James Horner has long coasted by regurgitating elements of his previous scores, but 2004's
Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius is tantamount to grand theft -- its appropriation of melodies and motifs from earlier
Horner scores like
Braveheart and Glory is so blatant that one could plug reviews of those soundtracks into this space and change nothing but the titles. Like
Braveheart,
Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius not only creates Celtic fanfares from blaring pipes and pounding drums, but it also employs themes borrowed note for note from the same score -- moreover, the music is shamelessly manipulative, manufacturing drama and emotion from sweeping but painfully trite arrangements your average moviegoer has heard time and again. ~ Jason Ankeny