When the domestic films fall short, movie fans should keep a watchful eye on films from other shores. In recent times, I have found more enjoyment in foreign fare than I have from the home- grown box office entries. In line with that, "Merry Christmas" (Joyeux Noel) has made its way to the U.S. and has been met with favorable reviews. The story is one that offers hope during a period of war, specifically World War I. Soldiers from both sides took it upon themselves to call a truce for Christmas and this film uses that example of humanity as its centerpiece.

The composer is unknown to me, so I took on this soundtrack with a fresh set of ears. From the very beginning, I could tell that the score took on an operatic style to it as Philippe Rombi looked to leverage more classical sounding music. Backed by the London Symphony Orchestra, Rombi does a fair job in culling all the pieces together and the final result is a score that is moderatly enjoyable.

The soundtrack consists of solo vocalists, somber, dramatic passages and a few moments of bold underscore that signify the birth of the great war. Sprinkle in a dash of the Christmas time motif and that pretty much completes the summary! It's quite an interesting union and one that could lead you to believe that a classical composer from yesteryear could have been responsible for this score.

Personally, I much prefer the modern orchestral sound as opposed to the classical styles. This is perhaps what is holding me back from giving this soundtrack a higher rating. I do have an appreciation for what Rombi does here, but it falls short of my personal taste as a soundtrack I would listen to on multiple occassions. This is a case where the music goes hand in hand with the movie and is better enjoyed within the context of the film.

Another sidenote to you is that you shouldn't go in to this purchase thinking that you'll be getting music for an action packed war movie. As stated earlier, there is more of an understated and somber tone to this. The soloists bring forth an undercurrent of hope that runs through the notes of the music. In fact, there are no real action cues to speak of.

Made in Holland, the soundtrack runs over 73 minutes in length and offers a nicely designed CD package that includes ten pages of liner notes. I tip my cap to the production team responsible for the disc.

Final Score: A respectable soundtrack with traditional inspirations, "Merry Christmas" is recommended more to fans of classical music than to modern day soundtrack enthusiasts.