The Missing

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

In a minimum of months, James Horner was releasing one score after another and I guess everyone will pick his own favorite in the end, some people perhaps the ethnic and original Beyond Borders, perhaps others the bleak and dark outing of House of Sand and Fog, and perhaps those that like more the ethnic sprinkles of Legends of the Fall with a more Indian chanting whoosh ala Thunderheart and that in a more orchestral setting, The Missing. Then people will easily respond to this score, once again a CD running to the brink of 80 minutes. And once again a soundtrack that has all Horner trademarks, meaning the familiar orchestration and instruments, the same ending tones or the exact moves in musicality or basically slightly altered but in the end rip off themes of himself. I guess Horner will never change by now and The Missing is an example of what could have been, yet what was lost because of those familiarities. The Missing in the end has the theme of Bicentennial Man, Braveheart, call it what you will and it appears regularly throughout the score, and so fanbase haters will digest this one good and hard again. But what The Missing does perhaps best of all is, the listening experience which promises some respite because of the underscore which was expected but not because it sounds dreaded and long (like for instance A Beautiful Mind) or The Four Feathers. And that the score ends really big, with perhaps familiar Horner things all the same, but we like them and accept them because they sound riveting. I guess The Missing isn't the missing treasure of Horner's career because we are at the middle of his work already (and we encountered already Legends of the Fall) but still the same, I like this more then The Four Feathers, House of Sand and Fog, A Beautiful Mind, basically Horner's more recent affair.

But of course, we have the more background or in the end less interesting picks too on this CD, because an 80 minute release can't pack completely 80 minute interest all the same, and so can't the film by the way. So tracks like 'A Dark and Restless Wind' which contains some ethnic wailing chants and 'A Curse of Ghosts' which too has the chants but this added with a moody background are to pick and like, while the rest covers these moments too but with something added to that list. The score opens with 'New Mexico, 1885', bringing a mystifying opening with light choir and solo ethnic vocals before the flute solo reminds us to the love theme of Braveheart and Bicentennial Man. This theme by the way will reappear a whole lot during this 75 minute encore. 'The Stranger' begins exactly as Legends of the Fall started with one of its tracks, meaning it could swap placex like that. It is actually one of the later tracks that stirs up the first spice in the sauce, with 'The Brujo's Storm / A Loss of Innocence' containing the wailing vocals and the ethnic instruments but here the main theme receives a more fast paced heroic slight edge along with the brass turning around it, as ever Horner does it the same way. But naturally once he states the theme more softly and elegant, it basically states it note for note ala Bicentennial Man and you can't help but feel your once more on the same wagon again of criticism. 'Setting the Trap / Staying one Step Ahead ...' uses this theme in a suspension building and therefore is easily appreciated as well. Not like for instance 'Lilly's Fate is in These Hands' which has the mood and light percussion and is so quiet at a specific time, its rather boring to pay attention at it. Then rather the main theme on flute and strings being performed lovely in 'The Search Begins', but each one his pick I guess.

I guess its fair to say that 'Kayitah's Death / The Soaring Hawk' has the start of the good music, with first some dark dramatic strings gliding together, with a vocal for the emotion. Its not weepy and neither grand Horner stuff, but its the start that leads to other and better things. And that is 'Rescue and Breakout', finally Horner doing the same old main theme but somewhat differently, furious action music surrounding it ala Clear and Present Danger, and it uses the main theme at its fullest potential. The track of power. The drama main theme in 'Profound Loss' and light choir with light tension building in 'An Insurmountable Hurdle' leads way to the Horner finale as ever with more then 10 minutes to spare. For one, I imagined 'The Long Ride Home' was going to be too long, because the long tracks didn't really work but this one is different. It starts with action, dark and threatening, vocals of the choir and some bells up the wazoo (the threatening action music resembles those heard in Aliens) but then it shifts to fanfares, relieving ones concerning the main theme of Bicentennial Man, frankly speaking a worthy big finale. Altogether this might not mean much once you heard something in this vein but better (people have said this resembles Legends of the Fall which is true) and so The Missing can't tip to that one. However, I like Horner doing more his orchestral outing with flashes or tracks as large as the action music here. Perhaps not anymore the Horner we knew and love from his most successful period but I guess that is unacceptable to ask of him that now. The scores we love returning too are the ones we treasure the most, scores like today we have to accept and love because of the moments when he does it original or at least exciting. The Missing is that on specific times and I'm glad they are found at the end, because the rating goes up for the final feeling more then the one we had at the start.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. New Mexico, 1885 (2.26)

2. The Stranger (3.51)

3. Dawn To Dusk; The Riderless Horse (4.22)

4. A Dark And Restless Wind (3.18)

5. The Search Begins (2.15)

6. Lilly's Fate Is In These Hands (6.43)

7. The Brujo's Storm / A Loss Of Innocence (8.30)

8. Setting The Trap / Staying One Step Ahead ... (3.55)

9. A Curse Of Ghosts (4.43)

10. A Rescue Is Planned (6.17)

11. Kayitah's Death / The Soaring Hawk (4.24)

12. Rescue And Breakout (3.23) Excellent Track

13. Profound Loss (3.22)

14. An Insurmountable Hurdle (3.45)

15. The Long Ride Home (16.12) Excellent Track

Total Length: 77.37

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=== Link to Composer Site: James Horner ===