Michael Bay’s distinct style of film-making is well documented, and most people can decide for themselves whether his movies are something to enjoy or to avoid. But when it comes to the music for his films, his regular collaborator, Steve Jablonsky, seems to have a habit of musically underachieving.
Whether or not “underachieving” is actually a valid term is open for debate, but the fact remains that for such projects as The Island and the two Transformers films, Jablonsky’s music has been generic, formulaic, uninspiring, or downright bland. And in the worst situations, such as Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, the music is a combination of all these things.
Underachieving, Functional Score by Steve Jablonsky
Two things are undeniable when considering such a statement: first, Jablonsky is a talented and capable composer (anyone who has heard his wonderful score to Steamboy can attest to that). Second, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is certainly a loud score which pushes all the necessary dramatic buttons for its film. In a word, it is a functional score.
But why should a composer with Jablonsky’s talent be writing merely functional scores? And if the answer is because Michael Bay insists on such unoriginal and insipid music for his films, then why does Michael Bay insist on such unoriginal and insipid music for his films?
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Soundtrack is Accessible to a Fault
To its credit, the album for Jablonsky’s score is well structured and the music is, at the very least, a perfect representation of every aspect of the Media Ventures/Remote Control Productions “sound” (as the original Transformers score was before it, ironically).
For those who rarely listen to or are new to film music, the album will be an easily enjoyable experience, for it is certainly film music at its most accessible. But for those who collect and study film music, it will also come across as film music seemingly tailor-made for the lowest common denominator.
And for a disturbing amount of Michael Bay and Jerry Bruckheimer films made in the last fifteen years, audiences have heard music just like this. When will it end?
Arguments in Favor of Jablonsky’s Transformers Scores
Numerous arguments can be made that the music “fits the film” and that this is “all that was required of Jablonsky.” Apologists will say that the film is an unintelligent explosion festival and that Jablonsky, in an ironic twist of genius (or, more likely, resigned acknowledgement of the film’s quality) simply wrote a score that reflected the quality and intelligence of the film. Or that Bay was insistent on this type of music for his film. Or that it didn’t matter what kind of music was written because it all ended up being buried under sound effects anyways.
All of this may or may not be. It is irrelevant. The fact remains that this distressing musical trend continues, and even flourishing, and is increasingly, woefully evident in score album releases.
Conclusion
Jerry Goldsmith wrote a musical masterpiece for every film he scored, whether or not the film deserved it. The same might be said of Michael Kamen and Basil Poledouris. Perhaps this says something about the difference between a true consummate artist and a commercial expert in music programming software. On the other hand, perhaps this says something about the power directors currently wield over every aspect of their productions. And then again, perhaps it is merely a current trend of check-collecting laziness. But again, it is largely irrelevant.
In any case, if one is at all familiar with this lamentably fashionable style of wall-to-wall, poorly-orchestrated music, brimming with anthems, new-age atmospherics, cooing choirs and thudding electronics, then it will be an easy choice to decide whether or not to acquire this album. But bring back the days of unequivocal film music masterpieces!
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