To my ears, the score, while definitely entertaining, falls a little flat. It does not sound as full and lush as I would like it to be. I am not sure if it is a result of disinterest, or just not finding the write notes, or possibly with the orchestra employed to perform it, but it comes across as just a little bit off.
The score falls prey to the same reaction I had to the film: I like it but do not love it the way I wanted to love it. I was so looking forward to this film, and while it was definitely fun and entertaining, it did not fly to the heights that I had hoped it would. John Williams score is the same way. "Raiders March" and "Finale" (which brings together all of the themes) are fun pieces, but they lack the punch that they should have.
Without going to far down the negative path, let me just say that I enjoy this score, I just want to get my hands on the original trilogy scores, as this definitely is lacking something.
I already mentioned the "Raiders March" and "Finale," but they are not the only tracks of interest. "Call of the Crystal" offers up some eerie atmosphere that would seem at home in a 1950's era sci-fi film and "Irina's Theme" delivers some darkness and menace. More often than not, this is a fun score, an easy listen and one that does have replay value, much the same way as the movie from which it came.
Bottomline. If you like the movie or John Williams, you will want to pick this up. The disk is chock full of musical goodness. The pure entertainment value far outweighs what really are minor negatives.
Recommended.
Article comments
1 - PLUSH HYENA of DOOM
As a long term lover of film scores in general and having relished so many excellent works from John Williams, perhaps it was too great an expectation of brilliance that made this score seem so... lacking.
Any of John Williams' scores that I could pull from my shelves, Jaws, Jurassic park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jaws 2, etc, etc, all seem to contain a number of stand out tracks that are amongst the best music the film world has to offer. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull does not. It's not that it is bad music, it's just uninspiring and bland and too often sounding as though it's from some comedy aimed at six year olds. Not what one has come to expect from John Williams.
There is something tired about this score; it goes nowhere fresh and even when it reiterates past triumphs such as the Raiders March, it does so in a somewhat lacklustre fashion. I also have all the previous Indiana Jones scores and each of them offers a similar experience whilst equally throwing out something new. This one just doesn't do that. A great shame and a wasted opportunity. Much like the film.