CD REVIEW - FLICKA 2


Flicka 2
Music by Mark Thomas
MovieScore Media MMS 10008
23 Tracks 35:29 mins

This kind of sequel to 2006's Flicka features different characters and actors, though I suppose the horse remains the same. Principal actress is Tammin Sursok, who UK TV viewers may remember from the Aussie soap Home & Away (what is it with these Home & Away cast members - they're popping up all over Hollywood these days - one is even down to play The Mighty Thor!).
Aaron Zigman wrote an enjoyable, Americana-styled score for the first film, but this time out Welsh composer Mark Thomas take the reins (pun intended), and delivers music in much the same vein. MovieScore Media have of course worked with Thomas before, releasing three of his previous scores. He has also collaborated three times with the film's director Michael Damian, in case you wondered what a Welshman was doing scoring a kind of modern western.
It's quite a brief score at little over 35 minutes and, as you can probably tell by the number of cues on the disc, many of them are quite brief, but it plays through nicely all the same. Thomas conducts the City of Prague Philharmonic, who are now firmly a part of the film scoring scene, having of course previously been known for their re-recordings with the likes of Silva Screen and Tadlow, with which they still of course collaborate.
The album of course starts off with the "Opening Titles" which promises, but fails to really deliver, after a high, wide and handsome start. "Time to Go" is a brief and sad affair, but "Saddle Up" follows in more optimistic fashion, with "Flicka Appears" bursting forth impressively, before taking a more subdued turn. The dramatic and menacing "Snake Bite" follows, and then acoustic guitar introduces the tender "Carrie Nurses Flicka." It's back to the high, wide and handsome again for the suitably adventurous "Stampede," and then the tender acoustic guitar returns for "Flicka Recovers," building to a celebratory conclusion.
The flowing "Chores" has a good, old-time country feel, with fiddle and guitars; with "Ranch at Night" slowing things right down with a good old-fashioned nocturne. "Bonfire" has the feel of a country slow dance; whilst "The Diary" is another subdued and tender piece. The main theme, again introduced by acoustic guitar, dominates the sad "They Take Flicka," with "Carrie Reads to Flicka" continuing the mood.
"The Search" opens expectantly, before a hopeful burst of the main theme on strings leads to a rather grim conclusion. "See You In Court" offers more sad acoustic guitar and strings, before the latter blossom forth to close. After all this gloom, it's a relief when the adventurous "The Show" kicks in, but the mood soon changes to one of danger, the menace becoming ever greater in "Slaughterhouse." Peace is restored in "Use Some Help," with more tender guitar-lead main theme, which subsequently bursts forth gloriously in "Back to the Wild," before ending in tender mode yet again; with the final cue, "Flicka Returns" ending things on a suitably happy and peaceful note.
Go to www.moviescoremedia.com/flicka2.html for samples and details as to how to obtain your copy of this charming score, with a winning main theme, on CD or as a digital download. There's also a trailer to be viewed, should you fancy seeing the film.