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It should come as no surprise that the score for Planes sounds like a cross between Harold Faltermeyer's Top Gun, Randy Newman's Cars, and Mancina's own mid-1990's action fare. The predictability of this combination is countered by very competent execution by Mancina, who shed his rather tepid animated style from a decade prior and has embraced the over-the-top fun that a film like Planes requires. There will be grumbling from veteran film score collectors who hear too much of the 1990's in this soundscape, whether it's the dated drum pads or the electric guitar placements. It's highly likely that this sound was resurrected for more reasons than convenience, the Top Gun connections hard to miss. Even some of the echoing Faltermeyer sound effects are inserted ("Start Your Engines") for good measure. But Mancina's usual knack for strong melodies and ability to transition into heartwarming Americana spirit for strings, woodwinds, and acoustic guitar will recall the best of Newman's past. There are a number of additional assets to Mancina's approach to this topic, starting with his outstanding sense of pacing. The feeling of anticipation, with lines of action from various parts of the orchestra and rock elements expertly phasing in and out to match changes in meter. The ethnic element is decently handled as well, the composer content to interrupt his all-out American spirit, whether bad-ass or saccharine, for a few East Indian and Mexican diversions. For all the complaining some listeners may launch into because of the electric guitars and drum pads, it has to be argued that their placement in the mix is really quite well balanced. Conversely, enthusiasts of orchestral purity may nitpick Mancina's usage of flute figures to embellish the sense of flight, among other overly common instrumental employment for the sky. At times, there's a James Bond-like feel to the score, and more than a few momentary references to vintage David Arnold techniques are tapped. The pulsating electric bass tones are well integrated into the score, reflecting Andrew Lockington's concurrent applications of the same general idea with satisfying results. In the process of ensuring that Planes is an orchestral score with an effective lacing of rock elements, Mancina succeeds in drawing upon the best of both worlds, even if that sound, by necessity, is dominated by pop enthusiasm in parts. The tuba line and muted trumpets in "1st Place," the judicious addition of choir in just a handful of poignant places, and the open solo trumpet introduction to the score in "Planes" are all the kinds of superior touches that elevate this work beyond, frankly, what Newman typically yields for these Pixar/Disney-styled films.

For Mancina enthusiasts lamenting his absence from the big screen over the years, a cue such as "Honorary Jolly Wrench" (despite those aforementioned flute lines) will be a tremendously nostalgic treat. Also a positive outcome for these fans is the composer's continued mastery of melody, Planes featuring three notable themes, each of them highly entertaining. The main theme is very hard to miss, and its constant referencing by Mancina gives the score an easy, lasting identity. Heard on noble trumpet at the outset, the idea informs nearly every cue thereafter, both in pleasant representations of the main character in the heartland of America and, more raucously, as a much accelerated backbone of the action sequences. Both applications function well, too, the melody well adapted even if some might argue that it is tiresome and stereotypical. A second theme represents the character of Skipper, the old Korean War-era fighter whose past is a notable secondary line in the plot. For this plane, Mancina supplies the score's most dramatic identity, that which most often requires the solemn accompaniment of deep choral tones. The final theme of significance comes in the score's most enigmatic cue, "Dusty & Ishani." While Mancina offers some token Mexican elements for that leg of the journey, he goes much further for the East Indian influence in that one cue (and briefly in "You're a Racer"). This "love theme" of sorts is the fairly typical Bollywood romance that you would expect from A.R. Rahman or a host of others, but with the parody element causing the underlying progressions to, intriguingly, recall vintage Hans Zimmer work. While those who had no tolerance for Mychael Danna's Life of Pi will roll their eyes at this cue, the layered male and female vocals in overlapping counterpoint are very elegantly conceived. Overall, Planes is a highly entertaining score that will delight Mancina collectors and those seeking superior animation works. The composer's ability to throw so much of Top Gun into his equation is an added bonus, though make sure you are aware of the fact that these retro rock elements will cause the work to sound dated, possibly irreparably so, for some listeners. The album presentation condenses Mancina's score into the product's midsection, this 41-minute block a solid amount of music that plays with a strong narrative. The downside of this score, of course, is its rather predictable overall personality (outside of "Dusty & Ishani," no doubt) that wears all its emotions on its sleeves. For those seeking nuance, this score is not for you. Instead, it is unadulterated fun, and let us hope that Mancina will return for this film's sequels should Disney for some reason decide to actually sink money into them. A rousing comeback effort all around.  ****   @Amazon.com: CD or Download

Bias Check:

For Mark Mancina reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.31 (in 13 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 3.14 (in 9,583 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.

Total Time: 53:58