Soundtrack Review – Turbo: Music From The Motion Picture

July 15, 2013

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Soundtracks are a strange beast. They can definitely help a movie with profits, but they are usually an odd mix of various artists and composed melodies that don’t necessarily relate to one another. The soundtrack for TURBO is no different mixing new rap songs from Snoop Dogg to classic hip hop songs to to classically composed songs for the film. Luckily, there are a few songs I’m excited to add to my library and the composed music is pleasant and somewhat familiar, but like many motion picture soundtracks, listening from beginning to end just doesn’t make sense to me.

The order is most likely in chronological order, however going from the composed music to “Krazy” by Pitbull (Fet. Lil’ Jon) just clashes. The highlight, however, is the beautifully scored music Henry Jackman provided for Turbo. He definitely has a certain sound that the audience may recognize from previous films, as the case with many composers. His biggest claim to fame with some similarities is probably Wreck-It-Ralph but he has also scored such films as The Dark Knight, Monsters vs. Aliens, Gulliver’s Travels, X-Men: First Class, Winnie the Pooh, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and many more. This doesn’t include other countless works of his that he produced or helped arrange alongside Hans Zimmer.

These compositions can be whimsical yet epically emotional simultaneously. Some have a nice progression of intensity that builds and builds to an explosive climax in which I’m sure adds to great moments in the film. (I have yet to see the film).

Some of the songs remind me of The Rocketeer and others with a little Forrest Gump. You can definitely hear a lot of inspiration from many other past films, but his sound is definitely his own and appears to fit well with the theme of Turbo.

Unfortunately there come the songs that seem a little ridiculous like “Let The Bass Go” by Snoop Dogg and “The Nail Is Fast” by V12 and Nomadik. I’m sure “The Snail is Fast” has good reason to be in the film as it fits well with a super-snail of sensational speed, but is it something that I really ever want to listen to? I am not even sure many children will be rocking out to this.

The song comes shortly after songs like “Krazy” that isn’t necessarily appropriate for all. Come on, we even have “Drop It Like It’s Hot”; a silly popular song, but has a theme around hot woman… um, ‘dropping it’.

The highlight remains Henry Jackman’s arrangements that surprisingly sound quite different from song to song and yet still retains the identity of the film. This is a great pick-up for some strong composed instrumental segments. The other songs may be considered just something extra that came with the score.