Search - John Ottman :: Orphan [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

Effectively sets the mood for "Orphan." Overall an effective

eric_f | Boston, MA | 08/03/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Ok, this is perplexing. There are 3 reviews here so far and all 3 are movie reviews for "Orphan." Since this page is for the *soundtrack* to the movie, let's try to do this right...



Whenever I see a movie, one of the things I always pay attention to is the music and how effective it is in creating the mood/tone for the story. This is especially true when the music is primarily an orchestral score, as is the case with "Orphan." As I watched the movie and listened to the music, I thought it fit the film quite well. I'm not very familiar with John Ottman's catalog but I liked his music for "Orphan" enough to make me buy the album, and after listening to it a few times I would definitely say that it stands on its own and is an enjoyable listen.



Ottman nicely captures the innocence as well as malice of Esther's character through this score. Some tracks have a melancholy, low-key feel (ie: "Suite for Jessica and Max" and "Silent Story/Max's Theme"), but the majority of the album paints an eerie and chilling musical landscape. This contrast works quite well as it perfectly sets the mood for the false childhood innocence of Esther as well as her malicious personality. I also appreciate how the music never becomes over-the-top, as that would certainly have lessened its impact a great deal.



I do have one issue with this soundtrack though, and that is the final 3 tracks, which are traditional songs and not orchestral. To me they just feel out of place, especially "Orphan's Revenge" which almost sounds like a song from an electronica band. I can't remember if they were all used in the movie, and if so they may have worked in that context, but they just stick out too much here. I also think the 24-second sample of "Glory of Love" sung by Esther, which is the first track on the album, would have made a fitting final track instead of the regular version.



Still, I can easily recommend this soundtrack to anyone who liked the movie. While hardly original, it accomplishes the task of portraying the story of "Orphan" in a competent and memorable way."