About the Soundtrack: G.I. Joe makes its way onto the big screen and it seems to have been welcomed enthusiastically by those who have seen it (as of this review, critic screenings were not being offered by the studio). In this debut picture, Rise of the Cobra, a stellar choice was made by signing Alan Silvestri to do the score. Certainly, Alan is no stranger to the summer blockbuster nor is he void of the tools needed to deliver the goods for such a movie. In fact, his strong suit is in the area of thematic writing, ensuring that you're left with something memorable after you've seen (and heard) the film. This soundtrack release runs a bit too long for my taste, but nevertheless, brings over 70 minutes of music for your listening pleasure.

What You Need to Know: I was one of the many, I'm sure, who was eager to check out what Alan Silvestri had in mind for the score to G.I. Joe : Rise of the Cobra. After all, here is a composer who steadily -- and impressively -- hits the target each time out of the box. I feel that his thematic writing is as strong as anybody's in the business and his knack for it appears to be growing stronger. So, I was indeed locked and loaded for this tour of duty, but did it turn out as I had hoped? Well, partially...

Rise of the Cobra is a soundtrack that has to be heard to completion to fully enjoy it. The entire structure of the score seems to be aimed at a payoff that awaits the listener in the final 6 tracks with cues that deliver all that I wanted and more from this score. The problem is, there is a bit of down time one has to get through to reach this bit of Silvestri glory.

A few hindrancesinclude a dated sound design that Silvestri delivers through the electronic influences of the score. The aim was to cast a modern, technologically advanced vibe upon the characters of the movie, but to me, these synth additions came across a bit tacky. I also felt that Silvestri had a tough time getting the momentum of the score cranked up in full. The pacing felt a bit disjointed with the stop and go attitude that some of the earlier tracks gave off. These are, however, a means to an end.

The payoff of this score delivers a full reward! Silvestri's orchestral music in the last act is vintage, powerhouse stuff. Wiping away any remnants of the meager electronic underscore, the final group of tracks on this album enables Rise of the Cobra to turn the corner as a solid recommendation choice. Specifically, I got a genuine charge out of hearing the End Credits with its rousing statement of themes that are delivered in a fluid, energizing manner. The score definitely hits its apex by the time this final track concludes and felt as though the music was fully unleashed by this point. Of course, one could ask where this type of memorable music was all along but I venture to say that Silvestri had to build this one slowly from the ground up. Come G.I. Joe 2, you'll get a more steady dose of what was heard on the tail end of this album. As it is, I happily accepted the ride, as up and down as it was, and am happy to pass this along as a soundtrack pick that I think you'll dig.