What I originally conceived to be a video game soundtrack, "The Punisher" by Dennis Dreith turned out to be the actual film score from the 1989 film. Perhaps it was the slick packaging of the album that threw me off, but no matter the case -- this newly refurbished modern-retro score is a neat addition to one's soundtrack collection.
Though I know 1989 is too recent a date to evoke nostalgia, I found this particular concept to be quite alluring. Here we have a modest score for a cult hit from over 15 years ago repackaged as a modern day release. For whatever the reason, it gives off a high "cool" factor.
Onto the music itself -- Dreith's score comes across very well despite the modest size of the orchestra he had to work with. He composes music that is tense, suspenseful and well paced. The music casts dark overtones throughout the score, but that can be expected with the character the movie depicts. It's an interesting contrast to the score for the 2004 film release of "
The Punisher" as this one has a little more brawn to it and less emotional signatures with the main character. In short, this is more of an action score.
Other noteworthy styles to comment on include a futuristic, sci-fi element that emerges briefly during the score (complete with a good use of 80's electronics) and nice moments of bombast during some of the more exciting action cues. And not to draw too lofty of a comparison, but some of the style is reminiscent of Jerry Goldsmith in certain moments of the score, particularly during the End Titles.
I fear one of the biggest shortcomings of the music is by no fault of the composer. Simply put, the orchestra simply wasn't large enough.
Overall, there are 30 score tracks to indulge along with a nice bonus round. Tracks 32 through 39 offer interviews with both the composer and the film's director. I'm a moderate thinker when it comes to adding a touch like this to a score album, so needless to say I enjoyed the additional content.
In the end, I recommend this one primarily as a collector's item. With that said, the good news is that the music is enjoyable too, so it's a win-win scenario for my fellow soundtrack compatriots.
And lastly, I never thought I would say this -- this score makes a nice companion piece to the 2004 "Punisher" soundtrack too!
Final Score: "The Punisher" (1989) is a unique soundtrack release that offers quality action music along with an appealing collectable value.
