Wolfs

No, that’s not Danny Ocean and Rusty Ryan—instead, George Clooney and Brad Pitt find themselves in an unwanted partnership as both fixers are hired to cover up the same high-profile crime.

From the beginning, dynamic sound design helps grab—and keep—our attention; the few moments include pulsing bass synth, the ever-popular ticking motif, and the occasional reverberant piano note. The complexity of the arrangement helps emphasize when it drops out briefly at 0:12, with Clooney’s knock on the door, where the diegetic room tone is almost jarringly different from the soundtrack. At 0:14 we hear emphasized foley on the tape along with an extreme close-up: everything is exaggerated, right down to the snap of Pitt’s rubber glove at 0:27.

At 0:29, with the concept of two fixers established, a plucked double bass enters, establishing a new, lighter tone of jazz (traditionally associated with detective shows). At 0:50 we hear a series of synch points between the music and Clooney pushing a hotel trolley against a car for slight comedic effect. This is followed by Pitt casually observing the creaking trolley in a bemused manner—it’s wordless, almost slapstick humour, punctuated and aided by the sound edit. So far, a pretty standard comedy-trailer soundtrack, with plenty of opportunity to hear the voices of the two heavies.

At 1:27, with the director’s title card, we get a clear change of pace with the inclusion of Frank Sinatra’s classic “My Way”. The tune serves as an emotional counterpoint to the onscreen action, as a montage of violence and action sequences is accompanied by Sinatra’s calm croon. There’s a clear intertextual element here as well, since celebrating “my way” is precisely the modus operandi of the lone wolf fixers (or “wolfs”, as the title’s grammar reinforces). No need for trailerizing that song! Through the trailer, three distinct styles of sound design lend us some insight on how the film is multifaceted, bringing in elements we might call dramatic (as in the first section), comedic (section two), and action-oriented (second three), each aided by distinct choices in the soundtrack and edit. Moreover, saving “My Way” for the end saves it from overuse, instead opting to focus on the memorable climax of the tune.

While none of the individual components of the trailer are particularly innovative—these are all well-worn tropes in the modern vernacular of trailer music and editing—they are well paced, cogent, and serve their purpose without any one part becoming overbearing or unwelcome. Of course, hearing and seeing Clooney and Pitt against Sinatra may just conjure up images (and sounds) of the Rat Pack…

Wolfs arrives in theatres September 20th.

— Curtis Perry