Home   //   A-L    //   M-Z   //   Composers   //    Awards

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Why oh why does Trevor Jones keeps scoring so good? I mean that he is perhaps along with David Newman the most underrated composer, bringing music that the fans like and that the film needs to make it better than before. Of course in the case of this movie, it didn't need to make the film good because it was already great but just like good film music needs to do, it made it better and created just fantasy and magic. Trevor Jones also had The London Symphony Orchestra to guide him through the path and their result is witnessed in the last tracks. More, at even 52 minutes this score has plenty of good material and a winning song that follows its course superbly. Still, I can't be but disappointed as to why The Mighty didn't receive a nomination because think what you may of Trevor Jones, he might not bring fully stimulating stuff (the scores do contain some background music) but when accounted, he brings some of the best music of the year, performed by the best orchestra of the planet. It makes The Mighty a joy and a great listen, more it captures fantasy and magic and has some of the best tracks ever composed by the South African.

First of all, The Mighty has a lot in common with Merlin from the same year. The magical quality, the notion that it both captures tales of knights and dragons and the idea that it uses the mystical dream land as the tension rhythms of both Merlin and Dark City. The song itself, which follows the path of Jones' score is very good and was rightfully nominated for best song, but perhaps misses diversity at the end. The score itself starts perhaps not strong in volume but definitely strong in thematic sense, with a 5 minute track that uses practically all the uplifting themes of the score. And while both tracks 3 and 4 are of dreamy quality, they still make sense during the film. And more difference is noted in the following tracks with a piano movement and a dark passage when the boy's father enters the screen. But most people will pay special attention to the last tracks of the score. First of all the threatening tension of Merlin, Dark City and Thirteen Days repeats itself again here, for instance underdeveloped in 'Danger by the Lake' (with menacing choral work) and full in 'The Mighty Quest', a 14 minute giant of a track. Yet, what people may say of these good tracks of music, nothing can set your emotions straight before a 18 minute super suite takes center stage, with full emotion, pure heroism and utter bouncy lightness.

'My Noble Knight' is a supreme emotional climax which uses violins at their most emotional while a boy's choir gives it a heart to cry at. And 'Free to Fly' is the sensational finisher of the score with giant fanfares (especially when the knights notice the flying bird in the wood the music is fantastic). Together, all this makes that The Mighty is filled with minimum 25 minutes of supreme music, and the rest is thematically light, dark or dreamy. It never really bores and the time is just right because 20 minutes more and you've got the same thing as Merlin, simply too much of the underscore and background material. Trevor Jones' fans or those wanting to experience a tale of bravery and emotions are at the right address because this is exactly what Jones gave it, a heart and a dare. I then also recommend the score in the movie, because everything what sounded less in the score will become much in the movie, making perhaps Trevor Jones the magician when it concerns creating the feel of the movie (along with Horner of course). The Mighty is without resounding to clichés a mighty score.

\µµµµ/

1. The Mighty: Sting (3.46)

2. Past Times (5.02)    Excellent Track

3. Dreaming Clouds (2.18)

4. First Flight (2.08)

5. Life's Rough (3.54)

6. Danger By The Lake (3.12)

7. City Walkers (1.42)

8. The Mighty Quest (14.44)

9. My Noble Knight (8.15)    Excellent Track

10. Free To Fly (4.31)    Excellent Track

11. Future Times (2.36)    Excellent Track

Total Length: 52.14

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

=== Link to Composer Site: Trevor Jones ===

Original Soundtrack by Trevor Jones
Original song by Sting

Produced by by Trevor Jones

Orchestrations by Trevor Jones, Geoffrey Alexander & Julian Kershaw

Performed by The London Symphony Orchestra

Also See:

• Merlin