After gaining worldwide acclaim for a single score, you obviously have a lot to live up to on your next project. Luckily, James Horner is up to the challenge. It was released on the day that it was announced that his score to Titanic no longer held number one spot on the Billboard Top 100 album's chart, spot it had held for almost 15 weeks. Deep Impact is the first of the summer's 'big asteroid headed for earth' movies. However, compared to Armageddon, it is definitely more of a thinking man's sci-fi thriller. Dealing with the crisis in quite a realistic fashion, the movie was a surprise hit and was well appreciated by audiences despite bad reviews from the critics.
This was the first score released by Horner following the tremendous success of the Titanic soundtrack. While not as great as his last work, Deep Impact's score is still worth looking into, or rather listening into. Horner develops a main theme in the first track and it is used throughout the score. As heroic and patriotic as his trumpet solo from Apollo 13, the theme is catchy and used frequently enough to be remembered. Crucial Rendezvous is one of the better tracks to incorporate this main theme. The Wedding is a romantic and lilting piece and is better presented in the film itself but both versions are not up to the quality of Rose from Titanic. As a whole the score is quieter than any of Horner's recent works. A solid, patriotic score with a strong main theme that is worth investing in.
Total time: 77:16
1: A Distant Discovery (3:52)
2: Crucial Rendezvous (3:57)
3: Our Best Hope.... (13:20)
4: The Comet's Sunrise (5:02)
5: A National Lottery (8:21)
6: The Wedding (3:56)
7: The Long Return Home (4:40)
8: Sad News (3:42)
9: Leo's Decision (3:03)
10: The President's Speech (4:25)
11: Drawing Straws (10:37)
12: Goodbye and Godspeed (11:34)