Alex Rider: Stormbreaker

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Composer Alan Parker hasn't been noticed that easily in Hollywood, because apart from the stupid Jaws 3-D and the lovely What's Eating Gilbert Grape, he just hasn't warmed up audiences as much as he'd hoped. That has changed for the new generation because with Alex Rider: Stormbreaker he jumped on the wagon of teenage spy flicks ala Teen Agent and Agent Cody Banks, meaning the James Bond for kids. The first of I bet many movies to come, Alex Rider: Stormbreaker wasn't that badly accepted when it entered the critic's minds and ears. Now, with that small success, Alan Parker made sure he had to tackle the sound of the movie the way it needs to be heard in teenage action flicks. And that is with a beat to keep things going smooth and fast while brass must keep things rollicking of adventure. So Alex Rider: Stormbreaker was born and it became a score I easily accepted for being the fun counterpart to the serious Casino Royale. Never mind the phrase 'if you like it the first time through there isn't much to discover' because sometimes you don't need a point to enjoy something and this soundtrack is just fun, pure entertainment ala Sahara. It comes out of the blue without you ever knowing or expecting something from it and apart from the better Sahara, Alex Rider gives you more than a half hour to warm up to it, and in the end even like it. The songs that are mixed through the score sections vary from good to normal and they fit the genre well. 'Blame' is the best, has a spy feel surrounding it and sounds very recognizable for the teens of today. 'On the Road' and 'Good to Be Here' are more rock song insertions with loads of electric guitars while 'Hey Kid' is just like an Avril Lavigne song, only sung by male artists. The only problem lies with 'Chinese Burn (Lunatic Calm Mix)' and if that is the calm mix I sure don't want to find out the loud mix because for 7 minutes nothing but beats beat this cue to the death.

The score by Alan Parker is mixed through all that and for one reason it sure refreshes the mood from time to time, otherwise hearing the score without any interruptions is always a winning attitude. We start with 'Uncle Ian' and its immediately fun with the beats being surrounded by an orchestral suspense feel, partly heroic in its feel and drive. Uncle Ian's part phrase returns in 'When the Doorbell Rings' which is heard in diverse touching ways through strings and piano. 'Breakers Yard Fight' with its electronic bounces, 'Over London' with its cool solo vocal over the electronics, 'Kill Him' with a cymbal moody underscore and 'Into the Lion's Den' with a sinister based mood yet with an up tempo attitude sure makes the more moodier score heard. With the rest luckily Parker can stretch his mighty heroic wings and 'Bicycle Chase' is the first sign of the heroic main theme layered around enjoyable suspense before 'Get Me Out of Here' lets the theme go completely nuts for heroism, when even added choral effects and a blazing performance at the end makes you revisit those first time Sahara feelings of wonderful heroic music. 'At Sayle Tower' has exotic percussion and a heroic theme version in middle and end while the 'You Don't Belong to my World' track is covering partly the heroic subtheme on strings and piano. Together song and score mesh well but its Alan Parker's bouncy teenage attitude and adventure heroics that steal the show at the end easily. Its always nice to get an easy flowing album once and a while and apart from some dead underscore moments, the beats hardly quit and the theme is a simple yet extremely catchy ditty that you will whistle for days to come. In the line of Agent Cody Banks, Alex Rider: Stormbreaker is equally successful in its heroic parts and there lies the quality I love, if you compose adventure music make sure its centered around a theme you love instantly, like Sahara Alan Parker created just that.

Score: ***1/2
Songs: ***

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Blame: Transluzent (4.17)

2. Uncle Ian (1.35)

3. On The Road: Rooster (3.40)

4. When The Doorbell Rings (1.55)

5. Bicylce Chase (2.50) Excellent Track

6. Chinese Burn (Lunatic Calm Mix): Curve (7.24)

7. Breakers Yard Fight (1.19)

8. Over London (1.54)

9. Into The Lion's Den (6.41)

10. Alright Alright: Sahara Hotnights (2.06)

11. Kill Him (4.34)

12. Get Me Out Of Here (4.48) Excellent Track

13. Science Museum (4.30)

14. Hey Kid: Matt Willis (3.37)

15. At Sayle Tower (3.13)

16. You Don't Belong To My World (2.03)

17. Good To Be Here: Rooster (3.40)

18. Be My Saviour: Colin MacIntyre (4.08)

Total Length: 64.37

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