Everyone’s favourite mutated/hairy/muscly/angry superhero, The Wolverine (portrayed by Hugh Jackman), is back. In his latest instalment after The X Men Saga, Wolverine finds himself stranded and powerless in Japan, this time accompanied by the relentless soundtrack of Oscar-nominated Marco Beltrami.
Beltrami has had a busy year, also lending his musical ear to blockbuster films such as A Good Day To Die Hard and World War Z, but if you’re expecting a full blooded action score here, you might want to think again.
The composer takes a more pensive, psychological perspective in the production; the score mirrors the action taking place with perfect synchronism, making it easy for the listener to picture what is taking place during the film.
At its best, the soundtrack is as intriguing as Hugh Jackman’s raging arm veins, incorporating meditative melodica solos that make way for intimidating and crashing horns while not intruding on the film’s narrative.
But after the novelty of soaring brass wears off, the listener is left with the skeleton of a soundtrack with not much to fill the gaps.
The lack of audible variation causes the biggest gash in the Wolverine’s supposedly indestructible skin, leaving a sour taste to what was ultimately an underwhelming film and soundtrack.
