A Perfect Getaway Composed by Boris Elkis
Relativity Media Soundtracks (2009)
Rating:
4/10
Soundclips below provided by
AmazonMP3
“The fact that A
PERFECT GETAWAY does offer fleeting moments of paradisaical or
romantic beauty is what keeps this film's score from diving headlong
into the great pool of sonic belligerence comprised of the majority of
horror/thriller scores out these days.”
Oh. Think Twice.
Review by Christopher Coleman
A honeymoon in Kaui? That would likely fit the bill for many of us as something
we might call "a perfect getaway." What's not to like? The unfathomable blue of
the ocean, lush, tropical flora and fawna, cool sea breezes, your new spouse all
aglow with honeymoonness; wandering, shape-shifting, psychopathic killers. Ok.
That last one might ruin things just a little bit. Well this is the basic plot
of director David Twohy's latest project so aptly titled, A PERFECT GETAWAY.
Twohy is perhaps best known for two projects: PITCH BLACK and its sequel, THE
CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK. While the one became a cult hit, the latter tripped over
itself in it's desire to flesh out the larger world introduced in the first
film. In both cases, composer GRAEME REVELL was selected by David Twohy to
deliver his usual blend of the orchestral and the electronic. Of late, it seems
that Revell has opted for television-scoring gigs with series like ELEVENTH HOUR
and DARK BLUE. Perhaps Revell's busy schedule opened the door for
long-time assistant composer/programmer, BORIS ELKIS to take on the full
composing reigns for A PERFECT GETAWAY instead.
David Twohy's late-Summer entry tried ever-so-hard to stir things up at the
cineplex, by delivering a thriller that jostled the brain as much as the
stomach. You see. There have been some mysterious deaths on this beautiful
island and we are taken on a journey of finding out not only who the culprits
are, but what has lead them down this dark and disturbing path. A PERFECT
GETAWAY is essentially a whodunit, or better, a "who'sdoinit?" that makes an
effort to "big-twist" unsuspecting audiences. Ah. Nothing is ever as it
seems...even in a place as beautiful as Hawaii. Perhaps Mr. Rourke and Tatoo
retired there after their Fantasy Island days, but just couldn't help themselves
to a little nostalgic-fantasy-twisting. The sad thing is that Twohy attempts to
subtly lay down clues as to the twist that is to come, the film's title itself
being among them, but even the most general of audiences pick up on such hints
and, by the time the twist actually makes it to the screen, are sitting there,
like a catcher waiting on the break of a curve ball. We, the audience, have
fully anticipated the whole thing from very early on. While beginning as a
beautiful, postcard, A PERFECT GETAWAY devolves into the battle-royal version of
Survivor by it's conclusion. Of course this progression of story is closely
followed by the film's score, thus giving composer BORIS ELKIS a good
opportunity to provide music that equally evolves...or devolves.
The beginning of the film introduces us to two of the major players of the film:
the honeymooners and the island itself. Right away, Elkis defines both with warm
and embraceable ideas. In "Wedding" (2) we hear what appears to be the main/love
theme associated with newlyweds, Cliff and Cydney (Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovich).
The soft theme is played lightly on piano undergirded by building-strings and
guitar harmonics. The very next track, "The Island" (3) continues the light,
musical tone, but with added verve. The core of this main theme does go on to
make a number of other appearances throughout the score, but most often in a
subdued fashion, co-mingled with many of those modern-day, thriller-staples we
have come to expect in such films. Now, if the bright and positive tone found in
tracks 2 and 3 are the sort of music you're looking for, then enjoy these two
tracks thoroughly, as there are only short moments of this later on...and
rightfully so as the film gets twisty, mistrusty, and otherwise unhealthy for
our principle characters. Moving on - There are a few different
texture-groupings that go on to fill-out the rest of A PERFECT GETAWAY. First,
keeping an exotic, if not tropical, tone to the score, we catch glimpses of
instruments like the marimba, didgeridoo and shakuhachi...or at least some
reasonable facsimile thereof [see "Cliff Attacks Ranger" (10)]. As an
Revell-apprentice, it should be of no surprise that we find Elkis employing any
number of grungy electronics, atmospheric or fluttering synths, and reversed
samples in order to enhance the feelings of both threat and thrill. Again,
toting the traditional lines of the thriller, Elkis utilizes wood slaps and
anvil strikes in bringing the suspense to climactic levels [see "Cliff Climbs
the Cliff" (23)]. Lastly, we get a bit of a surprise. Perhaps an unfitting one,
but Elkis chooses to include some eastern elements and vocals to underscore the
rather prolonged flashback scenes. In a bit of a flashback-suite (tracks 17-19),
we find these eastern flavors buried under electronic rhythms and soundscapes.
Various bells, bowls and even wordless, female vocals are used to amp up the
twisted, evolutionary, creepiness of the music. Even with a reprisal or two of
the main theme in the final two tracks, by score's end, we have been thoroughly
abashed by a bevy acoustic and synthetic musings, leaving us plum tuckered out.
The fact that A PERFECT GETAWAY does offer fleeting moments of paradisaical or
romantic beauty is what keeps this film's score from diving headlong into the
great pool of sonic belligerence comprised of the majority of horror/thriller
scores out these days. This is no DRAG ME TO HELL, but A PERFECT GETAWAY does
slide in a bit higher than the horrific-pack. As first feature films go, there
have certainly been worse, but this film and score could have been more.
With any luck, BORIS ELKIS will get to stretch more of his inventiveness or
symphonic muscles that were likely curbed by relentless and uncompromising
demands of a modern-day thriller like A PERFECT GETAWAY.
