V for Vendetta

It seems that the Wachowski brothers are on something of a hiatus after completing the Matrix trilogy, although given how badly the second and third installments turned out, this is probably a blessing. Indeed, a look at their IMDb entry suggests that this is their first non-Matrix project, albeit as producers and writers. The directorial helm is taken by James McTeigue in his first solo assignment after plenty of high profile roles as assistant directors to the Wachowskis and George Lucas (for Attack of the Clones). Instead of Wachowski regular Don Davis, music is provided by the fairly surprising choice of Dario Marianelli whose credits don't immediately suggest dystopian epics, but certainly seems quite adept in a wide range of projects.

One of the score's most striking choices is its use of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture for several key moments. However, aside from an extremely subtle suggestion in the opening track, the only full outing is in the closing track where the last few minutes of the warhorse get an outing. I must confess that the idea sounds incredibly cheesy on paper (not helped by the fact that it's a pretty kitsch work that even Tchaikovsky thought was a bit over the top) but it works surprisingly well in the film. That the particular scenes include fireworks is an asset; having seen the 1812 performed outdoors set to a spectacular fireworks display, it's the ideal piece for such an event. However, the downside to including such a well known work is that its tunes really are infinitely more memorable than Marianelli's own. The remainder of the score veers between three modes; slow and filled with dread, exciting, modern and percussive, and three songs which have greater significance within the film.

Unfortunately, some of the slower music is not terribly exciting, churning away portentously with some cues taking a good while to get going. The start of The Red Diary is none too promising, but picks up in its closing few minutes, a pattern which is reflected elsewhere. Fortunately, the faster paced moments pick up the excitement, capturing some of the spirit of Davis' Matrix scores if not necessarily their quality. The three songs don't fit, but are all good in their own right and a pleasing respite from the sobriety of Marianelli's music. There is some fine material here, but it never quite gels into anything terribly memorable, a problem compounded by inclusion of the 1812 and its handful of rousing tunes. Marianelli is still a name to watch and the score is a fine accompaniment to the film, but drags somewhat on disc despite the best intentions.