Yet another adaptation of a comic book I've never heard of ("Hellblazer"), yet another movie I have no wish to see.  I just don't get why this genre has become so popular with movie studios recently.  Anyway, we get to see Keanu Reaves demonstrating his thespian prowess once again (much-derided for most of his career, he finally got a chance with The Matrix movies to show that he was even worse than we thought), this time playing a "supernatural detective" who trawls through a world of angels and demons, literally going to hell and back (presumably the place run by the devil, and not the town in Norway, which probably wouldn't quite fit in with the plot so well).  

The prolific Brian Tyler was hired to write the score, which meant that at least one aspect of the movie seemed like it might have some quality.  Sadly, the test screenings didn't go too well (who'd have thought it?) and studio executives used all their sage judgement to determine that the reason audiences didn't like it wasn't because of the stupid plot or absurd acting but rather because the music was too exciting, so in a panicked rush they got Tyler to rewrite much of his score, enlisting Klaus Badelt for some help, in order to tone things down.  The score album on Varese Sarabande features the music of both composers and does not indicate who wrote what.  It would be unfair to make assumptions so I will only say that one half of the album consists of solid orchestral and choral music, influenced by Elliot Goldenthal and highly reminiscent of Darkness Falls, while the other half has naff synth music, clichéd middle eastern stylings and a plethora of electric cello solos.  Draw your own conclusions.

Reportedly, Tyler's original score was quite spectacular, so it is very disappointing that we can't get to hear that instead of this bit of a hodge-podge.  There is certainly still some quality here, such as the spectacular "Into the Light" and growling, menacing "Resurrection", but there is always the feeling that the music is just too restrained.  When it remains more orchestral even the more subdued passages have some appeal (there is a very strong suspense-building section in the middle of "Circle of Hell"), but when the synth percussion is laid over the top then it loses even that.  Sometimes the more "modern" music does work quite well, such as in the entertaining "Last Rites" featuring an electric guitar solo.  

All in all this is such a mixed bag it's hard to know what to make of it really.  Some of the action music is excellent and you wish there was a lot more of it, and indeed some of the rest features some fine music, but the balance between the entertaining action music and the sometimes-impressive, sometimes-bland "the rest" is geared so much towards the latter that the album can be very frustrating to sit and listen to.  It hints at far stronger things in the original score Tyler wrote, but I suppose we will never know.  What remains isn't spectacular by any means, but it's solid enough for a reasonable portion of its running time.