Reviews -
Soundtrack
Label: New Line Records
Street Date: September 29th, 2009
1. Markets Crash
2. Main Titles
3. Freeway Chase
4.
Admit Something
5. Meteor
6. Metallo
7. High Voltage
8. Framed
9. Luthor Talks to Power Girl
10. S.T.A.R Labs /
Banshee & The Cold Crew / Mongul, Grundy, Grodd
11. Bounty
Hunters
12. No Surrender
13. Tornado Recovery
14. Trust
Your Instincts
15. Missle Launch
16. Luthor's Fix
17.
Shazam!
18. Luthor Shoots Up
19. Heroes In Disguise
20.
Toyman
21. Blast Off
22. Ultimate Sacrifice
23. A
Hero's Return
24. End Credits |
Synopsis: United States President Lex Luthor uses the
oncoming trajectory of a Kryptonite asteroid to frame Superman
and declare a $1 billion bounty on the heads of the Man of Steel
and his "partner in crime," Batman. Heroes and villains alike
launch a relentless pursuit of Superman and Batman, who must
unite - and recruit help - to stave off the action-packed
onslaught, stop the asteroid, and uncover Luthor's devious plot
to take command of far more than North America. The movie
features music by Christopher Drake (Wonder Woman, Batman:
Gotham Knight, Hellboy: The Science of Evil).
Review (James Harvey)
There's something
undeniably epic about Christopher Drake's score to Superman/Batman:
Public Enemies. It's rousing, it sounds triumphant, and it
has a recurring theme that allows this score to easily stand
above all the previous DC Universe Animated Original Movie
releases to date. Now, I've enjoyed them all, especially the
fascinating experimentation done with the Batman: Gotham
Knight score, which Drake also had a hand in, but there's
something different about Drake's work here. Currently available
to own on CD through Amazon, and via digital download through
iTunes, Drake's score to Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
creates some of his most exhilarating work to date in this
perfect compliment to the animated feature of the same name.
Returning for this second solo gig in the DC Universe
Animated Original Movie series, Drake definitely brings his "A"
game to the proceedings. Kicking things off with the ominous
opening track "Markets Crash", the soundtrack erupts quickly
through the "Main Titles" and then proceeds to build on itself,
similar to how the movie itself tries to constantly one-up
itself throughout the duration. Given the type of movie this
score accompanies, it only makes sense for the score to try and
build for the duration, at times allowing it to come down to
essentially 'catch it's breathe,' such as with the "Power Girl
talks to Luthor" track, but even that is laced with uncertainty
and danger. And, naturally, it's followed-up with the absolutely
booming "S.T.A.R Labs / Banshee & The Cold Crew / Mongul,
Grundy, Grodd ." We do get the lulls and quiet tracks, but the
majority of those tracks always seem to just have an enormous
burst that takes it someplace else completely. And, to be
honest, it's both a pro and a con, really.
It's a pro in
the way that there always seems to be an undercurrent of
anticipation and excitement. That, at any moment, one of the
tracks could just explode into a rousing score, and it does for
the most part, or catch you off-guard by going into a completely
unexpected direction, like "Toyman." It's a track that feels as
though it's going to build to something utterly expect, but then
turns into a playful jaunt. To me, this soundtrack is just an
enthralling listen. Which brings us to the con, and it's such a
small insignificant one. The score does run the risk of wearing
out as it gets closer to the end, and actually comes close, but
Drake thankfully knows when to bring it back before it becomes
too much. Track #22, "Hero's Sacrifice" gives us that last
bombastic burst of energy before closing things down with the
upbeat and reassuring "A Hero's Return." Now, "End Credits"
brings back the familiar themes and testosterone-driven
compositions, but that's to be expected of an "End Credits"
track, naturally. Drake is able to bring everything back just in
time to stop the listener from getting overwhelmed by such an
energetic, unrelenting score.
After all of that, for
whatever makes sense above, it'd be crazy to suggest this score
isn't a perfect match for Superman/Batman: Public Enemies.
It fits the premise, the characters, the over-the-top nature,
the summer blockbuster feel to it, all of it. I can't think of a
more suiting score for the DC Universe Animated Original Movies
than this one. Track #12, "No Surrender," is the track that
probably best encapsulates both the movie and soundtrack. It
just carries the main overall theme of the score, similar to
what we hear in "Main Titles" and repeated throughout the
album's hour-length, and amplifies it by adding an underlying
ominous sense of uncertainty.
Now, again, I have enjoyed
all the score releases for this line to date, but there's just
something that gives this score a leg-up when it comes to the
previous ones. It's like Drake found a way to mix his
epic-sounding score to Wonder Woman, mix in some of his
amazingly creepy work from Batman: Gotham Knight, toss in
some nice summer popcorn, and create something that just works
in every way. In fact, the track "Metallo" really reminds me of
the "Killer Croc / Hallucinations / Scarecrow Interrupted" track
from the Batman: Gotham Knight score. The ominous
touches, the epic battles, all of it just gels so nicely here,
fitting everything and actually helping the movie surpass
itself. Now, I could be imagining things, but I even get the
hint of Danny Elfman and in a few tracks, particularly when
Drake allows the track to just of stretch itself out toward the
end before quickly fading. It's built up and up, and then
quickly fades down, as if the music itself has run out of energy
and needs to catch it's breathe before going on.
After
listening to this score again and again, I am counting the days
until the CD release of Drake's Wonder Woman score,
scheduled for February 2010 from La-La Land Records. I'm sure
that will serve as a great companion piece to this current Superman/Batman:
Public Enemies score release from New Line Records. I find
Drake has really done a commendable job here, able to stir up so
many different melodies and just allow it to all crash together.
Whether it's a loud, aggressive track, highlighting a scene
where Batman and Superman fight for their lives, or a quiet
scene, as the devilish plots against our heroes start to come to
light, all of it works in unison so well. It does comes close to
the point of exhaustion toward the end, but Drake expertly knows
when to bring back to allow both the listener, and the music
itself, to breathe a sigh of relief at the end of another
dramatic adventure. Easily one of the best score for the DC
Universe Animated Original Movies line to date, this release
comes Highly Recommended.
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