Soundtrack Review: The Mechanic (2011)

The Mechanic Soundtrack Review: This is a review of the motion picture score The Mechanic by Mark Isham.

"It lacks punch and style, and I feel the best parts could be made into a 15 minute suite to show what it really can do."

The Mechanic starring Jason Statham is an action movie that follows an elite hit man as he teaches his trade to an apprentice who has a connection to one of his previous victims. Simon West, who hasn't directed a "big" movie since Tomb Raider in 2001 (unless you count When A Stranger Calls big) is doing the directing and it his first film collaboration with composer Mark Isham. Already liked by the audience, we get a score that hopefully will get a good start to 2011 going.

Track List

Mark Isham The Great

Mark Isham is one of the greats. In fact he was my composer of the year of 2007. Granted, a lot has happened since 2007, but I still think he is great. Whenever his name pops up, I get nostalgic and quite happy. His scores doesn't always match my expectations, but I don't think anything he does can ruin his image for me. What I do expect is a lot of atmospherics, hopefully some percussion, but mostly dreamy atmospheric sounds creeping in my ears. I also expect style, and since it's an action score, I expect action.

With The Mechanic, I feel he delivers on being Mark Isham. Almost immediately after I started listening to it, I went "Aha!". Because, Mark... we have heard this before. There is a mixture of Mexicana in here that gives it a little bit of edge, but mostly it is a bland mix of atmosphere and percussion. The action seems to bleed out, but it never truly opens up. There are some parts that almost live up to my expectations, but overall it doesn't give me what I crave.

It is simply not interesting enough to keep me entertained, but what is interesting is the two editions of the score (actually three if you buy them both in one package). The Meachanic: Assassin's Edition has 6 tracks, but they are huge in length. The Mechanic: Complete Collector's Edition has 29 tracks but with very short cues. Personally I prefer the one with long cues, although the longest is stretching it a bit with over 20 minutes of playtime.

Conclusion

Get it if you are a Mark Isham fan and need to collect everything he has ever made, I did! There is not much here for everyone else unless you are into atmospheric, electronic scores, but without the need for an emotional high. It lacks punch and style, and I feel the best parts could be made into a 15 minute suite to show what it really can do.

->Buy the Complete Collector's Edition from Amazon<-