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"Transformers" the score has been in demand ever since Michael Bay's film was released in the summer of 2007. Those interested were fans of the Transformers franchise who sought to add the soundtrack to their collection while others were soundtrack collectors who were interested in hearing how the score would play out on its own. The film itself must have been a composer's nightmare as the music had to contend with Bay's over-the-top sound effects. In my personal experience, the only musical sequence that I carried away from the viewing of the film was of the Autobot arrival on earth. This score-only soundtrack now provides a better representation of Jablonsky's work.
The release of the soundtrack comes a week ahead of the movie's DVD release date. While this may seem like good timing, its possible that the time leading up to the release was used to re-arrange the material for a better presentation on the disc. More so, if you notice on the disc's package, there are indicators that point out that many of the cues do not play out as heard in the film. As a veteran listener of film music, I welcomed this. I tend to think that most score releases should be arranged with more of a listening experience in mind instead of following the linear trajectory of a movie.
The score begins with pseudo suites representing both the Autobots and Decepticons with the first two tracks. Both are enjoyable to listen to for different reasons, chief amongst them is the separation of heroes and villains within the music. The Autobot track is more grand and heroic while the music of the Decepticons is appropriately menacing and evil. The use of eerie electronic voices make for a nice touch with the latter. Moving along in a nice thematic pattern, the third track offers music for 'The All Spark', the source of power that caused the Transformers to wage battle on earth. This is also great track to listen to as it brings forth a bit of an awe factor to it. In essence, the music represents the culmination of the epic battle. Needless to say, after these first three tracks, this score was off to a resounding start.
The more I got into the score the more that the thematic links emerged between characters and sequences. This linkage was impossible to detect in the film due to the sound effects and the way the tracks were edited. For example, the melodic, heroic themes of the Autobots are heard more cleanly here. It's also interesting to hear how certain themes are referenced along the way. And as far as highlights go, the 12th track (Arrival to Earth) is simply terrific and makes for a clear highlight on the album. This was the cue that I recalled from my viewing and I suspect that this was the sequence that score hounds have been after ever since the movie debuted. The other segment that is effective is the theme for Optimus himself, offering friendly overtones within the music. It gives a feeling of both power and protection; just the right blend for the Autobot leader.
Given that this is a movie about larger than life robots, there are also segments of music that play as borderline sound effects to represent these creations. Before that scares you off, the way these effects are used are rather interesting and at times creepy. To imagine a villainous force from the depths of space, I would say this is a necessary element to have in the soundscape. As always, when used in sync within the movie and score, electronic additions make for a welcome presence.
Now that the general feeling of my review provides you with an indication that I very much enjoyed the soundtrack, there are some points of a more critical nature that should be pointed out. For one, some of the music sounded as though it came from "King Arthur" (Zimmer, 2004), which makes me think that Jablonsky must have had a significant role in that score, too. Secondly, and this is just the generation we're in, the music has a distinct Zimmer-esque sound that can't be avoided. True, Jablonsky hails from that camp, but sometimes there needs to be a more original presence with the sound design and performance when it comes to the movies we enjoy. For instance, this film should have had an anthem associated with it, a theme that is bold and memorable. Even adding a touch from the 1986 animated film or the franchise's original theme song would have been nice. Instead, we are treated to close facsimiles of memorable themes, and while still enjoyable, it prevents the overall grade of this score from reaching a higher mark.
In summary, this score offers nearly an hour of action-packed entertainment. This is a soundtrack that can be enjoyed by fans of the franchise and score collectors alike, which is a positive outcome to have. While the test of time will determine the durability of the score, there are too many positives to overlook this one. Support the blockbuster and pick this one up!
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