Robocop: Prime Directives

Soundtrack

GNP Crescendo Records, 2001

REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 02/02/2001

Where is it written that every single television show, mini-series or made-for-TV movie has to have a corresponding soundtrack album released?

In the case of Robocop: Prime Directivesmy_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250 , this is a disc which should have been best left on the small screen. Admittedly, I haven't seen the four-part film series this soundtrack is culled from; for that matter, I haven't bothered with this character since that joke of a film they called Robocop 2. While composer Norman Orenstein might have written music that went well with the action in the film, the music is barely able to stand on its own without the visual effects.

Mostly structured in the traditional sci-fi genre with flashes of rock & roll thrown in, the soundtrack of Robocop: Prime Directives just doesn't have much substance. Some pieces, like "Legion" and "Clash Of The Titans," stretch out far past the point of being welcome, while "Death Of A Hero" occasionally shows signs of hope, but also seems to drag on endlessly.

And lest you think I'm only picking on the long tracks (none of the previously mentioned is shorter than 10 minutes in length), even some of the shorter tracks, such as "Innocence," "Bone Machine," "Pursuit" and "S.A.I.N.T. Goes Wrong" also fall into the same traps that the longer tracks do - namely, there isn't enough in the music that captures the listener's attention like it might in the actual film.

And therein lies the weakness of Robocop: Prime Directives. As independent music, it's subpar, lacking any substance or style to keep a listener interested for the duration of the disc. As part of the actual film, it might work much better (again, admitting I haven't seen the film), blending in with the dialogue and action to create a true feeling in the individual. Sadly, these selections should never have been lifted from the film cels, and should have always remained just a part of the film.

Rating: D

User Rating: Not Yet Rated


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© 2001 Christopher Thelen and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of GNP Crescendo Records, and is used for informational purposes only.