Medal of Honor: Underground (Video Game Score)

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

There is an old saying: "if it ain't broke don't fix it" and this counts twice for Dreamworks. They created a series of games that enhance the thrill and re produce the ideas of Steven Spielberg. And they make sure we witness the talent of Michael Giacchino, a composer that deserves more recognition and specifically a bigger audience. The Medal of Honor series have reached the second installment with Underground, taking the war records closer to the end of WW2 with concentrating on the French resistance and the fight to uphold Paris from the bombings and burn that Hitler intended in the first place. Michael Giacchino answers by adding more color, more emotional power and with a less then adequate bombastic score, he instead offered us a rather emotional colorful and heroic musical palette to underscore the main character of the story, Manon Batiste, a volunteer resistance fighter. The score starts with 'May 10th, 1940' where the threatening tones of the Nazi theme are heard for the first time, this theme is the only surviving asset that Giacchino used to make a link with its predecessor. Instead of a noble fanfare he reacted with a touching typically French heroic theme for Manon, supported through accordion and a Resolve theme that is captured through the Seattle boys choir, especially this theme will make much more impact through time and is a highlight per se. The impressive choral back up will attract more attention in the following tracks by the way.

'The Streets of Paris' and 'Amongst the Dead' offer rather dark and threatening music, the first mentioned ends with a variation on the resolve theme, sounding not to different from the 'Luke & Leia theme' of John Williams' Star Wars in the end and the second begins with pure tones straight out of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Things become more hectic and more action paced with 'Fleeing the Catacombs' and 'Panzer Blockade' but nothing that resembles Medal of Honor's pure bombastic force. There are some background cues were not much really happens including 'The Road to Tobruk' (stating the theme for track 7), 'Passage to Iráklion' and 'Ascent to the Castle', Giacchino simply builds on tension or on other smaller themes but the better moments include the faster action moments. 'Escape from Casablanca' offering a sub theme that is brought to life with maracas, tambourine and other various instruments, together they bring a rather upbeat but enjoyable piece of music. There is more fun when we reach the half of the score, there is more specific color that adds something I haven't seen yet with the Medal of Honor serial scores, beauty. First we have another sub theme in 'Labyrinth of the Minotaur' that gets a pure spine tingling performance when the choir joins in. Still the best trio to find on Medal of Honor Underground are 'Last Rites', 'Battle of Monte Cassino' and 'The Motorcycle Chase', the first offers the most beautiful music of the series so far, Giacchino creates a stunning magical piece to support a medieval church, and here we discover what a boys choir can add of depth and beauty. Still their best performance is found during the second up mentioned track, here the boys choir sings in Latin during the action music of Giacchino, it is really nothing you've ever heard before. It is unexpected but a welcome one.

The last up mentioned piece offers us pure complex but excellent action music. The last two tracks deliver pure frenetic music where the orchestral music really explodes in pace and power, adding the robust sound we discovered in the first. There are of course added bonus tracks included starting with a song to replace the jazz piece of the first, the alternate version of the main theme and the song heard as a radio broadcast, and ending is the hidden video clip of the game, here you discover how well the main theme works as a part of the visuals on screen. In a way there is a pack entertainment missing that the first Medal of Honor made so good but the second offers more color, a vast amount of music that rises in beauty and mystical awe and especially more complex action music. Giacchino adds more instruments to locate the setting of the game, but you can not deny that Medal of Honor Underground still offers a pack of highlights. They make the serial score a special one and the performance of the Seattle Boys choir makes the sequel an intriguing listen on it's own. Giacchino admirers and Medal of Honor fans are bound to find worthy material to discover over and over again. In a way there is much more to discover through Giacchino's constant variations and sub themes and it makes the listen meanwhile a interesting piece on it's own. Medal of Honor Underground doesn't reach the ultimate entertaining limits where the first one belongs, but maintains to add some musical compositions worth investigating in, and that includes also the likes of those big hot shots of the producing firms that keep missing the undeniable talents of movie making, those that are worth investigating in!

\ľľľľ/

Tracks

Single Disc

1. May 10th, 1940 (Main Theme) (4.28) Excellent Track

2. The Streets Of Paris (3.48)

3. Amongst The Dead (3.15)

4. Fleeing The Catacombs (3.06)

5. Panzer Blockade (3.18)

6. The Road To Tobruk (3.21)

7. Escape From Casablanca (3.17) Excellent Track

8. Passage To Iráklion (3.38)

9. Labyrinth Of The Minotaur (3.13) Excellent Track

10. Ascent To The Castle (3.22)

11. Last Rites (3.31)

12. Battle Of Monte Cassino (3.13) Excellent Track

13. The Motorcycle Chase (4.16) Excellent Track

14. Returning To Paris (3.22)

15. Beneath The City (3.06)

16. Each Night He Comes Home To Me * (3.51)

17. May 10th, 1940 (Alternate Version) (4.18)

18. Er Lässt Mich Niemals Allein (OSS Radio Broadcast) (4.33)

Bonus Track

19. Movie Clip Of The Game (1.05)

* Music by Michael Giacchino, Lyrics by Scott Langteau, Vocals by Bettina Spier

Total Length: 66.50

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

=== Link to Composer Site: Michael Giacchino ===