Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones Soundtrack by John Williams

Jump to Part Two (written after viewing the film)

(Note: I've decided to split this review into two parts, pre- and post-viewing of the film, in order to do the music justice. Please come back a few days after the movie opens to get Part Two.)

Is the Episode II soundtrack really worth 20 bucks? [Actually, it's $13.99 at Amazon -Toryn] That depends on what you want to buy. If you want to hear some classic John Williams (the composer and conductor of not only this movie but all the Star Wars films and most of Steven Spielberg's flicks as well) or to recapture the spirit of Episode II after you've been to the very first screening in your town, then yes, the CD is worth it. The music is great, and really builds an atmosphere. But if you want to buy this in hopes that it will give you all the plot to the movie or you want to hear the complete score for the film, then no.

You see, we've been shafted by the Lucas Merchandising Machine (referred to as LMM from here on in) once again. The LMM's whole philosophy is very simple: Why make the sheep ... er, people pay only once, when we can make them pay twice, or thrice, or even dozens of times? Bleating right along with the rest of the sheep, I get to relive my Episode I soundtrack experience: buy the first soundtrack available, play it every couple of months, find the complete score has been released a couple of years later, buy that, try to sell the first soundtrack at CD Warehouse, fail miserably, and end up chucking it when you realize you need to clear out your coffin-sized room so you can actually breathe while you sleep.

Not that I'm bitter.

But, before I get into the soundtrack play-by-play analysis, I will warn you of a couple of things:

• This is essentially an incomplete review, as I have not seen the movie yet. And that's the thing that really makes the Star Wars soundtracks. Even if a soundtrack contains the most imaginative sounds you've ever heard in your life (at which point I assume you're listening to Pink Floyd), if it doesn't immediately evoke images of the movie in your subconscious, then it's failed miserably. And since no one's seen the movie (well, no one who would be reading this review anyway), I can't really give you the yea or nay on it. So I've separated this review into Part One and Part Two, or pre-and post-viewing of the film.
• Even though I've been avoiding spoilers to the movie like the flu (next time, it'll be like the plague), I draw some conclusions that can be considered SPOILER material. These are my conclusions, based on what I'm hearing and what I've seen of the trailers. And while I may be wrong, I don't want to ruin anyone's enjoyment of the movie. So, if you don't want to be spoiled, put the mouse down, turn the computer off, get out of your chair, and go outside. Otherwise, I warned you.
• And by the way, for those of you paranoid about reading the back of the album because you're afraid it will give away a major plot point (ala Episode I and "Qui-Gon's Noble End"), you're safe. Nothing big is given away except the names of the villains. You may thank me with large cash donations.

Star Wars Main Title and Ambush on Coruscant

The same opening we get with every Star Wars film. Still, not a bad thing. Ambush seems to have an almost Empire feel about it, though it doesn't sound like any significant action happens here. A good way to set the tone for the movie, though.

This track, while probably not appearing in the movie, is good. Really good. It's a hauntingly beautiful melody, full of innocent joy and foreboding melancholy at the same time. And if you whistle it, it becomes the theme to Lassie.

Zam the Assassin and The Chase Through Coruscant

This is a very unorthodox track for Williams, not only because it does not possess any of the thematics he is known for, but also because of the electric guitar. And I cannot stress to you just how much an electric guitar in a symphony orchestra annoys the Bantha poodoo out of me. If I want to hear electric guitar, I'll listen to Rush or AC/DC or Dire Straits or Alice in Chains (Rest In Piece, Lane Staley). This is easily the weakest track on the album, and it still does a good job of creating the atmosphere.

My favorite piece on the CD, it's very light and hopeful and a necessary break from all the dark undercurrents of the rest of the album. It also features the return of Yoda's Theme and the Force Theme. The end builds towards a strong Love Theme, indicating a decision on Anakin's part.

A curious little piece that doesn't reveal a thing about the movie. I'll have to reserve judgment on it until the viewing. It also has a bit of the Force Theme. Never a bad thing.

