Return of the Dragonheart
Review by Christopher Coleman

Dragonheart:
A New Beginning
by Mark McKenzie

One of the most eagerly anticipated scores of 2000 has been for the sequel to the popular Dragonheart score of 1993 by Randy Edelman.   While attracting some criticism for his strong employment of synthesizers, Edelman's magical theme for the movie has remained one of his most beloved. 

Since the mid-Nineties, Edelman has done few scores that match the beauty of Dragonheart, but during this same period of time, another composer is emerging as one of the best composers of romantic themes has emerged, Edelman's friend, Mark McKenzie.  It was a splendid choice to have McKenzie take the baton for the sequel.  Having established his reputation for majestic, memorable themes for films such as Durango, The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca, and Mr. Jekyll & Ms. Hyde, expectations have been for more of the same for this release.

For Dragonheart: A New Beginning, McKenzie not only employs Edelman's unforgettable theme, but adds a few new elements due to the film's plot.  Mainly, to reflect the Chinese element of the film, McKenzie composes a secondary theme entitled My Heart Goes with You (track 6).  This theme functions as the true main theme for this film and is briefly  reprised in track 14, Tai Chee, and also  n a vocal performance by Rona Figueroa in the concluding track.  It is certainly no Horner/Jennings collaboration, but it is adequate.  Suffice it to say that the instrumental version is much more enjoyable.

McKenzie uses the famous main theme sparingly as it appears in only four tracks of this Varese Sarabande release.  He treats this well-known theme more like a gem to only be shown at special occasions, instead like a foundation for building his entire score around.  

Mark McKenzie certainly sets this sequel score apart from the original when it comes to the action/suspense cues.  The full orchestra not only helps the main theme to blossom, but gives the the action sequences more vitality and an embraceable naturalness.  Where the original Dragonheart floundered, this incarnation continues to shine.

The recording and mix of this release is en par with the majority of Varese Sarabande's releases.   After first listening to the CD one is likely to swear that this is under thirty minutes in length.  This is due to the overall "enjoyability" of the score, but in truth, the total running time is respectable at just under forty minutes.  Fans of the original Dragonheart score and likewise fans of Mark McKenzie have a new score to get their hands on.  Dragonheart:  A New Beginning plays proper homage to the original while subtly, yet effectively establishing its own identity through McKenzie's obvious gifts.

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