32. Ditching The Truck / Back On Board (1.11)
33. Saving Bobby* (Gates of Hell Pt.3 - .41)
34. Changing Tracks* (Gates of Hell Pt.4 - 1.13)
35. Target Shooting (2.15)
36. Hitting The Hostage Cars (2.11)
37. How To Fly (3.54)
38. Penn's Wish* (4.20)
39. Penn's Wish (Alt. - 4.20)
40. High-Tech Bullet / Head On (1.37)
41. Casey's Farewell / After The Train Has Gone* (3.51)
42. Casey's Farewell (Film Version) (1.28)

*Contains Previously Released Material

This adds up to 1:26:42. More than an hour of extra material.

The score to Under Siege 2: Dark Territory is some of the best pure action/adventure music ever written. Poledouris' comic-book interpretation with soaring themes for the hero and sinister motifs for the villains is undoubtedly the film's best quality (still a great movie in its own right though).

Varese Sarabande really ought to re-release this soundtrack at it's proper length as a helluva lot of music from the film is strangely not included. But this is still one awesome musical score that no action fan should be without. 5/5 no doubt.