Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011) – Michael Giacchino

Much like the Mission Impossible films starring Tom Cruise are almost spoofs of themselves, Michael Giacchino’s score to the latest installment, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, spoofs both itself and every other action movie score…and it’s fantastic.

The album is as over-the-top as you can get, transitioning from eerie background music, such as in the opening track, “Give Her My Budapest,” into long, sweeping melodies, as heard in “A Man, a Plan, a Code, Dubai,” to exciting action music, such as in “World’s Worst Parking Valet.” All the while, we hear the iconic Mission Impossible theme song interspersed throughout, brilliantly blended into new music that manages to sometimes disguise it and at other times enhance it. Giacchino gives us music that is as loud and rambunctious as the action in the film itself, helping to form a sort of caricature of the action genre of film and the stereotypical action score.

Despite his ability to deliver these moments of almost obnoxious (in a good way), rowdy music, Giacchino sticks to his guns and manages to give us plenty of brilliant, quiet moments as well, such as in the tracks “Moreau Trouble Than She’s Worth” and “Putting the Miss in Mission.” Additionally, “Ghost Protocol” provides us with some chillingly dissonant music that slowly builds into a theme that I would describe as angsty and conflicted – a perfect embodiment of what is going on in the film at the time.

Giacchino, known for his scores to Disney/Pixar’s The Incredibles and Up, as well as his score to the J. J. Abrams Star Trek reboot, continues to show his diversity across genres with this score to Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, a score that is just as smart as it is fun. With the traditional wit found in the track titles (e.g. “In Russia, Phone Dials You,” “From Russia With Shove,” “Mumbai’s the Word,” etc.), this score is yet another testament to the fact that Giacchino is one of the best in the business.

Rating: 4 (out of 5)

1. Give Her My Budapest (1:57)
2. Light The Fuse (2:01)
3. Knife To A Gun Fight (3:42)
4. In Russia, Phone Dials You (1:40)
5. Kremlin With Anticipation (4:12)
6. From Russia With Shove (3:37)
7. Ghost Protocol (4:58)
8. Railcar Rundown (1:11)
9. Hendricks’ Manifesto (3:17)
10. A Man, A Plan, A Code, Dubai (2:44)
11. Love The Glove (3:44)
12. The Express Elevator (2:31)
13. Mission Impersonatable (3:55)
14. Moreau Trouble Than She’s Worth (6:44)
15. Out For A Run (3:54)
16. Eye Of The Wistrom (1:05)
17. Mood India (4:28)
18. Mumbai’s The Word (7:14)
19. Launch Is On Hendricks (2:22)
20. World’s Worst Parking Valet (5:03)
21. Putting The Miss In Mission (5:19)
22. Mission: Impossible Theme (Out With A Bang Version) (0:53)

Total Length: app. 77 min.

iTunes Album Link

-Chad

P.S. – Read my review of the film here!