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Review of Aeon Flux (Graeme Revell)

FILMTRACKS RECOMMENDS:

Buy it... if you enjoy hard-ass electronica rhythms and Graeme Revell's usual, heavy industrial sound design.

Avoid it... if a score inspired by MTV and aimed at the same audience is not your cup of tea.

FILMTRACKS EDITORIAL REVIEW:

Aeon Flux: (Graeme Revell) When a studio denies screenings for critics on a project as highly advertised as Aeon Flux, you know that something is wrong. A few notable exceptions have popped up over the years (Psycho being the best known), but for the most part, studios have little interest in treating critics to screenings of films that they know are downright awful. And while Aeon Flux may never be found in those "world's worst films" categories, it been thoroughly slapped around by those critics who went ahead and viewed it. One critic had the outstanding response of saying that the film is "as enjoyable as acid reflux." Based on the animated MTV series, the film's story is set 400 years in the future and tells us that the remaining 5 million or so people who have survived a terrible disease are confined to one city, and that city is controlled by one powerful family. Inevitably, of course, people want outside of the walls of the city, and a supertechno assassin is dispatched by these rebels to kill off the people holding their curiosity in check. The film includes some interesting ideas about future technologies, and has a compelling take on the memories of clones, but let's be as plain and clear about this story as possible: it exists so that we can watch and enjoy Charlize Theron's body in a tight, black-leather jumpsuit while it performs acrobatic moves and kicks necessary ass. Given its origins on MTV, it's no surprise that a techno-score is the order of the day, and sound design film score veteran Graeme Revell would be a perfect fit for this project. One of Revell's most flashy and independent scores is the sci-fi thriller Red Planet, which treated the futuristic setting of exploration with operatic vocals over hard rock rhythms. Recently, in 2005, Revell has scored a variety of urban and techno-themed films, including the electronic remake score for The Fog. His work for Robert Rodriguez for both Sin City and the atrocious Sharkboy and Lavagirl was overshadowed in both cases by John Debney's superior contributions to those scores.

The interesting connection for Aeon Flux to those combo efforts with Rodriguez and Debney is a specific comparison that is becoming evident between Revell's and Debney's works. At times in Aeon Flux, especially in the opening cue, the techno-orchestral styles and rhythms of Revell sound surprisingly similar to those of Debney in his (throw-away) scores like The Tuxedo. The distinction between them, however, is that Debney always keeps his music accessible to a wider audience with a more easily listenable palette of sounds whereas Revell loves to whip up a frenzy of disjointed metallic sounds into nearly all of his rhythms. In these regards, he's also a harder electronica version of David Arnold, and while this sound is perfectly suited for Aeon Flux, it's hard to imagine the majority of traditional film score collectors seeking it with vigilance. You have to remember that Revell's hard-ass rhythms and grinding sound effects are a good fit for the world of Aeon Flux's exploits, even though it's hard to stay focused on anything that consistent while Revell's score is rip-snorting along. Revell is loyal to the title theme for Aeon Flux (he's seemingly been using more consistent themes in even his poorer scores these days... a nice shift), stating it with all the synthetic, electronica beat coolness he can muster at the start and following with some sporadic use of the theme throughout. He outdoes himself in the final "Aeon Flux" cue at the end of the album, handing the theme to the electric guitar and traditional rock band for one drawn-out, cymbal-crashing romp of rock. As for the multitude of action material in between, Revell does employ the string section of the Hollywood Studio Symphony as a bridge tool, but the mass of the music is defined by his relentless rhythms and harsh sound effects; by the time "Monorail Chase" storms across the speakers, you feel the need to walk out into the snow for a while to cool off your ears. Overall, the score is aimed at the MTV crowd and Revell purists who love his most frenetic rhythmic scores for synthesizer and industrial sound effects. That last "Aeon Flux" cue should be cool to anyone, however, and is perfect bait for any compilation.

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

TRACK LISTINGS:

Total Time: 48:40

• 1. Bregna 2415 (4:45) • 2. The Panopticon (2:31) • 3. Una Flux (1:12) • 4. Torture Garden (2:37) • 5. Monican Mission (1:12) • 6. "Good Boys" (2:39) • 7. The Kiss (3:17) • 8. The Relical and Keeper (4:19)

• 9. Cloning Discovery (5:14) • 10. Grenade!/Monorail Chase (3:48) • 11. "I Remember" (1:37) • 12. The Cherry Orchard (3:50) • 13. Oren Goodchild Dies (3:39) • 14. Destroying the Memories (4:01) • 15. Aeon Flux (3:32)

NOTES & QUOTES:

The insert includes no extra information about the score or film.

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The reviews and other textual content contained on the filmtracks.com site may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Christian Clemmensen at Filmtracks Publications. All artwork and sound clips from Aeon Flux are Copyright © 2005, Varèse Sarabande and cannot be redistributed without the label's expressed written consent. Page created 12/23/05 (and not updated significantly since).