Windtalkers

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Originally slated for release in 2001, but scheduled back to 2002 due to the terrorists attacks on the United States, Windtalkers is John Woo's own tale of war. Not that I have any preconceptions about him giving balletic vistas with pigeons, but the film is still something I have to see before I can recommend it or not. About the score, it seems to be a whole different matter. Whether a regular composer is writing the material, people will always have a touchy feeling about James Horner. The man is obviously at home on the war drama (Enemy at the Gates, Glory, Courage Under Fire and to think of the wonderful stuff he wrote for battle scenes such as in Braveheart and Legends of the Fall). So the choice is definitely reserved and earned. However, with Horner you get criticisms and lots more where that came from. The first impressions were obviously negative, as this score listened like a boring brick wall that didn't go anywhere. I must confess, my initial hope wasn't terribly set on Windtalkers, but the score did became through that way better then I first imagined. Not that it is a new masterpiece of Jimmy, but several things have convinced me in saying honestly to all the people: "It is not Horner's music that destroys the experience but something else."

The big problem I'm beginning to face with a lot of Horner scores is the length of the album. 66 minutes for a score that could have won more hearts with 45 is simply not justified. No wonder people call it boring. This score repeats at times the same standard of tone that in the end of 66 minutes, it becomes tiresome. However, to my great joy and overwhelming surprise, there is a minimum of stealing. While the first track didn't directly promise much (since it basically states the theme of The Perfect Storm), it is the overall lack of true plagiarism that makes Windtalkers at least on that part promising for the future. The Navajo language and the initial code talkers are represented by faint glimpses of either ethnic voices in begin and end or through flutes that appear just now and then. 'Navajo Dawn' uses this sole vocal in the begin and states later several better known ideas, such as the theme from The Perfect Storm, the evil four note motif that luckily appears on slim basis and the begin music of Aliens (a la Khachaturian) that feels much heavier in its weight. Also a surprise is the initial action music that is quite non thematic. It surprises me that they are chaotic moodsetters that receive on times minimum melodic display. 'Marine Assault' is probably the most chaotic example of this known fact. And as usual, this score is stuck during the middle, tracks 7, 8 and 9 couldn't keep me on big interesting waves of passion during the initial listens.

However, I am extremely glad to note that the actual main theme is quite refreshing and because of that interesting and good to enjoy. Appearing for the first time in an utterly soft version during the first minute of 'A New Assignment', it further notifies itself because of its different structure. It is not a big theme per se but because I thought at first that the stolen theme of The Perfect Storm was the actual main theme, it has grown on me very much. The moments where it receives the attention with horns are outstanding. 'Taking the Beachhead' and 'Calling to the Wind' are what makes the score different from other Horner scores. Windtalkers isn't an action score and it isn't a hack job. It is in fact dramatically dark and not that boring, because it sounds different from what I expected in the first place. In a way this makes it on times more interesting than Enemy at the Gates, but I still say on times. Again, this score could have worked so easily with a 45 minute release. Now, it is an average listening experience with a surprising original non Horner approach. In the sense of hearing a 45 minute release, it could have lured me to listen to it a bit more often. Hopefully record companies should see this as a thing to make soundtracks better in their experience, not their impression. Windtalkers still remains a surprising different catch of the Horner cannon of last years. I think it can please those fans of him and those that dig the usual of him. While not overwhelming in pride and definitely in thematic tone, it still remains quite interesting to digest its new sound. Of course from what you can understand as new when it concerns James Horner.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Navajo Dawn (7.54)

2. A New Assignment (4.37)

3. An Act Of Heroism (5.58)

4. Taking The Beachhead (6.16)

5. 'First Blood' Ceremony (2.08)

6. The Night Before (3.32)

7. Marine Assault (5.40)

8. Losses Mounting (5.06)

9. Friends In War (7.55)

10. A Sacrifice Never Forgotten (7.10)

11. Calling To The Wind (10.33)

Total Length: 66.57

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