Search - John Debney :: The Scorpion King (Original Score)

Scorpion King Rocks!

Johannes | Stockholm, Sweden | 08/31/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When "The Scorpion King" was in production, I was hoping for either Jerry Goldsmith or Alan Silvestri to return, as they had made two wonderfull scores for both the first "Mummy" movies.
But none of them would. I was amazed when I heard it - Cutthroat Island`s own John Debney would write the music for the third installment of the series. When I heard that, I knew immidiatley that he would create something that surpassed both of the first scores. And yes, indeed, his score for "The Scorpion King" is a very fine way to finish an incredible trilogy of soundtracks, each one with a spirit of its own. I was worried when I saw the film. It wasn`t announced that this album would even be released until weeks after the film came out. Then, there was only a various artists album available. But fortunatley, they decided to release the original score too, and I can`t bless Varèse Sarabande enough for doing that. "The Scorpion King" offers about 35 minutes of pure, energetic action music and five minutes of calm, beautifull music. John Debney does something which I find very fun - he uses some rock guitars, may be to illustrate the raw power of the great warrior Mathayus (aka The Scorpion King). The opening track, "Boo!" is horrible, but don`t let that scare you off. "The Scorpion King" is mostly an orchestral score, and even the die-hard orchestral score fans will find treat here. Most of the heavy electric guitar parts are at the beginning, so if you don`t like that, then just start listening from track 4. But sometimes, those rock guitars work quite well, when they are not too loud - both "Mathayus Arises" and "Balthazar Arrives" are highlighted by two bars of electric guitars. And if anyone says that "The Scorpion King" is themeless, they are wrong. In fact, it has a theme that appears a lot on this CD. It is a strong, heroic theme, heard very clearly in "Valley of The Dead", which is a striking, choral action cue, and also "Mathayus Arises" which is so heroic I sometimes even want to cry when listening to it.
"Die Well Assasin" is some of the most powerfull climax music I've ever heard. "Balthazar Arrives" is also a highlight, with a lot of tribal chants combined with rock guitars and a massive choir. And the grand finale, "The Scorpion King" closes the score with a Stargate-like majesty, with the main theme heard in it`s full glory with the whole orchestra and chorus in one. It is a very enjoyable track and except for may be "Star Wars", it is the greatest finale I've heard in the year 2002.
Over all, "The Scorpion King" is a superb score. Only a stronger and more memorable theme puts this album off a top star rating.
I think that the exactly 40 minutes of music is a suitable length for this album - if it would have been longer, it would have been too repeatable, but it isn`t. In fact, this is the best score of the series, and when making scores for such films, John Debney clearly shows which genre he belongs too. Great performance by the Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra and Chorus is another plus for this album. KNOCKOUT!"