Open Web Player
Harry Gregson-Williams is one of my favorite composers. His music has been a part of my life since I discovered him as a youngster and I always look forward to his scores. He is is without a doubt one of the best action composers out there yet still manages to create epic masterpieces like Kingdom Of Heaven. He can switch from orchestral to electronic with the drop of a dime and has one of the most recognizable styles in the industry. Like it or not we're in the midst of the remake/reboot era of Hollywood. I just go with it. If the remake is forgettable (The Thing) then people forget it, but if it's good (Let Me In) then people embrace it. Just reminding folks that it's okay to love both the original and the remake, no one is forcing anyone to choose. While Jerry Goldsmith left huge shoes to fill I can't imagine Harry Gregson-Williams would even consider trying to follow those footsteps. This incarnation of Total Recall is how Harry Gregson-Williams would have approached it even if there was no original, and it's really good.
The score is actually one of the more complete feeling scores from Harry that I've heard in a while. This isn't a carbon copy of one of his Tony Scott scores, but it shares a similar soundscape for what he builds for Tony's films. While I loved Arthur Christmas I felt that Cowboys Vs. Aliens was lacking the Harry elements that I loved. Fear not, Harry fans as this score delivers. This is an electronic-heavy score with subtle orchestral accents. It's perfect for the film. The propulsive nature of the score keeps the energy high as Harry adds accents and textures to the soundscape. Lots of it reminded me of his score for Metal Gear Solid 2. There is a fullness to the music and a richness that prevents it from being just background action noise. While Harry's scores are never "noise", I have heard some recent action scores that sort of fade away into the background. The music is also stamped with his personal touches all over, which I love. It just feels like a full-bodied Harry Gregson-Williams score. It has all the fun elements, but there is a seriousness to it as well. It's definitely not a throwaway summer score. There are plenty standout tracks that embody the film and give the score an identity. The score is big and actually has a pretty epic third act. The music becomes quite grand and we get a sense of awe at certain points. The emotion is there, the bigness is there and in the end it becomes an extremely memorable experience.
Total Recall ranks close up there with scores like Spy Game and The Rundown. Harry crafts a superb action score with plenty of emotional touches that come to fruition in the final act. This is no throwaway summer score but rather displays a finely crafted soundscape for an intense sci-fi ride. This is Harry Gregson-Williams firing on all cylinders and I loved every moment.
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