Gritty urban police dramas tend to immerse themselves in dissonant, forgettable orchestral crescendos punctuated by overproduced industrial programming. In
Out of Time, composer
Graeme Revell experiments with tropicalia and African rhythms, creating a truly fleshed out score that transports as opposed to irritates. Borrowing the cool brass chic of
Henry Mancini and the marimba-heavy technological artistry of
Thomas Newman,
Revell sounds loose and confident, replacing his usual excess for fun. The late-night ocean drive feel of the main theme sneaks throughout the set like a mischievous teen, waving furiously at the camera with narcissistic bravado before taking back the wheel on the reprise. While the unnecessary remixes of "Night Beat" and "Saying Goodbye," with vocals by underground rapper Mika, interrupt the chilled flow of
Out of Time,
Revell's polyrhythmic foray into cinematic worldbeat is a cop movie gem. ~ James Christopher Monger