Surprisingly little Love Theme here, considering the title, but the music does heighten the uncertainty of the future involving these two.

Adrenaline-pumping, heart-pounding, vein-clogging excitement is the order of the day here. This is obviously Jango Fett and Obi-Wan's thrills-a-minute battle. There is one point where I'm concerned that Williams thinks he's scoring Jaws II. But, it doesn't last long, and I don't think there are any sailboats in Star Wars, so all is forgiven.

If there's a doubt in anyone's mind that Anakin and Padme swap spit during this flick, this track erases all doubt. You can almost picture them having a innocent little picnic, complete with innocent music, then start frolicking about and having fun, music swelling with their actions, then somehow winding up in each other's arms as the music suddenly quiets. Then, they share a passionate kiss as the Love Theme swells up once again and seven-year-old boys in theaters across the world start gagging in unison. And although it doesn't say that the scene changes in the title, the music becomes far too dark to support Annie. In other words, enter Count Dooku.

There are two things this piece suggests: Jango Fett's pursuit of Obi-Wan is successful and the Jedi Knight is captured. The second is that the grand Republic Army is unveiled, using the music we heard for the Trade Federation army in Episode I. For the most part, a very quiet track that does a good job of setting the moods.

There is a very interesting use of the Force Theme here. It's played the exact same way as in Episode IV, when Luke is overlooking the Tatooine desert at the twin suns. It would be a very interesting dichotomy to see Anakin doing the exact same thing as he comes home. But it immediately shifts to Duel of the Fates, which very well could represent the Dark Side theme. Or maybe the upper half of Darth Maul attacks Anakin and he chops off the Sith Lord's arms ("Come Back! I'll bite your knee caps off!"). Who knows. Anyway, this piece is very dark and suggests Anakin takes his first steps towards the Dark Side.

The Tusken Camp and the Homestead

A very solemn piece to begin with that swells into a full-fledged action piece, then back to a solemn piece. And then, the return of the Imperial March, known to most of us a VADER'S THEME. Anakin's taken another step. The rest is strong, indicating that more plot points for the trilogy are hit upon. Or the script just arrived. One of those two.

Love Pledge and The Arena

The first part is obviously between Anakin and Padme, so lots of the Love Theme. The middle is the set-up to the huge battle, presumably for the Jedi. And then we get a nice drum roll into the final battle. There's a little Love Theme here that suggests Padme gets herself hurt. Then some Force Theme that might be the rescue attempt on Obi-Wan's part. A long track that's, well, repetitive.

Confrontation with Count Dooku and Finale

When you begin the track with the Force Theme, you can tell you've missed something. In this case, I think it's the final battle with Dooku. Major mislabeling. Anyway, the piece becomes very quiet and solemn ... and then the Imperial March starts up. Not just in very soft chords, mind you. This is the full blown, evil sounding version. And then a little Love Theme, then cut to credits. As usual, this replays all the new themes we heard in the movie ... which is just the Love Theme. And herein lies the challenge for Mr. Williams. When he was scoring the original trilogy, he had so much freedom. Now, he has to include music we recognize and can't really create new themes for the major players in the movies.

So, in the end, we get an incomplete score that's probably out of order, just like the first Episode I soundtrack. What really sucks is that we don't get one smidgen of The Emperor's Theme, my personal favorite. But all in all, it is a very good sampling of what is to come. We'll see what I think of it after I've seen the movie. For now, though, I'm going down to my local theater and laugh at all those screwballs in line for Episode II. I'll see you in line for Spider-Man. 

Okay, so the film was good. I managed to see it on opening day with my best friend. Unfortunately, it was in a theater with very poor sound quality. How poor? To put it succinctly, my stereo has better quality. And it's 10 years old with only one operational speaker. Keep this in mind as I go through my tirades.

