I Am Number Four Composed by Trevor Rabin
Varese Sarabande (2011)
Rating:
6/10
More soundclips below provided by AmazonMp3
“The music, whilst
consistently exciting, never quite lifts off, instead it takes what
could be interpreted as a tour through TREVOR RABIN’S scoring
back-catalogue. ”
Traversing a History of Trevor
Review by Richard Buxton
For those of you that are seeking a throwback to the action scoring style that
Remote Control Productions made their own in the 90’s, I AM NUMBER FOUR
may go some way to satiating your thirst. Whilst not reaching the heights of the
sound, nor that of TREVOR RABIN’S scoring career, I AM NUMBER FOUR will
certainly bring some long forgotten musical memories flooding back.
What might not be such a welcome memory is that of the film itself. Released to
a decisively poor critical reception, I AM NUMBER FOUR was widely derided as a
derivative and largely forgettable action adventure. This, unfortunately, is a
criticism that can be attributed to RABIN’S score, although not to quite the
same extent.
Attempting to truly appreciate RABIN’S score in its original in-film form is a
somewhat fruitless experience, as his compositions often find themselves
struggling to be heard within the various sequences of I AM NUMBER FOUR.
Therefore it is hard to say whether hearing the music alongside the film will
have created any sort of following. As a pure listening experience, I AM NUMBER
FOUR is certainly not the most rewarding. The music, whilst consistently
exciting, never quite lifts off, instead it takes what could be interpreted as a
tour through TREVOR RABIN’S scoring back-catalogue.
As with most RABIN scores, you know what you are to experience throughout the
score’s running time. The fast, rough and chopping strings heard in “Welcome To
The Jungle” (1) bring memories of NATIONAL TREASURE to the fore, whereas the
swelling string rises in “Henry Dies” (12) echo the tragic sentiment of THE
SIXTH DAY. It is in this more emotional and poignant side to the score that
RABIN finds greater success. The action music heard is sufficient in its
relentless shifts in momentum that constantly change the rhythmic basis of the
score. “Forest Fight” (14) serves as an example of this fitting, but never
inspiring, and often a slightly irritating, style of in-your-face action that is
unable to provide enough originality to ever approach memorable status. When
RABIN does attempt to tune in to the emotions of the characters, he yields much
more satisfying results. Utilizing his ever-trusted combination of strings and
electric guitar, the simple progression heard in the closing moments of “Getting
To Know Sarah” (5) produces pleasant if somewhat uninspired romance that serves
as a merciful break from the relentless action. Conjuring yet more moments of
nostalgia is “Rising From The Ashes” (17), a track that is comprised of the more
successful moments heard in REMEMBER THE TITANS, NATIONAL TREASURE and
ARMAGEDDON. The triumphant brass and strings would be a fitting backdrop to many
a sports film.
Referring to so many scores in RABIN’S history may well come across as a slight
against the score, and while it would be a whole lot more rewarding to hear some
fresher ideas, it is unlikely to be much of an issue for anyone other than the
RABIN’S most dedicated followers. The major issue here is a lack of any evident
inspiration, an issue magnified for those with knowledge of the composer’s
previous works. The aforementioned pieces serve as a minimal catalyst for
emotion that fails to ever evolve beyond a thin layer of suppressed passion. “We
Know Where To Go” (21), the final composition, makes for a frustratingly
restrained affair. Admittedly, the delicate piano, harp and guitar make for a
pleasing blend, but they are just that, pleasing and little more.
IF the various scores that I AM NUMBER FOUR harks back to are particular
favorites of a listener then it can be assumed that TREVOR RABIN’S latest would
be a worthwhile venture. For others however, it is merely a show reel of RABIN’S
previous and largely stronger projects from a bypassed era in film scoring.
