> You're missing the point entirely. Zimmer recognizes this is a key
> sequence and gives it a western showdown twist. Yes, it's a morricone
> homage, but it's not parodic (i do not find myself laughing at any point)
> and it trumps up the showdown to come. I thought it worked quite well in
> the film, and is probably the only point where electric guitar was
> appropriate in the trilogy (curse that overlong Kraken cue on Dead Man's
> Chest)

I'm not missing the point. "Parodic" may actually be the wrong word that I used. On top of the other usual Zimmer fare, this moment manifests the score's unclear focus and failure at creating a distinct tone that the movie needed so badly. You underestimate the flexibility of film scoring (a term that almost seems pointless to bring up in a Zimmer discussion) and the influence it has on a film. You could score any given scene in numerous ways, from different perspectives, and of course the Western tune kind of works in that scene. But it isn't the only way to go, not by a long shot, and from numerous possibilities, Zimmer chose one of the silliest.

Dramatic film scoring is all about choosing a character's perspective and put that down on paper, and one of my main complaints about Zimmer is that he rarely does that. And it's because of that why so much of his music comes of as flat and emotionally detached from the film. He's not scoring to the emotions of the characters (if he intends that, then he's obviously not capable to do it), and rarely to the audience; he's scoring to the very surface of the film, and he stays as superficial as possible. Instead of either scoring Will's or Elizabeth's feelings, he simply scores "love".

That moment on the island is, simply put, completely inappropriate. It scores aka tells the audience, nothing. It neither captures pride, nor desparation, nor Beckett's feelings of triumph, nor Will or Elizabeth's feelings, nor Jack's plotting. If anything, it conveys a feeling of determination, but that is neither relevant to the storytelling, nor surprising or effective on the audience.
It takes this moment from a pirate film, and throws it into a pure western setting - and that's parodic. You don't have to laugh, although you certainly could.

Realising it's a key scene and scoring it that way are two very different things.

> No, the love theme is not bombastic...it's sweeping, and effective in the
> score. As for Hoist the Colours, it's supposed to be bombastic! It's a
> pirate anthem! People criticize Zimmer for writing power anthems, except
> hoist the colours IS SUPPOSED TO BE A POWER ANTHEM. And Beckett's theme?
> Supposed to be loud with brass, at least the one introduced in Pirates 3.
> I'll contend that Beckett's theme from Pirates 2 (played only once on the
> album) is not bombastic at all, even if that's one of the weaker parts of
> the trilogy. And are we forgetting the very flexible main theme for At
> World's End. You get your romantic versions, your quiet versions, your
> oboe solo, some bombast (but it's fun bombast!), and, in Drink Up Me
> Hearties, some swashbuckling.

Yes, the problem is that Hoist The Colours is one power anthem amongst many power anthems for PotC. Or any other Zimmer score for that matter. And people are getting tired, not to say sick, of it.
And even if something doesn't start as a power anthem, it will be one by the end of the album. No matter how much personality Zimmer gives a theme, its final development will always be the same brass/orchestral clashes power anthem.
I defy you to give me track numbers and timings of that "very flexible main theme". And while we're at it, don't call Pirates 3 swashbuckling because it isn't.

> If you think Zimmer = noise, maybe the action genre isn't for you.

Oh, come on! Zimmer's idea of action has always been the same, and I suppose that will never change. Big percussion with 20 horns playing an overly simplistic motif always in the same register, with marcato strings chopping mindlessly along, playing the complementary chords to the motif without any hint at atonality or chromatic changes. Please. It's the same in Gladiator, Batman Begins, King Arthur, Last Samurai or Pirates 1-3 for that matter. In the end, Zimmer's action music is nothing but noise. Maybe shiny and thematic, but still noise. There's absolutely zero dynamic range in his action writing. Everything is padding along with overbearing percussion hits, and the orchestra "varies" between f and fff.
That he barely changes keys doesn't help either.

> I'll
> contend that Gladiator (especially the last three tracks), Crimson Tide,
> Pirates 3, King Arthur, and the Last Samurai all prove that Zimmer is
> pretty good at creating similar yet entertaining themes and engaging
> action music. Yes, power anthems exist throughout almost all his films.

No kidding? But all joking aside, I found King Arthur to be one of the most atrocious listening experiences I've ever had.
As Cesar pointed out numerous times now, even the most horrible garbage can be entertaining. You may not be used to more varied music, but I find Zimmer's action music not engaging, but tiresome and aggravating because you constantly want to shout "DO something!"

> The romantic music in Gladiator is not overboarding and the action stuff
> is great. yeah, there's weighty drama too, but so what?!?!?!?! It's good
> music.

Well, no, it isn't. You may not want to hear that, nobody would want to hear that, but creativity, complexity, and variability in music isn't a matter of personal taste.
Scores like Pirates 1-3 are musical garbage compared to other scores, and they will always be that. They are printed on paper, and you can compare them to other works whenever you want.
You and many other may be entertained by this garbage, and that's fine, but the scores still remain garbage. And it should be allowed to point that out.

> Crimson Tide...well, if you loathe an almost entirely
> synth-produced score, maybe this isn't for you, but, again, great theme,
> great action stuff, and if you aren't roused, you must have your speaker
> system on mute.

Nah, I've just listened to too many real composers to find Zimmer's music even remotely rousing.

> Pirates 3...well, already covered taht. King Arthur...this
> is probably where your criticism is closest in that Zimmer amps up those
> two elements the most, but you cannot deny their effectiveness nor the
> power of the grand themes or the dense action music. And Last
> Samurai...actually, none of those elements really exist here, as this
> proves a much more softer and peaceful score than Zimmer had done in a
> while. If you think that score was overbearing in the softer parts...well,
> maybe you should stay away from soundtracks.

*I* should stay away from soundtracks? My dear boy, Zimmer's music is just one step above a Britney Spears song, so maybe you should direct that advice to yourself.
Get some musical knowledge and analyse some conductor's scores before you spout off such ridiculous BS, then I might be able to take such pathetic crap more seriously.

By all means, Hans Zimmer doesn't represent the art of film scoring that everybody but himself practises.

> Oh, and here's the big thing that proves your statement wrong : THE THIN
> RED LINE. Nuff said. I'm tired anyways.

One decent effort has over a dozen horrible ones standing against it. One decent effort is supposed to be Zimmer's saving grace? Give me a break.