The Losers


Movie | Released: 2010 | Format: CD, Download
 

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# Track   Duration
1.Dead Men3:31
2.Not Soldiers Anymore1:45
3.Miami Heist3:14
4.Max Factor1:49
5.Interlude1:32
6.Port Break-In2:07
7.Mumbai Max3:37
8.Shoot Out4:07
9.Bad Business1:39
10.Broken Trust2:20
11.Double Crossed3:03
12.Good Catch2:46
13.Angle of the Dangle2:12
14.Fake Out/Cool Reception2:17
15.Psychic Bullets/Aisha's Beef1:51
16.The Losers3:15
 41:04
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The Losers - 08/10 - Review of Oscar Flores, submitted at
Based on the Vertigo comic book series that ran from 2003 to 2006, The Losers tells the story of a Special forces CIA unit that gets double-crossed in a special mission designed to exterminate a Bolivian drug lord. Presumably dead after the attack, the team has to regain its identity in order to return to the U.S and find the man responsible for the assault. The vicious and explosive Aisha (played by Zoe Saldana) offers to help the team in exchange for a shot at the culprit, Max. Created as nothing more than the cliché villain, Max seeks control of ultra potent nuclear weapons, also known as 'snukes,' and seems determined to kill anyone that stands in his way. While there are no easily likeable heroes in the movie, the action-packed scenes are relentless, shifting from explosions in Bolivia to shootouts in Miami to even more violence in Los Angeles, making it nothing more than an entertaining film. The dialogue is not well written and the character development is almost non-existent. Understandably, the cast is mostly composed of B-list actors —Zoe Saldana (Avatar) being the most recognizable one. The film was not advertised as a big blockbuster, nor was it heavily marketed around the world, so its performance at the box office was certainly mediocre; incredibly, the element that stood out from the rest was the cool, groovy, ethnic, thriller-like, percussive, Rock inspired, quasi-007 score by John Ottman.

Best known for his collaborations with director Brian Singer and his compositions for Superman Returns and X2, Ottman decides to deviate from the traditional Hollywood orchestral sound and create very original music heavily dependent on innovative percussive sounds and grooves. The use of a main theme is an added bonus for the highly enjoyable score. Fans of the big orchestral score may not be interested in hearing this score at first, but needless to say, this does not sound like a collection of sampled loops accompanied by random instruments. Instead, Ottman really showcases his originality as a composer by creating an effective and entertaining score.

Arguably playing throughout the most heartbreaking scene of the entire movie, Dead Men introduces the listener to some of the instruments and tones heard throughout the rest of the score. The guitars and synth sounds, alongside different percussions slowly build as the main theme plays very briefly in the last 10 seconds — just as the title of the theme rolls on screen. Later, Not Soldiers Anymore introduces the main theme more prominently. In this track, Ottman adds a bit of a military percussive feel to the theme as this is the scene where the team is shown in a very patriotic — yet extremely cliché — setting. The five-note motif will be used throughout the score in tracks like Interlude and Broken Trust, and is memorable enough for most listeners. More importantly, by not being too heroic, this theme works very well as a representation of the unit's actions.

Miami Heist accompanies one of the more exciting scenes of the movie as a motorcade is attacked by Clay and his team. The very cool bass pattern with the added brass stabs and some added orchestral elements enhance the intensity of the scene while still maintaining a funky feel. The same can be said for Port-Break In, where Ottman incorporates electric organs and trumpet. It is important to note that throughout the score, Ottman always tries to stay away from very dramatic music even for the action scenes, and Miami Heist perfectly exemplifies the intentions of the composer.

Undeniably one of the more original tracks of the album, Mumbai Max, combines ethnic sounds, namely the sitar, with guitars and other rock elements. Ottman perfectly captures the characters' shift from Mumbai to Los Angeles in a smooth way that keeps the tonality of the score intact. The main theme is heard very subtlety, played by synth pads.

The Shootout really brings all of the musical elements together in a perfect display of the cool and groovy spy/thriller sound. Ottman really puts a lot of work into designing very original sounds and special effects, mixing them perfectly with guitar riffs and even some strings. None of the unusual sounds seem out of place, and by briefly using the main theme, Ottman glues the whole track together in a superb fashion. Bad Business builds on The Shootout by enhancing that James Bond feel with some added instruments like the shaker and waterphone.

Double-Crossed once again plays the main theme in a militaristic way before becoming more of a modern rock track, culminating in a modern Hollywood action cue. Good Catch follows with a more suspenseful sonority that relies heavily on changing percussive patterns. This track utilizes many of the usual Hollywood orchestral elements, particularly the brass crescendos, in a very effective way. As expected, Ottman plays the main theme at the very end of the track.

The three tracks preceding 'The Losers' slowly develop some interesting grooves and integrate even more original sounds. One wonders just how much time John Ottman spent creating the unconventional sounds, not to mention how much time he devoted to crafting all of the drum parts. At times, these tracks may seem too patchy in terms of how the different musical elements are presented, but in the film, they merely highlight the movements and actions of all the characters without overwhelming the listener. Naturally The Losers, plays the main theme in full force at the start of the track, shifting to a quieter mix of the theme played by guitars and accompanied by synth pads, eventually culminating with a more modern Rock version of the main motif.

John Ottman's score for The Losers works well inside and outside the film. Sadly, this release will most likely stay within the confines of the Amazon MP3 and iTunes stores, unlikely to get a CD release. While the inventiveness of Ottman in terms of sound design is evident from the very beginning, some people may feel like the overall sound is too adhered to Rock elements, thus making the music somewhat generic. Admittedly, most of the tracks sound extremely original and never lose the main identity of the score. The guitar, bass, and drum sounds change constantly throughout the movie and never allow the music to become repetitive or boring. From start to end, John Ottman creates a groovy, solid and overall fun score that makes for a very enjoyable listening experience.


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