The Edge

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Whether or not a score is blessed with a main theme, it is still a world of difference when actually listening to one that has it. Sometimes it is all what makes a score great to buy or to listen to at least. While The Edge is not a bad score, it simply is that this soundtrack has the theme that makes it great. And then you consider it, this score has the theme that makes it special. Overall, the score listens two parts like, first we have the heroic and epic theme that accompanies the bold adventurers on their journey and their dangerous experiences. And secondly we have the fierce angry theme that states the ultimate danger of their quest, the bear. Together it are these two themes that dominate the score and further nothing much to remember at the end. So, The Edge overall remains a good score but if it didn't have a great main theme like it has today, I wonder what people overall would have thought of it. I guess we will never know. The score does what it does best and opens the listening experience with the epic theme. Stated very grand in 'Lost in the Wild' and further in 'Mighty Hunter', 'The River' and the best track of the lot namely 'Rescued'. Here especially the theme receives the epic grandeur it should have gotten before. Still, if it did this from the start it would have felt out of place, so the choice is perfectly done by Goldsmith.

For the rest this score states the occasional background music but mostly it sets the tension and the danger lurking by. The bear which truly scares the living pants out of me in the movie receives a wonderful threatening tone that doesn't do much entertaining on the album, but wonderful things in the movie nonetheless. 'The Ravine' is probably the best tension style track because it also gives us action music with a purpose and the same fierce theme is stated further in 'Stalking' and 'Deadfall' (very fierce at times). All together it is this tone that sets apart The Edge in musical abilities. The last track is actually a rather peculiar lounge piece which states the theme on piano. While it feels out of place yes or no, it was perhaps composed just to have fun. Its easy to skip if you don't like it since it is found at the end of the soundtrack. This soundtrack is perhaps 38 minutes long but I feel this is more then enough. A longer score could have made the listening experience more boring and since this isn't the most profound Goldsmith score to date, I feel it is enough. The theme that makes the score special sometimes reminds me of First Contact and the tension style of The Ghost and the Darkness but that's it. It remains a standard Goldsmith score with all the tricks that makes a score work on screen. This movie is a welcome surprise and has a wonderful Anthony Hopkins, and solely inspired Jerry Goldsmith to write a theme that will be remembered long after the score has faded away.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Lost In The Wild (2.59) Excellent Track

2. The Ravine (4.35)

3. Birds (2.21)

4. Mighty Hunter (1.30)

5. Bitter Coffee (3.00)

6. Stalking (5.43)

7. Deadfall (6.12)

8. The River (2.18)

9. Rescued (6.01) Excellent Track

10. The Edge * (2.53)

* Performed by Mike Lang (Piano), Chuck Domanico (Bass) & Steve Schaeffer (Drums)

Total Length: 38.05

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=== Link to Composer Site: Jerry Goldsmith ===