Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Steve Jablonsky

So after a giant clusterfuck with the release date, having it pushed back multiple times, the score finally arrived on iTunes the day of the films release. Last night I took a long walk through town with my mp3 player and listened to the entire thing. And as someone whose listened to film scores for a better part of his life, I feel compelled to give a full review because of its sheer level of greatness.


While just about everyone agrees that the first score was really fantastic, one thing missing was the actual Transformers theme or some resemblance to the score to the animated film in 1986. While this new score by Steve Jablonsky doesn't resolve the former, it sure is a lot more what I had (and I think a lot of fans) in mind when you think of what a Transformers film score should sound like.


This is especially nice, coming off "Revenge of the Fallen" which while a satisfactory score in its own right, had a really poor release, with only 40 minutes of music out of a 2 in a half hour movie put onto CD and most of the cues were either alternate tracks not used in the film and some of the best melodies were left of the score completely. Most notably the motif used for the Constructicons and while not new entirely, no rendition of the Allspark/Bumblebee theme appeared at all.




So with this new score, its quite a bit longer at a few minutes over an hour and none of the best cues or melodies have been left out. This score is signifiactly better than either of the previous 2 film scores however. Its darker in tone, as is the film and has more emotional depth too it. Also notible is the much smaller orchestra and the higher use of electronic and synth instruments. Including a very nasty bass guitar.


So here is each track deconstructed...Note however, there are some spoilers if you haven't seen the film.


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1. Dark side of the Moon - The film opens with a rendition "Prime" from the previous film but is quickly interuppted by the first track which scores the films opening sequence about the Apollo 11 moon mission and the real reason behind it. This track is a good mix of epic melodies and some dark serious notes represented by electric guitar. There is a melody here in the beginning not present anywhere else on the CD that treads very close on turning into the theme song from "Thor."


2. Sentinel Prime - While I tend to personally lean more towards loving villainous sounding music this track is undeniably the biggest highlight of the entire album. Not returning to the film at all, is the military sounding "Autobot" theme heard in the first film, and heard only a few time in ROTF. In this film instead we get this theme, played with piano and then strings. Its a theme of longing and it used to Represent both Sentinel and his relationship with Optimus. This melody returns later in the album in a big way.


3. Lost Signal - A very sufficient "mysterious" track that plays during the film while Optimus and Ratchet retrieve the 5 pillars and the body of Sentinel Prime. Theres a hint of the Sentinel theme at the tail end.


4. In time you'll see - The first big action track on the album is very electronic and mixed with some heavy bass drums and horns, accompanying Sentienls betrayal of the Autobots and his storming through NEST and stealing the Pillars.


5. Impress Me - Without a doubt my least favorite and the least interesting track on the album. While its not an unenjoyable listening experience, I just feel like this track is taking space up on the CD that could have been used for something better (like bumblebee perhaps?). While Sams main motif didn't make any major returns in the second score release, the exact same cue called "witwicky" from the first film is rehashed in the first scene in ROTF with his parents. That theme is totally absent from this film but is replaced with this very similar motif which plays over the montage of Sam's jobs interviews. The music is calm and quirky and gives a break from the epic music and the action music, but altogether I'd rather have something else.


6. We were gods once - This is a track that represents 2 things within the context of the film and this by far one of my favorites on the CD. Starting off with some very deep, very evil horn work and some scary electronics that remind me heavily of Jablonskys work on "Texas Chainsaw Massacre." This song represents both Sentinel Prime after he has turned evil and it represents the Decepticons as a whole. While I like everyone else enjoyed the 2 note choir build up that represented the Decepticons in the first film and Jablonsky carried that sound over to ROTF, but losing the 2 note structure, I always felt that music came off as cartoonish, sounding almost more like a villain theme you'd hear in Star Trek. This track is how the Decepticons deserved to be represented. With extreme menace and not be taken lightly.


The track starts off with Sentinels theme from track 1, but this time very drug out with low brass and claps of and hits of synth metal. Until the track builds into an electronic melody that is simply amazing. This track builds and builds never letting up until the very end when it returns the evil motif of Sentinel one final time and fades out.


