Film music for locomotive thrillers tends to have an uneven history. Composer Trevor Jones added little to 1985’s Runaway Train beyond the inclusion of Antonio Vivaldi’s “Gloria in D Major.” Significantly, the first half-hour features virtually no underscore. Only when the two convicts spot their getaway “vehicle” does the retro, synthesizer beat rear its ugly countenance. Personally, I don’t mind a little keyboard doodling. Having enjoyed Vangelis’ output, especially 1492: Conquest of Paradise, it’s important to remember that context determines quality.

Moving from the Bronze Age (1980-1999) into its digital equivalent (2000 and beyond), we see certain electronic foundations still in practice. Tony Scott’s Unstoppable performed reasonably well at the box office, yet critics were quite impressed with this film’s approach. Scott’s regular composer Harry Gregson-Williams delivered a percussive soundtrack, which emphasized strong themes and dynamic pacing.

As for 2013’s British made Last Passenger, the progression from the earlier soundtracks seems noteworthy. Composer Liam Bates only had two feature length credits to his name before embarking upon this train-to-oblivion drama. Interestingly, his modus operandi underlines what I believe to be the ideal working method. Rather than waiting for editorial to be completed, he sketched ideas based on the screenplay, written by Omid Nooshin and Andrew Love. Therefore, the score’s thematic development could be refined while filming took place. Because most studio-financed pictures adhere to “making a release date, not a movie,” it’s rare for composers to finalize their work. However, there are exceptions such as John Ottman’s Jack the Giant Slayer. Apparently, this editor/composer spent two years coming up with new ideas.

Occasionally, Bates loses track (no pun intended) of his original melodic groove. Instrumentals such as “Level Crossing” and “Elaine” tend to meander or stamp too hard on the characters’ plight. However, these are minor faults easily skipped over when compiling a playlist.

Adding to which, there’s fascinating use of locomotive sound effects. During the action music, specifically “Trainsurfing” and “Leap of Faith,” low register strings work in harmony with the heavier, percussive vibe.

As a musical language, the film functions on three levels: equilibrium, suspense and danger. For setting the mood, Last Passenger could be the finest runaway train soundtrack to date.