So here we have another movie developed on a Hollywood formula. While the production team behind "Annapolis" connected the dots in an attempt to win an audience that never showed up, it was the film's composer who really stepped up and add a creative punch to the effort. Brian Tyler's score is one of the year's best.
Tyler is regard by many as an up and coming star who cut his teeth with pictures such as "Frailty" and on the tele-movie, "Children of Dune." His output on the latter is what really made score fans take notice, with a television score befitting any major film production. In fact, his work on "Children of Dune" actually carried over to many significant film trailers, the most notable being "Cinderella Man."
In "Annapolis", Tyler establishes a main theme from the outset and he never relinquishes his mastery of it. It's a full, rich and melodic anthem that is not afraid to be used as the centerpiece of the soundtrack. Too often, I've noticed composers fall too deep into the subtle arts and lose the main theme in the process. Here, Tyler uses slightly differing variations to keep the main theme integrated in the album.
There is a secondary theme of note at work here and it contrasts the main anthem by its sheer energetic force. It's a pulsing, driving bit of music that makes a splendid counterpoint to the patriotic motifs. The intensity definitely picks up when Tyler unleashes these cues.
The only drawback to this album is an ironic one. While I am the first to admit that I like my score albums packed to capacity with orchestral magic, there are certain instances when that plays against the overall impact. In this case, there is over an hour of music on the disc and this length causes a bit of repetition to set in by the time you've reached the final tracks. I think this album would have been better off served if it had fifteen minutes edited out.
In conclusion, the efforts by Tyler here should not be undersold by the movie it is intended for. "Annapolis" is sterling score that further accentuates the composer's skills. His triumph here is a victory for anyone who enjoys listening to soundtracks. Highly recommended!
