Michael Giacchino helms this first-ever
orchestral score for a console video game. What had to have been even more
nerve-racking for this project was that he would be treading over territory
that John Williams himself had previously scored for. Indeed, how could one
hope to compete with the scores for Jurassic Park and The Lost
World: Jurassic Park? Well, instead of trying to copy the feel and mood
of those two scores, Giacchino took the franchise and shaped it into his own
style, which I believe was the perfect approach for this project.
The differences between Williams mood and
Giacchino's mood is evident from the very first track. Evidently heralding
the heroine, Sarah Harding, the piece is a triumphant fanfare that keeps
building until the end. It is an excellent track, and actually is a tad
disappointing since that great fanfare reappears only once thereafter in
track fifteen. It is also a little misleading as it is generally light in
tone and off track from the rest of the score. Still, the music generally
stays lighter that Williams' score to The Lost World. There are
numerous other themes in addition to Sarah Harding's and Giacchino really
knows how to twist his themes in a variety of entertaining ways. Rarely is a
theme played the same way twice. The "jungle instruments" are
present, and used very effectively. While I'm not absolutely sure, some of
the darker, atmospheric tracks sound totally synth. There is some synth
utilized in the normal orchestral tracks, but a couple of cues sound totally
synth. Whether this is true or not, they don't really detract as they are well
arranged in tone with the rest of the score.
This is an excellent score for a console video
game, and I really hope DreamWorks continues to use true orchestral scores
for their video games. Giacchino has delivered an exciting work that, while
in his own style, is still Williams-esque nevertheless. ****1/2
