The lack of overwhelming demand for this score is likely due to its anonymity compared to Horner's other output of the period. The last thirty minutes of the film is where the meat of the work is confined, and this music is not surprisingly highly derivative of the composer's other, better recognized efforts. As a result, Uncommon Valor is one of those scores with highlights worthy of a place in any Horner collection, but it's a whole that is disappointingly lackluster and arguably inappropriate. Before the film's action scenes in its latter half, the music of Uncommon Valor is equally and sharply divided between Vietnamese and American identities. Horner's handling of these extremes is appropriately functional in a basic sense, but their sounds are so diametrically opposed that they seem almost cartoonish. The application of a variety of specialty instrumentation appropriate to the region (shakuhachi flute, gamelan, mandolin, cimbalom, metallic percussion) is so brutally foreign in its disharmony that it threatens to become a racist representation of that culture by Horner. Similar primal sounds of clanging cutlery at mealtime would also define the Klingons in the subsequent Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. This material will sound alien to Western ears and it certainly makes the Vietnamese seem like filthy brutes, and it's an over-the-top caricature that is not a pleasant listening experience on album by any means. The closest Horner would come to such bizarre tones in his mature years would be the finale celebration music of a source-like variety in Willow. The other personality of the opening half of the score denotes the single-minded dedication by Hackman's character to prepare for the mission, including a propulsive sense of movement and a noble theme of contemplation. This approach alone is fine, but Horner felt compelled for some reason to write a spirited, upbeat military march for the band of men that Hackman assembles. He likely meant for it to underline the sometimes comical interactions they have on their way to forming a cohesive unit, but the composer's intended use of this theme over the end credits shows that he may have been out of touch with the heart of the film.

More effective ideas explored by Horner for Uncommon Valor are hints of future successes, however, including a solo trumpet and supporting strings in "Final Escape" that foreshadow In Country (another Vietnam-related score from Horner with much more poignant highlights), a brass suspense theme over exotic rhythms in "Main Title" that predict Vibes, and snare and rising brass phrases in "Pan Over Hill" that would inform Apollo 13. For many listeners, the ills of the first half of the score are forgiven by the cues "Escape Airbase," "Choppers Over Hill," and "Final Escape." This brazen action music is extremely typical to Horner's early mannerisms, however, the rising brass action fanfare of four note figures frightfully identical to the Star Trek scores. The trademark harsh tones of these players is a sound unique to this era for Horner as well. You can't help but roll your eyes at the familiar shifting of chords at 1:25 into "Escape Airbase." This is great stuff for Horner enthusiasts, but don't expect it to be able to support a whole album. In the end, one could argue that Horner missed the mark with Uncommon Valor, his music for the Vietnamese locations and Texas training scenes both badly beholden to stereotypes, some potentially racist. That, along with the unoriginal action music, can arguably be viewed as a poorly executed assignment by the composer. The score had long been officially unreleased, its highlights part of a popular 1998 "Suites and Themes" Horner compilation bootleg and the majority of the score traded on a "Pony Boy" bootleg since 2000. But Intrada Records released nearly every available minute of music, used and rejected, in 2010, including the pleasant "Brothers in the Night" rock ballad replacing Horner's orchestral recording for the end credits, a welcome switch. Ironically, the ten minutes heard on the "Suites and Themes" compilation album represents the only truly necessary material from Uncommon Valor, though the sound quality was cleaned up to widen the soundscape on the limited Intrada version. Ten minutes of alternate "Main Titles" mixes was added to that presentation by Quartet Records in 2024 for another limited run. Ultimately, the score's highlights make the score recommendable to Horner collectors, but limit your expectations when exploring the rest of the soundtrack. Much of it you'll never listen to more than once.  ***   @Amazon.com: CD or Download