TFN Review: The Force Awakens Soundtrack

I had no idea that when I finished my first listen of the soundtrack for Star Wars: The Force Awakens that I would enjoy it as much as I did. Even with John Williams at the helm, I was curious as to whether or not it would deliver on the same level that previous entries in the franchise have. Thankfully, what we got was a score that is full of both freshness and familiarity and is a worthy addition to the Star Wars soundtrack catalogue.

(Warning: there will be spoilers in this review.)

Because Fox no longer has the rights to the Star Wars franchise, this is the first film without the familiar opening fanfare that we are all accustomed to. While this may sound disappointing, it actually works quite well in context with the film, and provides even more suspense as we go through the opening logos and await our return to the galaxy far, far away. The Main Title is basically the same as we know it, though I can hear some parts of it more clearly in this version than before. However, the opening notes lack that bombastic feel that we are used to, even when hearing it played in a theater. I’m not sure if this is a mixing issue or maybe something else like some sections simply not playing loud enough, but the impact that the first few bars of the main theme usually provide is nearly nonexistent. When we saw the first teaser trailer for The Force Awakens, the version of the main theme that played had a strong bassline, but that was not carried over into the final product. Still, the rest of the theme is just as we know it, and it is satisfying to finally hear it again.

The Attack on the Jakku Village is one of my favorite opening tracks to a Star Wars film, second only to the one in Revenge of the Sith. Like much of this soundtrack, it fits with the scene it accompanies quite well, and is a commendable introduction to the First Order. The next track, The Scavenger, introduces us to the character, Rey, as well as her theme. Williams has always had a knack for creating memorable character themes, and he does not waver from that with this film. The motif that is associated with Rey is introduced here, and the track throughout gives off a sense of mystery, which is convenient given that at this point in the film, the audience is wondering who Rey is, where she is from, etc. The next three tracks, though not particularly special, work very well in their parts of the film. I Can Fly Anything and Follow Me are both “action” themes and bookend the short, gentle-sounding Rey Meets BB-8.

It isn’t until we hear Rey’s Theme that the genius of John Williams is truly evident. It opens with the motif that we first heard in The Scavenger, and fits Rey’s character to perfection. It has a journey-like feel to it while also expressing some immature aspects that go along with Rey’s naïve personality. Add to this the sense of mystery that we get from Rey as well as from the track, and you have a theme that is surely to be a fan-favorite for years to come.

The Falcon is the first time we hear noticeable callbacks to the original trilogy. A fast-paced, intense track, it goes along with a chase that is reminiscent to what the Millennium Falcon has been through many times before. We hear shades of TIE Fighter Attack from A New Hope, which again is fitting to the scene. For the entire soundtrack, Williams makes sure that we get that feel of familiarity while also introducing new ideas and concepts, and The Falcon is a prime example of this technique.

Of the next few tracks, The Rathtars along with Finn’s Confession are two of the underwhelming pieces on the soundtrack. The Rathtars starts off promising, but it lacks a flair to it that is usually present in Williams’ action themes. So like the Rathtars themselves, I found their accompanying track lackluster and far from memorable. Finn’s Confession has a different sort of problem that causes it to be forgettable, which is that although it is a beautifully written piece of music, it fails to really establish a proper theme for Finn. To be one of the leads of this film, you would think that he would have an established theme. Poe Dameron has a motif associated with him, so why not Finn? Of course, there could be some connection that will be discovered later on, possibly in the complete score, but for now it is disappointing to not have something on the soundtrack itself.

The Starkiller is another genuine Star Wars track. Played during one of the more heart-wrenching parts of the film, it is a slow-moving piece that really adds to the destruction of what is going on during that scene. It reminds me a lot of Anakin’s Betrayal from Revenge of the Sith in that both are emotional pieces of music that convey the actions on screen, which is something that John Williams typically exceeds in.

The next highlight of the soundtrack is Han and Leia, which is one that I’m sure everybody was looking forward to. Borrowing heavily from their original trilogy love theme, this film’s theme for duo evokes clear memories of nostalgia, and though they are no longer together at the time of The Force Awakens, the music can’t help but bring a tear to your eye.

March of the Resistance is one of my personal favorites from The Force Awakens. I’ve always been a huge fan of John Williams’ marches, and this is no exception. The brass stands out the most in this track, though I do wish we would have heard more of the percussion. This march also brings to mind The Arena from Attack of the Clones, which is definitely not a bad thing. The piece really picks up in the last 30-40 seconds, which is really refreshing. I feel as if this track will be one of the more underrated ones from the film.

Star Wars always manages to have great villain themes, and Snoke is no exception. The mysteriousness of the character is reflected incredibly well in this track, and one can’t help but think back to Palpatine’s Teachings from Revenge of the Sith, due to the low-tone chanting evident in both tracks. Despite not having much to it aside from the vocals, it stands out as one of the best from the film.

Torn Apart, which is what plays when Han Solo is confronting Kylo Ren immediately before, up to, and after the smuggler’s demise, is sheer perfection from John Williams. It’s hard to not feel emotional when hearing or thinking of Torn Apart, and while some of it probably has to do with the fact that we lost a beloved character, but it fits the scene so well. Add in that the death itself was shot in such a satisfying way, and you get a perfect, tear-jerking work of art.

The Ways of the Force and Scherzo for X-Wings (which is not the first time Williams has used the term “scherzo” in a title) are two unique tracks that honestly work a lot better in the film than they do on their own. I can’t really say anything too negative about them, but while Star Wars usually has one strong Act III track (see The Battle of Yavin, Battle of the Heroes, Duel of the Fates), this film doesn’t really have that. One highlight in the film is a cue from the A New Hope track, Burning Homestead, which plays when Rey uses the Force to take the lightsaber from the snow; this is not included in the soundtrack, so we’ll just have to settle for fan edits or a special edition release in the future.

Like villain themes, the finales of Star Wars films more often than not give us incredible pieces of music. The Jedi Steps, which plays during the reveal of Luke Skywalker, is brilliant from John Williams. For the entire film, we the audience have been waiting to see our hero on screen for the first time since 1983, and the first minute or so of Jedi Steps, complete with an enchanting flute solo, represents this anticipation. The rest of the orchestra comes in around the one minute mark, and then about thirty seconds later, everything goes silent and we hear the classic rendition of The Force Theme. Luke Skywalker has returned. The music builds…

…and then it’s over. The end credits roll. Just like the film, the soundtrack ends with you craving for more.

The musical journey that just concluded is unlike any Star Wars score before it. It’s unclear if John Williams will be back for Episodes VIII and IX, but regardless, he has set us up for some great themes no matter who is composing. Though we may not have gotten an “epic theme” like for a lightsaber duel or something, and some tracks are harder than others to enjoy outside of the setting of the film, this is in no way a bad score. So while it is far from the best of the series, the soundtrack from the maestro Williams does what it set out to do, which is to bring us back to the roots of what Star Wars is about. And that’s really what The Force Awakens is supposed to do as well. By the time the nearly nine minute finale is over, and you hear the opening notes of the main theme played softly at the very end, all you want is for May 2017 to be here. And it can't come soon enough.

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