There’s something utterly magnetic about Steve Jablonsky’s score for Transformers; the impeccably grandiose themes that are as entertaining as they are memorable, the tensely triumphant action music, the sheer unapologetic wonder of the longer setpieces (“Arrival To Earth”) – it’s all spellbinding, and the seeds of a fantastic soundtrack franchise to come too.
Transformers is one of those film scores – hell, film score franchises – that feels so utterly, quintessentially 2000s, in the very best of ways. It’s powerful, memorable, pulls no emotional punches and is unapologetically epic, and much like Trevor Rabin’s National Treasure or Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer’s Pirates Of The Caribbean before it, it also features a superbly heroic main theme that you can’t help but fall in love with. Or at least, I did. The theme for this first soundtrack entry – for the protagonistic Autobots – remains to this day one of my favourite film music pieces of all time, and I don’t say that lightly. As it’s the very first track on this twenty cue album as well, let’s waste no further time and give you a taste of what I’m talking about. “Autobots” begins with an air of mystery, as quiet strings, percussion and ethereal vocals echo gently. Before long though brass joins the ensemble, and in doing so introduces the proudly grandiose Autobots theme. A rousing and indeed quite memorable motif that soars tremendously here and thematically fits the titular robots in disguise like a glove, this theme lives on to even the latest live-action film Rise Of The Beasts, that’s how good it is. With the theme established, wondrous vocals then take centre stage alongside powerful backing brass to further the optimistic tone before a darker, more forlorn idea emerges, and the standout track then builds to a tensely dramatic finishing crescendo.
All-in it’s one hell of an album opener by composer Steve Jablonsky, and he’s only just getting started. The rising darkness from the end of the prior track continues into the subsequent “Decepticons”, with the mood expectedly flipped as a thematic idea for the titular robotic antagonists emerges. Pulsing electronics and chanting vocals rising in dramatic intensity are the focal point at first here, with propulsive strings and thundering drums then joining the building tonal aggression to overall create what I can only describe as an angrily malevolent-sounding orchestral charge. After the Decepticons theme crashes to a violent close, the music then settles into mystery again for “The All Spark”; the ethereal vocals return alongside rapid strings debuting a theme for the title Cube, the source of the Transformers’ life itself. A sense of great power, nobility and wonder cements itself as the three and a half minute cue continues, with the full orchestra rising to hold the new theme emphatically high. A cold ambience however then descends for “Deciphering The Signal”, as worrisome strings play against moody electronic echoes, eerie swathes of brass and intermittent chanting hints toward the Decepticons for a decidedly anxious mood-setting piece overall. The short “Frenzy” then continues this wary tonal sentiment with increasingly imposing strings, high-pitched vocals and hair-raising electronics that all build with increasing intensity.
A solemn sense of quiet nobility aptly opens “Optimus”, with hints toward vocals and electronics before a frankly gorgeous theme is then introduced on hopeful woodwinds; the theme for Optimus Prime. It swirls with a gentle optimism (haha) for its debut rendition in the opening minute before being joined by backing strings, brass and vocals that all build to a beautifully serene crescendo. Overall, it’s got to be said; Jablonsky’s orchestrations sound absolutely phenomenal here, for what is one of the best pieces of thematic work on the score (and honestly, the franchise). The air of wonder and mystery from the All Spark theme then returns for “Bumblebee”, hinting and echoing atmospherically in the first half of the four minute track as electronics gradually build and slowly give way to grander strings until a full and powerfully triumphant rendition of said theme practically soars on full brass-led orchestra towards the end. Tense punches of brass and drums then open action cue “Soccent Attack” as the aggressive vocal chanting of the Decepticons returns to thunder angrily against some rather anxious interspersions of the All Spark motif. The mood however then turns lighter and more whimsical in “Sam At The Lake” as the theme for Shia LaBeouf’s Sam Witwicky introduces itself on cheerful percussion and playful strings.
