Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Zimmer, Junkie XL, 2016)

     In 2013, Hans Zimmer began scoring a new chapter of superhero films with "Man of Steel".  In that score he was assisted by Junkie XL, and in the sequel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, JXL "graduated" to a co-composer credit.  Considering that Zimmer has recently stated that he's "done" with superhero films, it's likely that Junkie XL will continue on alone with the "Justice League" films, which should be interesting (though apparently the themes of the characters in these next two films have already been provided by Zimmer).

     In any case, this film functions sometimes as an introductory Batman film, and so most of the score revolves around his new themes (motifs).  Wonder Woman also gets some exciting thematic material in this film as well, and it will be interesting to see if they are developed in the upcoming solo Wonder Woman film.  So, amazingly, this film contains a full complement of at least 20 identifiable themes/motifs, 10 from Man of Steel and 10 new ones (there are a couple additional motivic chord figures which re-occur as well, but 20 is enough for now, I think).

Themes returning from Man of Steel (and described further in that analysis post):

Superman Theme A, B, C ("Flight", plus darker variation)
Clark Theme
Earth Motif
Krypton Harmony
Zod Theme A, B
Lara Theme
Codex theme (used as an ostinato and reused here as a Batman battle theme)

New Themes:

• Batman:
• Batman Motif: 6 beat repeated accent on one note, often percussion only.  Sometimes, when used melodically, the 6 beat motif is repeated on different notes (also used as 5-beat cadence).
• Vigilante Motif: haunting 3 note motif (E'-B-D#').
• Boyhood Tragedy Theme: fateful descending lines/chords in 2-beat notes and in two layers.
• Lex Luthor:
• Lex Theme A: ironic piano and strings motif.
• Lex Theme B: variation of Theme A involving prepared piano, more percussive elements (only used once in The Red Capes Are Coming, but very evocative).
• Lex Theme C: staccato, "gypsy-like" violin theme, probably referring to Lex's mania.
• Wonder Woman:
• Diana Prince Theme: heroic rising figure slightly reminiscent of Danny Elfman's 1989 Batman Motif, developed.
• Wonder Woman Theme/Rhythm: ornamented, wailing version of Diana Prince Theme, featured on electric cello (sounding like guitar) and often paired with a signature drum rhythm (derived from Man of Steel's Mission Rhythm).
• Wonder Woman Motif: rising 2-note signature figure on cello, based on WW theme, somewhat moaning/howling.
• Wonder Woman Ostinato: rapid staccato string-like texture/ostinato, probably digitally created/sped up.

     The listing below is in film sequence order (different from the CD order).  I noted most of the obvious elements of each cue, but the score is totally awash in various "ambient textures" (I must have typed that phrase dozens of times by now!) and I gave up on describing all of these textures after awhile.  Having said that, I did enjoy that aspect of this score, especially when wedded to the screen image.

     This is probably true for most modern action films, but one of the things I lamented about this score's usage in the film itself is that so much of the score's "precision" is buried in the sound editing (ie - overbearing sound effects).  For example, if one goes to the theater and manages to listen to "Fight Night" with noise-cancelling earphones along with the matching scene, one can hear/see that it's amazingly well scored to picture (or the film was edited to score).  Another thing worth mentioning here is that, considering this film has not yet been released on home video, it's highly likely that I may have mixed up/missed a few themes...

