Paycheck

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

With more examples then any other, John Powell is growing consistently to become the number one fun composer on my list. Fun in the sense that Powell knows how to have a good time while transcending that idea to the listener of his soundtracks. There have been many examples of that idea, but each year he pulls one more out of his hat. And while non released or not, they were noticed by the fans during the films of that choice. Action, animation or spy, they all share one thing. The Powell energy sound. From the start of Antz, the exhilaration of Chicken Run to today, energy is his key to success. This also makes Powell such a master of comedy too since it has more to do with rhythm and fun themes there. All keys to Powell's successful career. A career which started with John Woo's Face/Off. And to follow that career like wise, Powell is back at it scoring Paycheck, the other Woo film of late. The movie hasn't been particularly successful and whether this had got do with basically Affleck and his non stop controversy over Jennifer Lopez' relationship or basically being an average film is still unclear. But John Powell isn't to ridiculed in that list, since Paycheck comes of being a slick listen, a fun score, a Powell key bag of tricks. The score bases around a spy attitude again and this didn't change because Agent Cody Banks, The Italian Job and The Bourne Identity were all in the same manner so to speak. But Paycheck adds to that some tracks who dare to challenge any David Arnold Bond score of late. I appreciated many of Arnold's scores of the Bond franchise but Powell is equally adept at doing this thing and since many people want Edward Shearmur to score the next Bond films, there is one person even more ready for it, and that is John Powell.

He adds the spy tone, the electronic side of his gadgets and the adventure blazes of action into one such design, Paycheck at times could listen exactly as the next Bond score. But things aside, the score on its own has a lot to like. While not exactly covering A main theme, there are several themes joining forces with the underscore and overscore, and that is the ticket of this soundtrack. 'Main Title' opens with innovative strings and some hi tech sound effects giving it that futuristic feel, only to be interrupted by the piano motif and the theme of Rachel through it. '20 Items' moves along a bit like Just Visiting's bridge music with a playful touch and through it again the theme for Rachel briefly appears. 'Wolfe Pack' is one of the great action pieces that revolves more around its energy, pace and slick attitude. Nonetheless the horns ala The Matrix (which appear in any score nowadays) are effective and the ending with great brass fanfares is a breeze. 'Imposter' brings back the piano and the mystery tones of the previous tracks, exploding briefly with trumpets at the end, making way for the duo packed entertainment of this score. 'Hog Chase Part 1' introduces the energy and the inventive tone of this score, but this only is repeated but with ten times the class in 'Hog Chase Part 2', where an adventure theme so fun creates the real talent of this score. Here the Bond like signatures are all over the place and it ends with a lovely version of Rachel's theme. Rachel's theme is really appearing a lot but you don't notice it always, partly stated at the end of track 9 and in strings after the explosion in 'Tomorrow's Headlines'.

The two longest tracks 'Future Tense' and 'Fait Accompli' are the final bulk of this score, with the second being the best. 'Future Tense' returns the playful attitude of the second track and an exploding part of movie scoring after 3.20. It doesn't bring back the thematic power of track 8 but its fun nonetheless with its futuristic feel of the strings and occasional brass fanfares. However the finish of 'Fait Accompli' is to be appreciated more the times you hear it. 'Rachel's Party' brings back the theme of Rachel in a fitting classical string version, being lovely especially with cello. Paycheck is one of those scores that needs only 1 try to appreciate the fresh, innovative and complex look of its tone. But it needs more tries to actually also like it as listening experience. In the end Paycheck is all good fun and a terrific example of John Powell's abilities if we still were questioning those. Its more advanced then people would have expected, its more thematic then The Bourne Identity and its more loaded with blazing statements of themes then The Italian Job, but all those scores were forebodings of what to come in Woo's movie and its definitely a top class score if you compare it with several scores of him in the past. It just oozes such more potential and dare then the electronic assaults of Face/Off, a score that also had its benefits. Nonetheless Paycheck proves many things, it also takes me back to the Powell we love, with fun theme statements and an orchestral blazing feel at times. It also reaffirms my fate I once had in Powell in doing the right thing. I've always enjoyed his scores (except The Bourne Identity) but now he tries to be inventive with an orchestra and with themes. And that is the Powell I appreciate the most.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Main Title (3.10)

2. 20 Items (2.53)

3. Wolfe Pack (2.54) Excellent Track

4. Crystal Balls (2.09)

5. Mirror Message (3.37)

6. Imposter (3.53)

7. Hog Chase Part 1 (3.13) Excellent Track

8. Hog Chase Part 2 (4.04) Excellent Track

9. I Don't Remember (1.28)

10. Tomorrow's Headlines (4.02)

11. Future Tense (7.14)

12. Fait Accompli (6.09) Excellent Track

13. The Finger (0.33)

14. Rachel's Party (2.47)

Total Length: 48.08

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=== Link to Composer Site: John Powell ===