Cool Runnings

1993 was definitely the year for Hans Zimmer. He had; 'The House of the Spirits', 'True Romance', 'Point of no Return', and 'Sniper' to name a few. His most interesting project of that year, however, was a small comedy film named Cool Runnings. The film, loosely based on a true story, revolved around a Jamaican bobseld team who fought their way to the Olympics and manages to walk away with more than pride. While not entirely succesful, the film did manage to pick up some very positive reviews.

Before I review this album, let me just say, Cool Runnings a very short score release. Of the 40+ minutes of music, only 6 minutes are actually Zimmer's so I will be only reviewing those two tracks. 'Countrylypso' is fairly fun. While it does introduce the heroic anthem theme for the Olympic team, it does manage to have fun with some Caribbean style music mixed in. 'The Walk Home' is a bit more in Hans Zimmer's territory. It features the bold theme previously stated, although it is more fast paced here, with guitars and a little synth added in. The track's second half is a combination calypso/orchestral which works surprisingly well.

Cool Runnings is certainly an interesting effort for Hans Zimmer. His combination heroic/calypso works great and is ultimately alot of fun, a nice departure from the stale action music that populated his earlier career. The only problem (and the reson why I am giving this album such a low score) is the lack of actual score music. 6 minutes? It is a pointless effort and a real shame. For Zimmer's work on the score, an 8/10. For the album, alot less.