Trk	Dur	Title	Film Sequence/Themes
1	3:47	Beautiful Lie	0:00: 2 x 6-beat Batman Motif as slams, with final 13th slam (unused). 0:15: Logos, procession to the Wayne mausoleum: Batman Motif and Vigilante Motif in piano with Batman Motif string pluck pulses. 1:09: Flashbacks (intercut) of Young Bruce and his parents being held up by a gunman: descending Boyhood Tragedy theme on piano with Batman Motif string pulses continuing. 1:55: Young Bruce runs into the cemetery forest and falls into a pit/Flashback: Young Bruce's father is shot: Boyhood Tragedy theme slower 2nd layer enters in strings. 2:39: Flashback: Young Bruce's mother is killed: boy vocal picks up Boyhood Tragedy 2nd layer. 3:10: Flashback: Young Bruce's father whispers his last word, "Martha": Vigilante Motif in distant tones over Batman Motif.
2	4:35	Their War Here	0:00: Young Bruce is surrounded by a swarm of bats and then levitates towards the light with them: Wonder Woman ostinato joined by rising Diana Prince theme over Batman Motif pulses, building with choir and ending in boys voice, ambient textures.  "In the dream, they took me to the light.  A beautiful lie." 1:10: Adult Bruce Wayne races towards his office building in Metropolis during Superman's battle with General Zod: drum rhythm, brass/choir fanfare into Zod theme (developed with and without drums/brass/strings) ending with choir and rising strings. 2:48: Bruce gets out of his car and sees Zod's mothership/gravity weapon: quiet texture, tremolo strings/swell. 3:15: Bruce begins running.  Superman and Zod fly into the Wayne building and it is destroyed, killing Bruce's friend Jack inside: Zod theme  variation on low strings, sad strings/choir, falling string figures, ending with string/choir cadence (based on Boyhood Tragedy slow layer).
14	4:26	Blood Of My Blood	0:00: Lois Lane attempts to interview a shady general in Africa: treated ethnic wind figure, various ominous strings/textures/impact rhythms. 1:32: The photographer ("Jimmy Olsen") is revealed to be CIA and Lois is taken prisoner.  Lex's security forces (led by "KGBeast") begin shooting the general's guards, creating a massacre.  Something in the sky approaches: compound string rhythm (variation of Wonder Woman rhythm), intercut with suspense textures, slams with choir/string rhythm. 3:03: Superman arrives and dispatches the general holding Lois at gunpoint.  At a Senate hearing, an African woman implicates Superman as the cause of the general's dead guards.  Senator Finch holds Superman responsible: ambient textures, Krypton harmony with Superman theme A/choral textures.
15	3:54	Vigilante	0:00: Back in Metropolis, Lois discovers a bullet lodged in her journal.  She takes a bath: low bass throbbing/high strings. 1:01: Gotham police investigate a human trafficker and find signs of the Batman: ambient textures, etc.  1:55: Batman escapes from the police.  The police find the trafficker Bat-branded (Bruce Wayne greets Alfred in the Batcave): ambient "noise" textures with distorted layers and reverbed impacts, building to a 5-beat Batman Motif cadence, then suddenly quiet and building to full Batman Motif.
6	4:03	New Rules	0:00: Alfred questions Batman's branding of his latest prey: high Vigilante Motif on distant trumpet over low Batman Motif in timpani, Vigilante Motif on low strings, etc. "We're criminals, Alfred.  We've always been criminals." 1:12: Clark Kent sees a TV report of the Batman's vigilantism (alt version): high Vigilante Motif on trumpet joined by rising Diana Prince theme in strings and Batman Motif pulses. 2:05: (Unused) slightly louder re-track of T15 (Vigilante, from 1:55: ambient "noise" textures with distorted layers and reverbed impacts, building to a 5-beat Batman Motif cadence, then suddenly quiet and building to full Batman Motif.)
3	3:32	The Red Capes Are Coming	0:00: Lex Luthor gains access to Zod's crashed spaceship: ambient drone to "ironic" Lex theme A on treated piano/strings. 0:57: Lex obtains the body of General Zod.  He proceeds to shave off Zod's fingerprints: Lex theme B on 2 prepared pianos/strings. 1:53: Senator Finch tells Lex that she is not going to help him obtain a Kryptonite meteor: low chromatic rising piano figure/high texture becoming strings, falling piano. 3:08: Lex points out his painting of heavenly angels and devils: Lex theme C as a dancing violin figure.
16	3:28	May I Help You, Mr. Wayne?	0:00: At Lex's party, Diana Prince and Bruce Wayne briefly lock eyes: Wonder Woman motif on electric cello/high Diana Prince theme string tremoli. 0:20: Bruce makes his way to Lex's data warehouse.  Mercy, Lex's assistant, asks him what he's doing: Diana Prince motif in high tremolo strings continue, joined by subtle Wonder Woman electronic ostinato and Diana Prince theme on celli, ambient textures, Batman Motif in timpani. 1:49: While Bruce, Clark and Lex converse, Alfred informs Bruce that the data transfer of Lex's files is complete: ambient textures/strings/brass/synth with hint of Diana Prince theme in high strings, etc. 2:36: Bruce sees that Diana has taken his data copy.  She loses him: Wonder Woman motif, Wonder Woman ostinato and Diana Prince theme in celli, ending in Krypton harmony cadence.
