Wing Commander

Wing Commander

Music Composed by Kevin Kiner

Wing Commander Theme Composed by David Arnold

Orchestrated and Conducted by Nicholas Dodd

Produced by David Arnold, Kevin Kiner, and Mark Evans

Release Date: 1999

Purchase this CD at:

     While the Wing Commander movie may have turned out to be nothing less then bad filmmaking at its best (or worst depending on how you look at it), the score turned out to be pretty good. Not that it is a masterpiece of music, but more in that it is one of the most fun scores to listen to that I’ve heard in a long time.

     It helps in that my favorite "young buck" composer, David Arnold, wrote the main theme that keeps in the same style as Independence Day. Arnold scored the first track, which introduces the main theme and spins in through a couple of different renditions. Kevin Kiner, who has worked with Arnold before and generated Arnold-type music for Stargate SG-1, composed the rest of the score. Fortunately for us, Kiner continually uses the main theme and expands on it throughout the rest of the score. Action music is what this album has going for it. Yes, there are breaks from it here and there, but even though Kiner’s quieter cues aren't too bad, they're nothing special. Some people have expressed annoyance at the guitar featured in track 11, but I found it to be acceptable and in keeping with the onscreen action.

     If you’re an Arnold fan, or like the loud, brassy sci-fi music of types like ID4 or Stargate, then this album is for you. It may not be groundbreaking, emotionally moving, or cutting-edge, but it is sure a lot of fun to listen to. ***1/2

Track Listing

1 - Overture (3:36)

2 - Pod Scene (1:53)

3 - Torpedo Kilrathi (3:31)

4 - Pilgrims (1:50)

5 - Rescued (0:55)

6 - Into the Quasar (2:45)

7 - Bad Decision/Blair (1:27)

8 - Angel's Story (1:47)

9 - The Fleet (1:07)

10 - Briefing/Tricked (2:15)

11 - Hot Dogs (1:21)

12 - Diligent Arrives (2:34)

13 - The Gift/Skipper Missle (3:26)

14 - Kilrathi Battle (1:40)

15 - The Big Battle (2:27)

16 - Kilrathi Into Scylla (2:28)

17 - Big Darn Ending (2:09)

Total Running Time: 37:41