Siblings Asger and Petra have recently lost their Father and this will be their first Halloween without him. Asger and neighbour Esther have drifted apart but are forced to celebrate Halloween with their families. But when Petra suddenly disappears without a trace, kidnapped by burglars, Asger and Esther must work together to find the little girl. They head out into the Halloween night, and in their frantic search for Petra, they encounter the boy Svend, disguised zombies, thieves, and a multitude of challenges, before ending up in front of the spooky house where the evil witch supposedly resides. But will they be able to save Petra? Well, the only way to find out is to take a look at the movie. Halloween and kids are a match made in heaven or is that Hades? These stories set at the time of All Hallows eve always seem to bring to fruition movies that are entertaining for children of all ages.
This is no exception and is an enjoyable and fast paced romp that never seems to take its proverbial foot off the gas. I suppose it’s a fusion of Home Alone and Hocus Pocus with shades of The Lady in White and The Goonies for those of us who remember all of those. The musical score is a gem composed and conducted by Danish born composer Lasse Elkjaer, the music is a fusion of both electronic and symphonic with the symphonic having the lions share of the work.
The composer has created a soundtrack that is brimming with enticing thematic material, which perfectly accompanies the child heroes of the story as it unfolds. The music contains driving and rasping brass, with sweeping and fully melodic strings, and is punctuated by impish sounding woods and thundering percussive elements that all combine to fashion a score that is supportive of the storyline and also a rewarding listen away from the images.
It combines both mischievous and dramatic styles and contains little nuances and flourishes that are filled with melancholy that become haunting and engaging.
The music plays a major part in the movie establishing pace and adding added impact to the punchlines and the dramatic content. It is a robust and totally enjoyable soundtrack that gives nods in the direction of the likes of John Williams, Dave Grusin, Jerry Goldsmith, Danny Elfman, and John Debney and one that you should take a listen to, available on digital platforms now.
MOVIE MUSIC INTERNATIONAL. (MMI) . 