4	4:02	Day Of The Dead	0:00: After Lex's explosion, Clark expresses his feeling of futility to Lois.  He tells Lois that this is not his world and takes off (takes place before "They Were Hunters"): ambient textures, Earth motif, Clark theme on piano. 1:08: Superman rescues a girl from a burning building during a Day of the Dead festival: Krypton harmony, Superman theme A (w guitar gliss), theme B. 1:57: Montage of Superfeats and talking heads discussing how the existence of Superman affects mankind: Superman theme C variation on low strings, joined by subtle col legno strings, becoming a troubled harmony variation.
5	3:59	Must There Be A Superman?	0:00: In a post-apocalyptic dream, Batman surveys a sandy landscape: dissonant choir (Ligeti-like), slams, reverbed impacts. 0:50: Batman enters a truck expecting to find a Kryptonite meteor, but instead finds a trap.  Batman fights soldiers wearing "S" insignia (as well as apparent Apokolips Parademons swarming from the sky), and is overpowered: noise textures/glissandi, pause then more accents/sound design, choirs/rhythmic element with irregular tempo. 2:33: Batman wakes up in chains and is threatened by Superman: ambient sound design, siren-like, Krypton harmony in a very dissonant variation. "She was my world...and you took her from me." 3:31: Back in the "real world", Bruce is visited by the Flash, who gives him a warning from the future: low hum with high oscillating noise/rapid bass pulse. "You have to find us!"
7	4:36	Do You Bleed?	0:00: The Batmobile pursues a truck carrying Lex's Kryptonite meteor: ambient noise textures, Batman Motif drums with strings/choir, simplified Zod drum rhythm intercut with Batman Motif accents. 1:20: Batmobile chase continues: previous elements joined by synth riffs/brass accents/string swells, ominous building action figures, descending Codex ostinato theme in strings. 2:32: Batmobile chase continues: new syncopated rhythm enters, Batman Motif chords with choir, Codex synth/string/choir riffs, ambient textures, Codex figure/Batman Motif. 3:48: Batman's pursuit is halted when Superman appears.  The Batmobile crashes and Superman opens it up like a can of Pringles.  The two heroes have words: Batman Motif with drums/choir, developed, ambient noise textures.
17	2:46	They Were Hunters	0:00: (unused Bruce scene?) enigmatic repeating piano figure. 0:28: Clark tells his father that he misses him: ambient textures, joined by Earth motif, Clark theme on piano. 1:10: Alfred visits Bruce in the Wayne mausoleum and they discuss the Wayne legacy: ambient textures continue joined by Vigilante Motif in distant trumpets with Batman Motif on timpani, foreboding variations with piano/low textures.
8	4:25	Problems Up Here	0:00: Lois is captured by KGBeast and brought to Lex at the top of his building: Lex theme A, with coda figure. 0:48: Lex explains to Superman why he hates him so much: low textures joined by poignant, brief cello figure over slow, low Superman theme A, quiet piano/string accent figure over tremolo strings, rising cello/string figures. 2:53: Lex shows Superman pictures of Martha Kent as his prisoner and tells him that he must kill Batman in 1 hour or his mother will be killed: dark ambient textures with female lullaby figure (from Man of Steel's "Goodbye My Son"), cello (Zod theme B poignant variation) over ethereal choral/string texture. "And now, 'God' bends to MY will.  Mother of God, will you look at the time!"
9	8:31	Black And Blue	0:00: After surviving Batman's first wave of attacks, Superman pushes Batman through a building and drops him on the Bat-signal lamp: ambient textures/strings, subtle Batman Motif rhythmic quote, rising figures. 1:01: Batman hits Superman with a Kryptonite gas grenade.  He begins pummeling Superman: swirling string cluster texture, Batman Motif drum accents with Vigilante Motif in brass, developed with drums and strings. 2:25: The Kryptonite gas wears off and Superman briefly regains the upper hand:  strings/choir harmonies from Superman theme B ending harmonies, synth riffs into Batman/Vigilante Motif, Zod theme, rising string/choir. 3:47: Batman hits him with another gas grenade.  Batman then smashes a kitchen sink on Superman's head: ambient textures with stuttering accents, choir/electronic drums/synth into Batman Motif/choir. 4:46: Eventually he tosses Superman down to the ground floor, and drags Superman to the room with the Kryptonite-tipped spear: falling string figure into ambient textures, joined by Vigilante Motif on trumpet, choir with drum rhythm, ambient textures to Batman Motif choir accents, string rhythm with poignant rising upper melody. 6:34: Batman threatens Superman with the Kryptonite spear: fateful held strings and brass chords/timpani (Superman B ending harmony). 7:10: Superman asks Batman to save his mother.  Bruce flashes back to his parents' murder/funeral/falling into the Batcave.  When Lois tells him about Superman's mother, he stops: strings become Boyhood Tragedy theme in piano and boys voice, then 2nd layer (boys voice) is joined by strings (reprise of Beautiful Lie).
