Soundtrack Review: HOP (2011)

Reviewer: JØrn Tillnes
HOP Soundtrack Review

HOP Soundtrack Review: This is a review of the film score HOP by Christopher Lennertz.

"As a comedy score it does what it's supposed to do but nothing more"

Easter has come and gone, but the legend of the Easter Bunny lives on (or does it?). In HOP, directed by Tim Hill we meed E.B., the Easter Bunny's teenage son who doesn't feel like becoming the Easter Bunny once it is his time. He wants to explore the world, join a rock band so he takes a journey to Hollywood to find out what life is all about. The music for this animated-within-a-live-action movie is Christopher Lennertz.

Track List

1. Prologue / Easter Island*****
2. Candy Factory*****
3. Young Fred Gets a Visit*****
4. O'Hare's Intervention***
5. Don't Want to be the Easter bunny****
6. The Accident***
7. Lament***
8. In the Garage***
9. Carlos Reports****
10. Summon the Pink Berets****
11. Pooping Jellybeans***
12. Fred Remembers*****
13. Late for Interview***
14. EB Escapes***
15. Fred's Tour***
16. Got the Blues***
17. Dad Misses his Son***
18. Back to the Mansion***
19. Sam's Visit***
20. The Hoff***
21. Fathers Just Don't Get it***
22. Fred's Realization*****
23. Be the Bunny****
24. Pink Berets Take Fred***
25. Back to Easter Island****
26. "Coup de Tat"****
27. Oh, the Guilt****
28. Easter Moon Rises****
29. Carlos Takes Control*****
30. Transformation****
31. Air Traffic Control**
32. Reunion / Proclamation*****
33. Brunch****
34. The Big Finale*****

Christopher Lennertz takes a break from his scoring duties on Supernatural to give us this comedy score starring The Easter Bunny. I call it a comedy score and not a score to an animated movie due to the mix between live action and animation.

Comedy

I suspect that if it was an animated score, it would be a bit different. This is very much a comedy score as you can hear in the cues 'O'Hare's Intervention', 'Pooping Jellybeans' and lots of other cues. The problem with cues like that is although they work great in the film, it usually is a boring off-screen listen. I also hear a lot of church organs in here, and he uses it a lot for comedic presence in Supernatural as well. It's charming and not something you hear quite often. Still, there's too much comedy here and not enough great cues.

The beginning and end are great with some proper imaginative cues like 'Prologue / Easter Island' and 'The Big Finale' plus they have some great thematic material. Same can be said about 'Candy Factory' and 'Young Fred Gets a Visit'

Conclusion

This score could have been a lot better, but as a comedy score it does what it's supposed to do but nothing more which is a shame. I would love to hear more imaginative cues like 'Prologue / Easter Island'. It is The Easter Bunny after all and deserves some more adventurous cues. Perhaps the movie is a bit too silly and so the score reflects that as well.

CUE RATING: 74.7

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Listen to the HOP soundtrack by Christopher Lennertz below:

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