7. Battle - Starting with some loose guitar work and then building with strings drums and then choir this is a very epic piece that plays during the freeway chase with "The Dreads" and again during the final battle of the film. Simply epic.


8. There is no plan - This track is sure to be a favorite of anyone who thoroughly enjoyed the score to the first film. The "Arrival to Earth" melody from the first film, when the Autobots descend on Earth and take their alt modes makes its return here in a very different tone. Being played with sadness and regret instead of hope and wonder with electric guitar, then the track has some ambiance before transforming into (see what I did there???) another sad version of Primes theme from the previous two scores, accompanied by piano.




9. We all work for the Decepticons - This track scores the scene after Carly is captured by Dylan and the Decepticons make their way into Chicago, taking it over as a giant fortress. The track starts off with the evil Decepticon/Sentinel cue before going into some epic string work.


10. The Fight will be your own - Playing during the scene when Sam sees the Autobot shuttle taken down before his eyes, this song is a long very unrelenting sad cue that builds up with some great viola work.


11. Shockwaves Revenge - This track can be described in two words...BAD. ASS. This track represents in the film both Shockwave and his Driller animal pet. This track is unrelenting horn and string works that moves like a locomotive. If your partial to villain themes like I am, this track is one of the best on the album. It first appears in the film during the confrontation with Shockwave in Chernobyl.


12. No prisoners, only trophies - Another slow piano and string track that builds up during the possible execution of some Autobots. This will make your heart swell.


13. The world needs you now - A piece played during the final battle of the film, this one is mostly electronic with some horns and strings, good action piece that reprises the Bumblebee melody very briefly before moving into the most epic sounding version of "Arrival to Earth" with some horn work.


14. It's our fight - The longest track on the CD at 6 minutes plays during the final battle of the film, bringing back the booming low guitar sound that played in the first film when Brawl began his attack and Megatron first appeared in Mission City. But this track takes a very different direction from the first film, with some heavy choir and almost dubstep sounding synthesizers to represent the onslaught of Optimus as he lays waste to an army of Decepticons. Then there another reprisal of Optimus's theme from the previous films in his most grand form played high with horns accompanied by strings. The song finishes off with the Decepticon motif.


15. I'm just the messenger - Starting with a heavy dose of the evil Sentinel theme and then another heavy portion of Shockwave's theme to represent the driller as it attempts to take down an entire skyscrapper in downtown Chicago. This track is actually a short mixed bag of Optimus, Shockwave, Sentinel and some epic vocals


16. I, Promise - Starting with a reprise of the melody that played when Optimus beheaded Bonecrusher in the first film, this track then progresses into some Autobot epicness as they make their triumphant return and rescue Sam after thought dead with the destruction of their shuttle.


17. Our Final Hope - Mostly a reprise of the first track and the new Autobot motif (though there are hints of the original Autobot theme from the previous two films) this track closes out the album as it plays during the final scene over Optimus ans his last speech that closes the film.


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You can tell obviously the score isn't in exact chronological order of the events in the film, but works well in this order to make an enjoyable listening experience outside of it. But what surprised me is how much of this music didn't exactly stand out to me in the film, despite its use in it and lack of alternate tracks. The album works very well. A physical CD release is rumored to be July 15th, but you can buy the album right now on iTunes. I highly recommend it. It's easily the best of the three scores and lacks most of what made the previous two films sound like a "Michael Bay" films.


Out of five *****


Music as heard in the film: **
Music as heard on the album: ****



Total Time: 59:47

1. Dark Side Of The Moon (3:49)
2. Sentinel Prime (3:16)
3. Lost Signal (4:08)
4. In Time You'll See (3:16)
5. Impress Me (3:00)
6. We Were Gods Once (4:22)
7. Battle (3:40)
8. There Is No Plan (3:36)
9. We All Work For The Decepticons (1:51)
10. The Fight Will Be Your Own (4:41)
11. Shockwave's Revenge (2:00)
12. No Prisoners, Only Trophies (3:32)
13. The World Needs You Now (1:59)
14. It's Our Fight (6:32)
15. I'm Just The Messenger (4:25)
16. I Promise (1:58)
17. Our Final Hope (3:42)