18	4:20	Fight Night	0:00: The Batwing approaches Marthe Kent's location and engages artillery.  Alfred takes control of the Batwing as Batman leaps into the building through a window, one floor below Lex's goons: ambient textures into pounding Zod theme slams/rhythms intercut with soaring strings, Batman Motif cadence, Codex theme low string ostinato developed, Batman Motif accent with choir. 1:06: Gunmen prepare for Batman: ambient screeching noises 1:28: Batman arrives and does his thing: Batman Motif, synth riff/slams/brass, Zod rhythm, developed with Batman Motif rhythm and Codex ostinato, etc. 2:35: (fight scene continues): Vigilante Motif joins in low brass, etc...general organized, rhythmic chaos. 3:24: Gunmen in another room wait for Batman.  Batman comes out of the wall and eventually saves Martha Kent from KGBeast: quiet held textures, brass/drums accents.
10	4:01	Tuesday	0:00: Superman confronts Lex at the Kryptonian scoutship, but Lex presents the birth of the Kryptonian mutation Doomsday: low textures, string cluster gliss, ambient pulses/tremoli, falling electronic tone, low string pulses/tremoli. 1:50: Superman engages Doomsday.  After demolishing Superman's statue, Doomsday heads to Lexcorp Tower.  Diana Prince sees news footage of the attack: brass accents with rising string figure, building string figure, falling brass accent figure with low pulses/string tremoli, brass rhythm, low piano accents, building ambient textures/string accents, ending on low strong tremoli.
11	5:47	Is She With You?	0:00: After Batman lures Doomsday to Gotham, his life is saved by the sudden appearance of Wonder Woman.  Superman appears and gives her the lowdown.  Meanwhile, Lois attempts to retrieve the Kryptonite spear: wailing Wonder Woman theme in electric guitar/electric cello over pounding drums, tremolo violins double drum rhythm and cello develops guitar melody, bass and drums on rhythm only, wailing electric guitar/cello joins rhythm with theme fragment, rising ambient textures. 1:48:  Superman and Wonder Woman engage Doomsday in a massive battle: Wonder Woman theme on electric guitar/cello with drum accents only, noble brass fanfare with subtle guitar melody, developed on urgent rising strings/brass. 2:47: Lois is trapped underwater while trying to retrieve the spear: quieter Wonder Woman rhythm on rising strings/synth/choir. 3:09: Superman and Doomsday have an eyebeam duel, but Superman disengages to save Lois.  He then goes after the spear: Wonder Woman rhythm developed with string ornaments and choir accents, Krypton harmony, Lara theme fragment on aching violins. 4:11: Batman distracts Doomsday: Wonder Woman rhythm returns on drums/rising strings/Vigilante Motif low brass. 4:41: Superman gets the spear but is weakened by its Kryptonite tip.  Wonder Woman chops off Doomsday's hand, but it regenerates with a spear-like bone tusk: ominous "tolling bell" figure over held strings/choir, building.
12	6:24	This Is My World	0:00: Clark tells Lois that he loves her: Clark theme on piano over quiet ambient textures, developed on strings. 1:07: Superman stabs Doomsday with the Kryptonite spear.  Doomsday stabs Superman with his "bone-hand": poignant strings with piano/brass/choir leading to rising fanfare. 1:56: Superman dies from his injuries.  Batman lowers his body to Lois: mournful choral layers with soloist, ambient harmonies. 4:14: Luther gets a haircut in jail, Perry White publishes a newspaper with the headline "SUPERMAN DEAD": strings/synth/piano on Clark theme. 5:03: At Clark's wake in Smallville, Martha Kent gives Lois an engagement ring Clark was going to give her: Clark theme finishes on piano/ambient textures, Krypton harmony joined by rising strings.
13	14:04	Men Are Still Good (The Batman Suite)	0:00: Bruce talks with Diana at Clark's funeral.  He tells her that men are still good, that they can do better: Krypton harmony, low ambient textures, Superman theme B with strings/vocal. 1:10: Bruce hints to Diana that something dire is coming.  Batman appears in Lex's cell.  Luther tells Batman that something is coming: low Batman Motif pulses/ambient textures, reverbed impact noises (reprise of ambient "knightmare" textures from Must There Be a Superman?). 2:36: Batman punches the wall and departs, as Lex rants on: Batman Motif on slam/choir accents, Lex theme C on echoed violins, developed with lower textures. "The bell's already been rung, and they've heard it, out in the dark among the stars.  They know the god is dead." 3:29: At Clark's grave, Lois drops dirt on his coffin.  A few grains mysteriously rise into the air: Earth motif, Clark theme on piano. Batman Suite (unused in film): 4:31: Low textures/gothic string theme (intro to Diana Prince theme). 5:18: Diana Prince theme enters on horns. 5:49: Vigilante Motif joins on trumpets, celli theme resumes. 6:32: String harmony changes (less forbidding), (Vigilante Motif variation). 7:13: Low strings/trumpet, tremolo strings, Batman Motif slams, then in quiet timpani, bass. 8:41: Cello drone joined by Vigilante Motif, Batman Motif in timpani (then piano), joined by Vigilante Motif in celli, bass. 10:18: Slow rising Diana Prince theme in bass, strings, joined by brass. 11:16: High ambient textures with accelerating rhythm, Batman Motif . 11:56: Diana Prince theme enters in brass with staccato string accents (Batman Motif slams continue). 13:03: Rhythmic choir accents join, tutti version of Batman Motif .

