by Mirna on 1/19/2002
favorite track: 14
 
Eric Serra goes way over the top with this one: obviously he was given carte blanche to do whatever his hyperinventive mind could come up with, and ultimately created a monster - that is to say, a score that is alternately affecting and mindless, but always quirky. It reveals too many influences to be listed here (opera, dance beats and near atonality being only two), and definitely too many to allow the sounds to gel into a cohesive whole. There are some very inspired tracks: pay special attention to numbers 14/15 for a nutshell impression of the insanity of this soundtrack. Unfortunately, this creative crazy streak often strays into self-parody, much like the movie itself. Nevertheless, if colorful is what you want, then colorful is what you'll get with The Fifth Element.