The Scorpion King

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

It is stupid to tell you that a lot of people were looking forward to this score. Ever since John Debney scored a movie called CutThroat Island, people could only wonder why he didn't score more of that instead of the silly comedy route. And now, after all these years, we have seen why he is still good at it. The Scorpion King is the latest in the trilogy of Mummy movies, and represents the bad guy character "The Rock" as the good indestructible hero of Charles Russell's new epic adventure tale. And just after the footsteps of Jerry Goldsmith and Alan Silvestri walks John Debney, with a different approach but with the same epic bombast of CutThroat Island. It is fair to say that loudspeakers are a minimum when playing this score, since they hardly stand still during it. The Scorpion King is by no means as good as the first two but has things worth knowing about, especially if you still consider that John Debney was after all in to pop music before his film music career began. His blending of the pop / heavy metal genre with a rousing orchestra and a full blooded choir is all what separates The Scorpion King of either different Mummy score. And since people seem to accept that approach, they will stand still with the sheer complex bravura of the Studio Symphony Orchestra, something we didn't want any other way.

Varèse Sarabande once more released the almighty goods at us with a forty minute release. Still, one of its negative points I find is the listening experience. It is good but since the time is not exactly grand, I still consider The Mummy and The Mummy Returns to be the better listening experiences, and those two culminate over 60 minutes of running time. Perhaps it has also got to do with the actual composed score and (frequently) the time of the track itself that kinda makes it hard to fully appreciate during the listening experience. Anyway, when you want orchestral bombast, you have come to the right address. Things start rocking with 'Boo!', a track that is quite different because it is almost a heavy metal piece, with the electric guitars wailing over the course of the orchestral / choral play. Still, it is effective in its nature and quite interesting to digest. One of the things though that people complain about with John Debney is that they never know his particular style, and I a way I seem to find out what they mean. 'Night Attack' is a good track (with Debney obviously performing one of the guitars in the begin) but later explodes briefly with a rousing adventure piece, just as Goldsmith's The Mummy did. Furthermore we have the ethnic vocal that is reminiscent to a degree of Gladiator in 'Vision of Doom' and 'The Cave' is above else a track that is both dissonant at times but equally strange when suddenly The Matrix like strings are whooshing over the speakers.

Wait, there is more. A distinct Newton Howard moment is noticed in 'Balthazar's Camp' when without nowhere The Fugitive's chase standards are picked up. Of course that other tracks sometimes states The Mummy Returns is nothing to be bad about. 'Valley of the Dead' has that same adventurous rush about it and is with the choral boost a dream of a short track. Further, 'Die Well Assassin' is definitely the loudest kicking track on the CD and culminates immense complex orchestral writing and choral power (the choir overlapping the continuous orchestral play). A main theme is not that present. There is of course one and is heard in 1, 5, 8, 12 and 14 and is enjoyable but not that memorable as say the one of CutThroat Island. So, The Scorpion King is not reaching the standards of either CutThroat Island, The Mummy nor The Mummy Returns but is in itself a wonderful bombast soundtrack. Debney still knows how to rock a score to its might volume and this score is an example of sheer magnitude. I definitely recommend this release to Debney fans, since they had to wait long time for this. And anyone who loves orchestral and choral fury in a mighty doses will do just fine with it. Just keep an eye on the heavy metal style, on the listening experience at times and on the various temp (influenced) styles and The Scorpion King will keep you carrying that wicked smile for days to come.

\µµµ1/2/

Tracks

Single Disc

1. Boo! (1.28)

2. Main Titles (1.40)

3. Night Attack (3.57)

4. Vision Of Doom (1.05)

5. Pickpockets (2.44)

6. Valley Of The Dead (2.14) Excellent Track

7. The Cave (3.39)

8. Mathyus Arises (1.28)

9. Balthazar's Camp (5.10)

10. I Had A Vision (2.37)

11. I've Come For The Woman (3.27)

12. Die Well Assassin (3.44) Excellent Track

13. Balthazar Arrives (3.10)

14. The Scorpion King (3.27)

Total Length: 39.59

The use of artwork or photos is posted for non profitable reasons

=== Link to Composer Site: John Debney ===