     I tend not to write "reviews" on this blog because one man's poison is another man's pleasure, but I have to admit, I really hated this score the very first time I heard it - in fact I couldn't get past the first half dozen tracks and simply moved on to the next CD in my pile.  But after seeing the film and putting in a fair amount of time studying how the score works with the film, I now consider it pretty great.  Doing this also forced me to analyse Man of Steel (which I was not originally planning to do) and I realized that I was wrong about that one too, back in 2013...  As a Zimmer skeptic, I may have reevaluate his Dark Knight trilogy now (which I currently think is a bit boring!).

Links
Hans Zimmer
Junkie XL
Zimmer/JXL Interview (Collider)
Zimmer/JXL Interview (DC Entertainment)
Zimmer/JXL Interview (Consequence of Sound)
Review on Movie Music UK

Man of Steel (Zimmer, 2013)

     In 2013, Hans Zimmer was tasked with scoring a new Superman film, a daunting challenge considering the long shadow cast by John Williams' iconic score to the 1978 Superman.  In this iteration, both the film and the score sharply diverged from the "classic" Superman, and delivered an entirely new "sci-fi" approach.  The film score was received with somewhat mixed reactions, but personally I've grown to like it more and more with each new listen, especially after writing the below analysis.  In fact, at least one reviewer considers this Zimmer's "masterpiece".  Zimmer was assisted by a few other composers, most notably Junkie XL, aka Tom Holkenborg ("Mad Max: Fury Road"), who would get equal billing with Zimmer in the film's sequel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.  Zimmer himself of course, was no stranger to superhero films, having created the classic modern day scores to the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy.

     For the recording, a "celebrity drum circle" was employed to create some of the rhythmic elements (Zod drum theme, etc.), and this percussion ensemble included Jason Bonham, Pharrell Williams, Sheila E, Jim Keltner, Vinnie Colaiuta and 10 others.  An 8 member pedal-steel guitar orchestra was used to create source textures to be used later in the Superman theme (low figures, "electric glissandi", etc).  Homemade sound-sculptures, created and played by Chas Smith, were used to create ambient textures which could also be digitally manipulated.  These elements and more were mixed with piano, orchestral and choral tracks to fill out the sound palette for the film.  The score was released in a deluxe expanded package which was divided into "Flight" (film score) and "Experiments From the Fortress of Solitude" (demos/sketches and a couple of tracks used in the film score).  

