Soundtrack Review: Jumper by John Powell (2008)
I’ve read quite a few reviews about this movie, and I have yet to read a positive one. It won’t affect this review however as it is just based on what I hear and my opinion of it. John Powell has done some great work in the past like the Bourne series, Shrek, Happy Feet, United 93 to name a few. All that is thrown out of the window of course. You can’t judge a score by a composer’s merit’s right? However it is allowed to have some expectations. I listened to the preview when it became available on iTunes and I got a little excited about this. This is the track list of Jumper:
- My Day So Far
- Splash
- First Jumps
- Bridges, Rules, Banking
- Surf’s Up
- 1000 Volts
- Roland Snoops
- You Hear Me Laughing
- Coliseum Tour
- Coliseum Fight
- Echo Of Mom
- Airport Departure
- In Hospital
- It’s Sayonara
- Race To Millie
- David Comes Clean
- Roland At The Lair
- Jumper Jumper
- The Sacrifice
- A Head Start
- A Jump Off
I love that it’s 21 tracks, but the songs are really short so total playtime is 44:11. The score is fast paced like the Bourne series, but that is where the similarities pretty much end. Jumper has a more electronic sound to it, and it feels much lighter. All through this score John Powell uses a very light percussion sound which might fit in with the movie, but it doesn’t quite work outside of it. It feels like a video game score to be honest. I am not talking about great scores like Bioshock, but a standard video game score that feels like a light version of a movie score. That is what I feel here, and although he is trying to redeem himself by throwing in a few strings here and there, it is far too weak.
There are some good cues in there though. “Surf’s Up” uses some nice guitar sounds and “1000 Volts” has a nice ending with strings. The best cue on this album is Coliseum Fight, which is a great action theme worthy of John Powell. Overall, it is annoyingly average and I expect a lot more from John Powell. Jumper is so far the weakest score of 2008. Listen to it below:
[tags]soundtrack, movie score, movie music, film music, film score, john powell, light percussion, game score, bioshock, john powell, electronic sound, airport departure, happy feet, coliseum, playtime, millie, united 93, volts, jumper, video game, cues, itunes, roland, sacrifice, cue, bridges[/tags]
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I didn’t think this film could have a good score, but maybe it does…maybe it does.
sir jorge’s last blog post..Wedding Daze Dvd Review
Trust me… it doesn’t… but reading the reviews, I think the score is the best part of the movie and that says it all.
Lol, the best part of the movie - sort of like The Kite Runner. Okay, the Kite Runner must have been a better film than Jumper, not that I would EVER see Jumper. Never.
The running time is pretty short, I would never pay for something that short, unless I absolutely loved the score/film.
Good review though - I have been warned
Nick Plowman’s last blog post..ACE Eddies - Winners
I will definitively get around to see The Kite Runner, as I’ve read the book and thought it was great. Actually, that would probably make the movie terrible. The score is pretty cool though.
In general I agree with you, paying for short scores, however there are a few examples of great score with little playtime. It frustrates me though.
Hey, I’m not judging
If anyone likes this score, who am I to argue.
Weak soundtrack, weak movie. All around mediocrity!
TheCriticalCritic’s last blog post..Movie Review: Witless Protection (2008)
Yep, seems so. Powell can do so much better than this.
I hate this movie so much, I failed to see if they got a decent musical background or whatever…hate this film!
Haha, I hear ya. What were they thinking!?
Again we must be Separated at birth. I love John Powell and concur on a cursory listening of his latest. How disappointed I am like a kid on Christmas Morning thinking I will get something like the first Bourne Soundtrack, Italian Job, Mr and Mrs Smith, or Paycheck and wind up getting something like Jumper.
Don’t tell me “the Best yet has been done.” I want to hear “the Best is yet to come.”
I find it quite enjoyable to read your blog. Thank you for creating it and I look forward to participating.
Yeah, John Powell has done some great work and i am positive he’ll do great work again. The best is yet to come sounds good to me. He usually does action scores so well. I wonder what happened?
Ah well, all is forgiven Mr. Powell. Just keep scoring!
It’s average but cool
What is the name of the song in the begining of the movie where
Hayden is in his apartment Jumping, sittin on His couch jumping,ect.
Hmm, I can vaguely remember a song there, but I’ve forgotten what it was. Can anyone help out Jj3?
I have to agree with the movie being lame and I can’t even remember the soundtrack so it must not have stood out at all when I watched it. I wish Samuel L. Jackson would pick his movies more carefully. It would seem that he will take any job if it provides the cash. At least with Snakes on a Plane he made a goodbad movie and sold it as a joke. They were trying to make Jumper serious, but it just never took.
Sam L. Jackson has some straaaaaaaange career choices, but I still enjoy watching him on the big screen.