Tron Legacy

So yeah, this is not a movie review.  But, oh, the soundtrack.  I haven’t seen a movie in so long where the soundtrack actually moved the movie.  The soundtrack that Daft Punk (and orchestrator Joseph Trapanese) has put together is fantastic.  Its minimal, its maximal, it has moments of sweeping orchestral beauty, and pure moments of techno-glitchy percolations.  I liked the movie more than most, but what I found most endearing were the superficial things actually…the design, the look.  It was just wonderful for a technophile.  Add to the look and design the soundtrack and I was happily enjoying the ride.

I’ve listened to the soundtrack about five times now and I only saw the movie this past weekend.  Certain parts of the soundtrack evoke memories of the film with the “solar sailor” cruising through the electric sky, or young Flynn riding his motorcycle through the dark streets.  This is what a good soundtrack should be.  I’m sure many fans bemoan the fact that this is not “Daft Punk’s Next Album.”  Nor should it be in my opinion.  Its the soundtrack.  Their next album will eventually hit, but this should not have been some dance-heavy manifesto on their stylings…instead, they crafted something that fit the ambiance of the film while still expressing their identity as musicians.

Whether or not you see the film in a theater matters not but at least make sure wherever you see it has a good soundsystem.  Seeing the film helps interpret the soundtrack, so I could see people not being impressed with it as much without seeing the film, but the soundtrack does stand by itself as a compelling listen.

Check out a track here:  (The original track posted was the promo video Daft Punk was in, but its a Vevo video and lord have mercy if you actually use that for promotional purposes…)

~ by curbmerchant on January 12, 2011.