Various Artists - Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor - CD

Given that Randy Edelman's reputation as a Hollywood composer rests on his work on romantic comedies and family-friendly fare, he's an unlikely choice to score an effects-driven, popcorn adventure like The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, but while his signature playfulness and sentimentality occasionally bubble to the surface, this is nevertheless a solid, often exciting effort that manages to fulfill the mandates of the genre in question. The film's Chinese setting allows Edelman the freedom to return to the Eastern influences of past scores like Shanghai Knights and Dragon, juxtaposing traditional instrumentation against bold strings, electric guitar, and soaring electronics. While the action themes are a bit over the top in their sheer relentlessness, Edelman balances the onslaught with a clutch of lighter, more romantic cues (most notably "Love in the Himalayas" and "A Warm Rooftop") that play to his core strengths. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi