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Review of The Expendables 2 (Brian Tyler)
FILMTRACKS RECOMMENDS:
Buy it... if you seek yet another predictably workmanlike,
three-star effort from Brian Tyler, whose career in the action genre has
become defined by entertaining music that is as reliable as it is
anonymous.
Avoid it... if you expect a continued presence of the previous score's majestic, choral-aided sequences of thematic bravado, the same identities present in the sequel but not expressed with the same obvious grandeur.
FILMTRACKS EDITORIAL REVIEW:
The Expendables 2: (Brian Tyler) Anytime the
production of an action movie leaves a trail of carnage that includes
dead stunt men and complaints about environmental devastation in remote
regions, you know there's a good chance for entertainment from the
finished product. While Sylvester Stallone did not direct this, the
sequel to 2010's The Expendables, he remained its figurehead and
lead actor, assisting to collect another phenomenal ensemble cast of
past action stars featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Jason Statham, Jet
Li, Dolph Lundgren, Chuck Norris, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Bruce
Willis, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. This group chases about the world on
government and personal missions, seeking revenge for fallen comrades
and possession of Soviet-era plutonium. The formula of senseless
explosions and even more senseless humor was once again a winner for the
franchise, the self-deprecating laughs, often involving the history of
each actor in other roles, an especially worthy attraction. Critics
appreciated this stream of funnies, though most agreed that the overall
premise is, as one might expect, lacking much intellectual merit.
Indeed, a stunt man did die and another was maimed while The
Expendables 2 was shot in Bulgaria, leading to a wrongful death
lawsuit. In the process of filming in a cave in that country, the
production apparently killed protected shrubberies and the majority of
the native bat population, too, causing fines and condemnation from an
outraged Bulgarian government. Not to be daunted by such trifles,
Stallone and crew immediately began planning a second sequel in the
franchise as the 2012 entry hauled in massive returns, leading to
speculation about which of yesteryear's action heroes were next in line
for resurrection. Composer Brian Tyler continued a collaboration with
Stallone for The Expendables that had resulted after the
actor-director's approval of the score for Rambo a couple of
years earlier. The resulting music for the 2010 flick was a comfortable
fit with the purpose of the production, raising traditional orchestral
action techniques while enjoying an infusion of Tyler's occasionally
more modern, bad-ass elements. Although absolutely relentless in its
bombastic force and unyielding rhythmic propulsion, the music for The
Expendables was a surprisingly intelligent throwback to a previous
era of action scores, occasionally exposing Tyler's lingering affinity
for the mannerisms of Jerry Goldsmith. For The Expendables 2, the
formula is, not unexpectedly, mostly the same.
Collectors of Tyler's action music will recognize that the composer has a definite ability to breeze through these kinds of action romps without much need to deviate within his style. In the case of scores like Aliens vs. Predator - Requiem and Eagle Eye, the results can be more interesting than expected, though he also has proven himself capable of blasting through such assignments on auto-pilot or in emulation of the Hans Zimmer/Remote Control domination of the genre, as heard in Battle: Los Angeles and parts of his sequel scores to The Fast and the Furious. In this regard, his music for The Expendables 2 and its predecessor is closer to the former category, remaining true to those echoes of Goldsmith and the emphasis of orchestral might over synthetic drones. The ensemble is varied enough to give both the brass and percussion sections outstanding workouts, the latter a normal specialty of Tyler. While the strings are sometimes buried in the mix, they are afforded a variety of performance techniques to keep them busy, especially the violins. There is electronic accompaniment to most cues, it seems, but Tyler is careful to utilize these elements like a supporting fifth section of the orchestra, the pre-records rarely obnoxious outside of some Battleship-inspired electronic grinding in the bass during a few cues. Thematically, there's nothing in this franchise to solicit greater study, though fans will appreciate Tyler's clear continuity between the scores. The primary rising, four-note theme is almost immediately reprised in "The Expendables Return" and developed throughout the work, eventually becoming a longer-lined expression of greater emotional depth. When explored in these passages, the theme strays from its inherent 1990's Goldsmith format and enters Tyler's familiar power anthem territory. A secondary motif of menacing simplicity for Van Damme and his evil gang stomps its way through "Track 'Em, Find 'Em, Kill 'Em," "Respect," and "Vilain." The eruptions of theme in The Expendables 2 aren't quite as enjoyable this time around, in part because Tyler doesn't attempt to provide melodic interludes of any great length in the work. Also to consider is the fact that the choir has been dumped from the sequel score, a substantial amount of the majesty applied to such moments in the prior work now absent. As an overall listening experience on album, The Expendables 2 is a worthy extension of the straight action portions of the 2010 score (with few breathers), and thankfully the album length has been shortened to limit sonic exhaustion. This is yet another predictably workmanlike, three-star effort from Tyler, whose career in the action genre has become defined by entertaining music that is as reliable as it is anonymous. ***
TRACK LISTINGS:
Total Time: 56:45
NOTES & QUOTES:
The insert of neither album includes extra information about the score or film.
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