     As in his scores for the Batman trilogy, Zimmer here wrote mostly short motivic themes used in variations, and threaded them through the complex electronic/sampled textures to create a unique and surprisingly emotional soundworld.  The names of the themes I listed below are somewhat ambiguous, since Zod's theme also doubles as an battle theme whether Zod is present or not.

• Superman Themes:
• Theme A: a noble but lonely 4 note motif, first heard on low pedal-steel guitar orchestra.  Usually connected through rising slides, but sometimes with falling slides.
• Theme B: variation of the A theme with rising notes alternating with a root tone, ending in epic chordal harmonies.
• Theme C: first heard in "Flight", usually on electric guitar (actually replaced in the film by a version with violins), fully developed into a soaring theme in What Are You Going To Do When You Are Not Saving the World? (when the end credits start).
• Theme D: a triumphant fanfare featured in the end credits.
• Clark Theme: a variation of the Superman A and B themes, but less fateful, kind of a "Smallville" theme.
• Earth motif: 3 note falling-rising figure which often partners with the Clark theme.
• Codex Theme: usually high register motif which is first presented as a zig-zag rising motif but later gets many variations in which the downbeat somewhat shifts, so it sounds more like a descending figure.
• Krypton Harmony: ethereal harmony with subtle shifting textures.
• Zod Theme (and Rhythm): a martial "battle" theme based on an 11-accent rhythmic motif (divided into 6 and 5).  The rhythm is first presented in "Ignition", and the melodic element appears in "I Will Find Him".
• Zod Theme B: this theme opens with an "atonal" figure, which contrasts sharply with Superman's generally more tonal themes.
• Mission Rhythm: a simplified version of the Zod theme's rhythm, later used as the basis of Wonder Woman's underlying drum layer in Batman v Superman.
• Zod Humming Motif: basically a kind of whirring sound effect, very unmistakable.
• Lara Theme: poignant theme usually on strings and features a violin or female vocal soloist.

 

     The listing below is in film sequence order (Trk 1.1 means CD 1, track 1).  In the "Title" column, the original session cue title follows in parentheses.  Titles with an "*" indicate that the track was co-composed by Junkie XL.