So, after seeing the film, how does the soundtrack stand? In a word, weak. Aside from the Love Theme (which appears to be hit-and-miss with the fanbase), there"s really no strong new themes to grab our attention like Duel of the Fates did. The familiar themes we all know and love are back and still stand out, but the battle music from the soundtrack is extremely lacking. This seems to be a soundtrack that needs its imagery to play with, not to stand alone. So, out of a possible five stars, this soundtrack gets 2 and ½, the lowest of all the movie soundtracks I've listened to.

And for those of you wondering how each track sounds, we go now to the spoiler-filled ...

Star Wars Main Title and Ambush on Coruscant

After the always-lifting Main Title, we get this bland piece of garbage. There are two possibilities for why this track sounds the way it does:

• This is not the opening track from the movie and the Lucas Marketing Machine has reamed us yet again, or ...
• This is just an alarmingly weak track that doesn't even register the explosion.

Both are plausible to me right now, as I've only seen the film once. Either way, not a great start.

Okay, I like this one. I'll admit it. There are not that many good romantic themes out there, and this, in my not-so-humble opinion, is one of the better ones. It ranks number three on my favorites list, just behind Han and Leia and the Love Theme from Raiders of the Lost Ark. For those of you curious about whom it edged out, get a life. Kidding, kidding. It beats the Love Theme for Superman.

Zam the Assassin and The Chase Through Coruscant

I still stand by my original statements about the electric guitar, but this is definitely a track that's helped out by the visuals.

This is still my favorite track on the album, even though the scene it was built around seems a little, well, meaningless. Williams really needs to make use of the original trilogy's soundtrack more often in number III.

Nothing to listen to. You can go about your business. Move along. Move along.

Ah, the scene where the finally kiss. My guess is Williams decided to go with the ambient atmosphere here instead of building to a crescendo, like Han and Leia in ESB.

Unfortunately, it doesn't help make the track more memorable.

Adrenaline-pumping, heart-pounding, vein-clogging as promised. And after seeing Kamino, I understand why Williams went with the almost Jaws II-like music.

You know, I like Natalie Portman. I really do. She's a bright girl, a wonderful actress, and so incredibly easy on the eyes. But as I told my friend during this scene, "Dude, if she starts singing The Sound of Music, I'm leaving."

Seriously, though, the music here is pretty good and helps support the scene.

Is it just me, or did anyone else want to here The Asteroid Field from ESB instead of this? It would've worked, too, if it built towards a Force Theme instead of Han and Leia. Ah, well. At least we get some starfighter action here.

Ah, the moisture farm. Good to be back. Good use of the Force Theme here, even though the Love Theme would've worked better. And what a waste of Duel of the Fates.

The Tusken Camp and the Homestead

Appropriately sorrowful. Well, up until the point where Anakin decides to become a mass murderer. Then it gets nice and sinister. And you have just got to love the Imperial March.

Love Pledge and The Arena

Okay, let me get this straight. The battle takes up the last quarter of the movie, which would be about 20-30 minutes. The soundtrack gives us eight minutes of battle. Can you say gypped, boys and girls? I knew you could.

Confrontation with Count Dooku and Finale

I CALLED IT! I FRIGGIN CALLED IT! We get to wait until the Ultimate Super Secret Special Edition Soundtrack Volume 2.581, available only in THX 5.1, the new system Lucasfilm will be bringing out at an affordably priced $1,138.00 and if you don't have it, well then you can't listen to it or look at it or even be in the same store with it because I'm George Lucas, and I'm rich, but I want to be richer, and I'm also an obsessive control freak and nobody will listen to anything unless they pay me ...

Sorry, sorry. [Deep breathing]

Okay, I'm better. So, in case you didn't get my gist above, the battle between Obi-Wan and Dooku, Anakin and Dooku, and Yoda and Dooku are all chopped out. Just like I predicted. So we have to wait for the Ultimate version to get all the music, at which time I will hopefully write another review, assuming I have access to a computer. Until then ...

Stay Cool and Stay Tuned.