Buy it... if you're ready for an effective musical interpretation of the film's polarized and frustrated emotions, alternating between kick-ass rhythms and lengthy world-instrument atmospherics.

Avoid it... if unfocused dissolution in the form of an awkward rhythmic merging of American and world sounds is not your idea of a pleasant listening experience.

Newman

Jarhead: (Thomas Newman) It's been several years since the initial Hollywood films about the first Gulf War began putting the Los Angeles twist on America's endeavor in that time and place, though 2005's Jarhead comes from perhaps the most notable of circumstances thus far. Directed by American Beauty's Sam Mendes, Jarhead is based on the best-selling 2003 memoir of the same name by Anthony Swofford, who served a frustrating tour in the first Gulf War. While some groups may be inclined to lump this film in with the second Gulf War (and indeed, some of the problems and emotions that existed in 1991 still prevail in some pockets of the military in Iraq the second time around), the movie makes clear the difference between the short invasion that was 1991 and the prolonged occupation that is 2003 and beyond. The focus of Jarhead is an intensely personal one, and tells of the narrator's experiences as a 20-year-old sniper who spends his young adulthood preparing for war and is then obsolete by the time he actually arrives on the battlefield. He once has an Iraqi officer in his gunsight, but isn't allowed to take the shot (much to this spotter's consternation) because that shot might alert the enemy to an impending airstrike. Thus, they sit in the 112-degree heat and do mostly nothing for their tour of duty, realizing their somewhat pointless existence protecting Saudi oil for politicians back home. The film's adaptation of Swofford's book is loyal for the most part, but with some liberal Hollywood effects to make absolutely sure which way to swing the audience. Mendes once again turns to composer Thomas Newman to write the score. As an artist who can very easily twist the boundaries of multiple genres of music, Newman is very well suited for Jarhead; his ability to collect ethnic sounds into a bizarre multi-cultural package would obviously come in handy here. He combines a small string ensemble with a collection of unique world instruments that is so wide in variety that it may surpass the ensemble of any other score in Newman's career thus far.

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The progression that Newman follows in the score is quite remarkable in that he very effectively interprets the changing attitudes of the primary characters in the story. The first half has all the kick-ass militaristic electric guitars and powerful bass rhythms that you expect the soldiers to embody during their training and deployment. Newman plays along familiar expectations for these cues, with "Zoomies" perhaps best characterizing the American "go-get-'em" attitude in its military; the echoes of men sounding off in unison yield to muscular guitar and drum rhythms that degenerate eventually into the sound effect of a tire turning on gravel. These heavily American rhythms start and stop in anticipatory fashion throughout the score, but ultimately are spurned due to the lack of justifying action in the film. Instead, the rhythms turn to a consistent presence of Newman's wild array of world instruments. Because of the military process, and its inherent alertness, Newman keeps these rhythms churning, even when they are performed by odd combinations of instruments from half a world apart (and not just from America and the Middle-East; Newman doesn't limit himself at all). There is little actual Middle-Eastern flavor outside of ideas presented in the distance behind cues like "Welcome to the Suck" (obscured under a heavy guitar rhythm) and "Scuds," the latter of which a highlight cue and being one of two major cues to feature the string orchestra. Newman turns to the strings during the obvious contemplation cues, including "Jarhead for Life." These are the end result of the useless time spent in the desert; the second half of the score often meanders in a daze of whole notes that extend for entire minutes. The only awkward cue in Newman's mix is the pseudo-comical "Dickskinner" (for good reason), and yet, Jarhead as a musical package is not a readily listenable score. It's a case where the composer does a very good job of capturing the essence of the film's emotions, but in doing so, creates a musical journey that won't likely appeal to many outside of the context of the film. Songs from the film are sprinkled throughout the album. Overall, it's a Thomas Newman score to appreciate, but an equally difficult one to enjoy.   Amazon.com Price Hunt: CD or Download

Music as Written for Film: ****
Music as Heard on Album: **
Overall: ***

Bias Check:

For Thomas Newman reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.14 (in 28 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 3.13 (in 53,317 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.