In yet another display of fiercely percussive action cues and heart-pounding suspense interludes, Brian Tyler has stormed his way onto record shelves with his soundtrack to 2009's The Final Destination, a lamentable footnote entry in the franchise.
Using Shirley Walker's churning bass melodies from the original three Final Destination scores as the thematic foundation for this new score, Tyler smartly weaves in his own patented action and suspense styles, with typically impressive (if a bit familiar) results.
Brian Tyler: Action Composer
Brian Tyler has become all too easy pigeonhole: his action scores are so numerous nowadays, and his compositional style so distinct, that it would be understandable, though erroneous, to write him off as an action composer only.
And indeed, while his work in that genre has been undeniably prolific, his output has also included historical drama (The Greatest Game Ever Played), vintage jazz (Plan B) and hypnotic, minimalistic textural scores (The Lazarus Project), among many other genres. His talent extends well beyond his typical action and suspense assignments, and that is an essential thing to remember when considering any of his new works.
That said, The Final Destination is firmly rooted in Tyler's most brutally rhythmic, percussive sensibilities, sharing much in common during its more active moments with scores such as Eagle Eye and Fast & Furious. Using not only a wide array of drums and electronics but also chopping string and brass passages to provide hectic excitement, Tyler's action cues are as stimulating as ever, albeit quite familiar by this point, and stylistically unexceptional.
Shirley Walker's Original Themes in Tyler's Score
The crucial element that makes this a fresh and worthy entry in Tyler's discography is the usage of Shirley Walker's original Final Destination theme, first heard on slamming heavy metal instrumentation in the opening cue and reprised quite often (and very effectively) throughout the album.
A sinuous descending figure for bass strings, it has the unnerving quality of getting underneath the listener's skin and bubbling beneath the surface, providing an unexpectedly rich suspense atmosphere which flourishes when Tyler's relentlessly aleatoric action passages are being given a rest.
Continuous Suspense in Final Destination Soundtrack
The album does feature a pretty fair balance of louder and softer cues, although those termed “softer” are in no way more tender or laid back: the atmosphere of suspense remains extremely thick throughout the album, despite Tyler's employment of several high-range instruments which neatly offset the droning bass electronics and broiling cellos.
Moments of lyrical beauty are elusive, and only the aptly-named “Moment of Joy” cue contains any real feeling of optimism, plucked out delicately on guitar and accented by simple electronic effects.
Summary
All in all, those disappointed by the lack of any release for Shirley Walker's own Final Destination scores will be well served by this soundtrack; Tyler's use of her theme is liberal, intelligent and satisfying., and thus, those of the opinion that Tyler's distinctive action style is getting old will likewise find plenty to enjoy in his interpretations of Walker's material.
The score is chilling and thrilling in the best of ways, and the inclusion of a whirlwind 13-minutes suite, recorded specifically for Varese Sarabande's generous score album, is a definite plus. Recommended!
See also: Fast & Furious Soundtrack Review, Dragonball: Evolution Soundtrack Review
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