Marvel, I think are now becoming a little predictable when it comes to music for their superheroes, the latest excursion for Thor has a musical score by Michael Giacchino,(with additional music by Nami Malumad). Giacchino has worked his way steadily to the top of the film music game, scoring numerous big box office hits Star Trek, The Batman etc and also provided great music for a few turkeys-remember John Carter. Thor Love and Thunder I felt was just a re-hash of so many of his past scores, there is for me at least nothing new here, nothing fresh and certainly nothing that is remotely innovative or inventive. I do know that each composer has their own sound their own style and also their own little quirks of orchestration or a favourite instrument which is included in the majority of their works for the big screen, but this is just a fusion of everything he has done before and maybe also a few nods to the likes of Horner, Tyler, Debney and even Goldsmith, but these just seem to jar and grate on the listener (at least this one). The Thor series has had a different composer for each adventure, all composers including Giacchino are of course interesting and have produced so many great scores, but for this latest adventure with the Nordic God of thunder is for this reviewer tired and not very interesting whatsoever. The inclusion of a rock orientated guitar finished it for me, although granted the composer did throw in a few bold sounding brass flourishes here and there and frenzied strings that bang out a theme that I thought was rather like a watered down Masters of the Universe, compare this to the music for say Moon Knight and it pales in comparison, and purveys quite a lack luster persona and sound, there are some saving graces and these include the cello solo that can be heard in a handful of cues, which is romantic, mystical and melancholy, and co-composer Nami Malumad’s The Zeus Fanfares which evoke the golden age of Hollywood in epic movies such as Ben Hur and The Robe. As for the remainder of the score, predictable, uninspiring, and even flat at times, with just the occasional high created by the fusion of soprano, choir and orchestra, but there are not enough of these moments and passages that have this aura to them. Its like one is waiting for the score to develop or a theme erupt , but neither happens. So, it’s a no from me on this one, but that is just my opinion, check it out now on digital platforms.
MOVIE MUSIC INTERNATIONAL. (MMI) . 