"4 Assassins"
Music By Andre Matthias
MovieScore Media Digital/
Kronos Records
15 Tracks/Disc Time: 44:28
Grade: C+
Four Assassins is a film that was released last year and also goes by the name of "Far Away Eyes" which was directed by Stanley J. Orzel stars Will Yun Lee (the hit TV series Hawaii 5-0, The Wolverine and Total Recall) and MIguel Ferrer (RoboCop, Revenge) in a film set in Hong Kong which is somewhat of a love story that involves four professional assassins, who meet up on a hotel room to resolve their unfinished business and conflicts. The film was heavily influenced by the modern "Wuxia" genre - following a tragic protagonist with exceptional fighting skills and a yearning for something more. The tense film is available on DVD.
With a film set in a rather cramped and specific setting, it is really hard for a composer to come up with material that would sustain the film's pace for that length of time especially action films. Best example this score reminds me of is Brian Tyler's tense, string based score for "The Killing Room", which kept the audience on its' heels for that film's 90 minutes. Enter composer Andre Matthias, who wrote the music for the film and personally who I've never heard of. Matthias' music on its' own is a very interesting and romantically tense effort that is very engaging and does have moments of warmth amist the darkness of the film. He also supports the tense nature of each protagonist and the film's setting to a perfect musical tee. " Far Away Eyes (Main Theme)" opens the album and score to a very tense and rhythmic piano motif that really suspense laden backed with strings that immediately sets the tone and atmosphere of the film and the score.
The majority and easily the best part of this score for me is the more romantic aspects of it. Nice tender piano and strings establishing Matthias' exceptional motif that shades darkness during the material that evokes love. These tracks "Is That All I Meant to You?", "Never Expected Her", "Six Words" and "Last Man Standing" along excellent finale piece, "Just One Moment", a tense, romantic Carter Burwell inspired piece sums and wraps up the score quite nicely and to me this is why this album is good. Of course, the rest of the score filled with its really intense moments that include "Trial by Water", "Your Final Answer?" and "Death Of A Penguin" which are effective, however not nearly as memorable or as effective as the darkly, romantic material that I enjoyed. " Four Assassins (End Theme)" ends the album with a nice reprise of the main theme of the score and a positive resolution to the album. The song "Like Ashes" by Mad Carousel is a good addition to the album that does match Matthias' main theme quite nicely and good little ballad. If there was only one complaint with with the score is that the best aspect is the main theme and the romantic material, but the suspense doesn't quite work as well I had hoped. I think it actually takes away from the best aspects of the score and if you eliminate that, the score plays much better. I will recommend the album solely for its' darkly romantic material and a nice main theme that did keep me engaged with the album. Recommended with reservations.
