Star Trek Ii: The Wrath Of Khan

Taking the musical reins from the legendary Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner boarded the Starship Enterprise to deliver what would prove to be his breakthrough score. A surprisingly dark, emotional effort some distance removed from Goldsmith's utopian fanfare, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was instrumental in steering the franchise into more complex territory. Horner's lucid melodies and sweeping orchestral arrangements possess a sense of genuine danger and malice long absent from Star Trek's musical backdrop, climaxing in the profoundly emotional catharsis of "Spock." His efforts lend Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's vision a newfound gravitas.

Composed by longtime J.J. Abrams collaborator Michael Giacchino, who also composed the music for series like Alias, Lost, and Fringe, as well as the previous installment of the rebooted Star Trek, the score to Star Trek: Into Darkness follows the re-imagined franchise out of the realm of sci-fi and into the world of action. Filled with tension and urgency, Giacchino's huge score builds a kind of tension and urgency that feels right at home in this new Trek universe, playing to the film's strength as a thrill-a-minute action adventure and making for a fine analogue to its original series predecessor, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Definitely worth a listen for Star Trek fans, especially those willing to accept this new take on the Trek universe with open arms (and ears).