Dramatically imposing action returns for the lengthy “Scorponok”, as pounding drums and frenetic strings open the track accompanied by bursts of worrisome brass. A new motif also debuts in this sea of orchestral anxiety, buried under the tension initially before then coming triumphantly forth in the second half as militaristic drums and grandiose brass take centre stage to fully introduce the theme (for the American military). A sheer sense of sorrow and serenity then rears its head again for the start of “Cybertron”, with despairingly downtrodden strings and low-pitched brass playing centrally in the cue’s opening minute before rumbling drums and an eerily horror-like tone rapidly descend for much of the rest of the track with creepy vocals and electronics in tow – though the final seconds do then give way to the solemn strings again. The standout “Arrival To Earth” is then up next, and what a powerhouse of a track this is; it’s opened by ominous ambience but this quickly fades in favour of a new, hope-filled theme that swells on proudly noble strings, with full orchestra then building behind it over the course of three utterly breathtaking minutes filled with sheer emotional power. And as an absolute cherry on top, the Autobots theme then reprises towards the end to give this fantastic five minute setpiece a triumphant sendoff.
The plinkingly playful theme for Sam returns in “Witwicky”, though this time with an edge of ominousness as sinister swathes of electronics simmer under the theme’s usual plucking strings. Emphatic action then retakes the stage for the short “Downtown Battle” as fast-paced drums, strings and electronics thunder warily, with “Sector 7” continuing in a similarly tense manner as anxious brass takes centre stage. Intense orchestral melancholy however then occupies “Bumblebee Captured” with serene strings reprising both Optimus’ theme as well as the Autobots. “You’re A Soldier Now” then heads back into action with the Decepticons theme striding aggressively on its usual malevolently chanting vocals before the hopeful strings for Bumblebee, noble brass for the Autobots and swelling hope of Optimus build to a tremendously fist-pumping action crescendo. A dramatically heroic rendition of the All Spark theme then leads “Sam On The Roof” while being endlessly pursued by the ever-angrily chanting Decepticons theme, before the action then concludes with the explosive “Optimus V.s. Megatron” as deafening drums and vocals pit the Decepticons against the All Spark, military and Autobots themes for one last desperate orchestral fight. With the score heading rapidly to its end, “No Sacrifice, No Victory” then brings everything full circle for a gloriously orchestrated sendoff as the Autobot and Optimus themes soar in brassy triumph.
Overall, Steve Jablonsky’s Transformers is a tremendous example of 2000s-styled thematic film scoring done right. It’s the way the brassy orchestra feels so unapologetically epic, daring and wondrous all at the same time (see the phenomenal “Arrival To Earth”), how the action is so heart-poundingly tense yet also has these moments of utter emphatic heroism (see “Scorponok” or “Sam On The Roof”), and how the beautifully introspective tracks too, meticiously orchestrated, also completely, utterly soar (see the standout “Optimus”). Most of all though, it’s the impeccably grandiose themes that stick in your head pretty much immediately on hearing them – the main Autobots theme for example kicks off the album with one of my all-time favourite pieces of film music (“Autobots”) and then simply doesn’t let up, charging triumphantly all across the score with a mighty orchestra continually at its back as well as a gorgeously serene motif for Optimus Prime himself (“No Sacrifice, No Victory”). And they work so well that they returned not only for the Michael Bay sequels, but for latest reboot entry Rise Of The Beasts too (composed by Jongnic Bontemps). Against them is then a similarly memorable motif for the Decepticons, growling in chanting vocals (“Decepticons”, “Soccent Attack”), and binding everything together is a wonderfully hopeful piece for the All Spark itself (“The All Spark”, “Bumblebee”).
All this comes together in an impeccably crafted album that tells the thematic story of the film superbly well, and is brilliantly entertaining from beginning to end. It’s the start of a fantastic soundtrack franchise, and you can practically hear it. More than meets the eye indeed.
Score: 10/10
Standout Cues: Autobots, Decepticons, Optimus, Arrival To Earth
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