Trk	Dur	Title	Film action,
1.1	2:58	Look To the Stars (Krypton)	0:00: Logos: low Superman theme A over ethereal Krypton harmony. 1:00: Kal-El is born: Superman theme B in brass over tremolo strings, joined by held harmony chords with female voice. 2:10: At Kandor, Jor-El warns the Kryptonian Law Council that the planet will soon explode and that the Codex must be sent off-planet: Codex theme variation as a string ostinato over brass chords.
1.4	3:35	DNA (The Codex)	0:00: Jor-El swims to the Codex: Codex theme in high register over ethereal harmonies, swelling. 0:50: Zod's forces attempt to arrest Jor-El but he leaps onto his flying mount H'Raka and flies through the aerial carnage of Zod's coup: Codex theme-based ostinato, brass chords/falling string tremoli/slow drum rhythm, sudden quiet textures/accents into Codex ostinato variation with brass chords/percussion. 2:08: Arriving at his Citadel, Jor-El convinces Lara to send Kal-El to Earth.  Zod's forces approach: oscillating Krypton harmony/Superman theme A over subtle percussion rhythm, descending chords, ethereal choral textures. "It's a seemingly civilized population…he'll be a god to them."
1.5	2:02	Goodbye My Son (Goodbyes/ Launch Preparation)	0:00: Lara and Jor-El feel sad that they will not see their son grow up: ethereal choral textures joined by female lullaby voice, then synths. 0:54: Jor-El encodes the Kryptonian Codex into his son's blood cells and then places Kal-El (and his own AI image) into an escape spaceship: noble rising brass figure over rhythmic strings, female voice and choir join, building to Superman A fragment climax.
1.12	1:20	Ignition* (Surrender The Codex)	0:00: Jor-El dons armor as Zod's forces approach the Citadel.  Zod's lieutenant, Faora, senses the escape ship's ignition, and Zod accuses Jor-El of stealing the Codex: slams, rhythmic Zod theme on drums, varied dynamic levels, joined by strings, held brass accent.
1.11	2:36	Launch (The Launch)	0:00: Jor-El tells Zod that Kal-El will be free from Kryptonian genetic engineering: low textures (falling chords). "Heresy!" 0:35: Zod and Jor-El fight.  Zod tries to convince Lara to abort the launch: blend of Codex theme/Superman theme A and Zod rhythm variation, drums/Superman theme drop out, ethereal choral textures. 1:42: Lara launches Kal-El's escape ship.  Zod kills Jor-El and asks Lara where they have sent their son: Codex/drum accents with pedal steel glissandi, Zod Humming motif, soft rising Lara theme fragment on female voice. "He is beyond your reach."
1.13	2:57	I Will Find Him* (Zod Is Captured, edit)	0:00: Zod is surrounded and taken into custody: suspense brass, slams with female choir, swells, etc. 0:57: Zod promises Lara that he will find Kal-El: Zod Humming motif, electronic percussion enters, joined by Zod theme in strings. 1:28: Zod and his accomplices are encased and sent to the Phantom Zone: Zod theme joined by percussion accents and brass chords, drums join theme.
1.7	1:58	Krypton's Last (Krypton Destroyed/ Kal To Earth)	0:00: Lara watches as Krypton starts erupting, and then explodes: ethereal Krypton harmony, Lara theme, soon featured on solo violin. "Make a better world than ours, Kal." 1:13: Kal-El's ship leaves Kryptonian space.  It eventually approaches Earth: Codex theme over high textures, Zod theme in drums with Superman theme B variation in brass and Codex ostinato in violins.
1.2	1:46	Oil Rig* (Oil Rig Rescue)	0:00: Clark Kent rescues men at an oil rig fire: drum circle rhythm enters over ambient textures. 0:59: Clark holds up a big metal structure so the rescue helicopter can escape: brass chords (Superman theme B variation) with drum accents.
2.2	2:49	Are You Listening, Clark? (Young Clark Freaks)	0:00: He falls underwater and has a flashback to his childhood: Codex theme/ambient textures. 0:34: Young Clark sees x-ray visions and hears loud noises: accents/swells/ambient textures. 1:07: Young Clark hides in a closet: ambient textures joined by whispering voices. 1:41: His mother arrives and comforts him.  Present-day Clark is woken by whales swimming around him: Clark theme in piano, Codex theme.
1.3	3:47	Sent Here For a Reason (I Just Wanted To Help)	0:00: Pa Kent tells Clark that he must keep his powers a secret, that news of his existence will change the world and possibly cause panic: 3-note Earth motif, Clark theme, Superman theme B ending harmonies. 1:27: Pa Kent shows Clark the spaceship he arrived in.  He tells Clark that one day he will have to choose whether to stand for Earth or not, and that his real father sent him to Earth for a reason: repeated piano note into sound textures, joined by Superman theme A in bass, Clark theme in piano, soft chords into ethereal textures (Krypton harmony variation).
1.15	3:47	I Have So Many Questions* (Who Are You?)	0:00: Clark talks to a Jor-El's AI ghost on a reactivated Kryptonian scout ship.  Jor-El explains the history of Krypton and Kal-El's escape from the dying planet (animated metallic background montage): repeated piano note/Codex theme/Superman theme A, dramatic pulsing string harmonies/modulating Codex theme, climaxing with brass and muted string rhythm (Codex theme). 2:22: Jor-El explains that Clark is Krypton's first natural childbirth in centuries: female voice/ethereal textures, joined by Lara theme on strings. "You're as much a child of Earth now as you are of Krypton.  You can embody the best of both worlds."
1.16	4:18	Flight (First Flight)	0:00: Jor-El shows Clark the Superman suit: Superman theme A, theme B. 0:51: He steps out into an icy wasteland and begins testing his flying ability: Superman theme B continues, Superman theme C on electric guitar with pedal steel slides and drums. 2:11: After Superman's first flight ends in a crash, he concentrates.  In his second flight he travels around the world at high speed: quiet textures, Superman theme B variation on piano/female voice/synth, Zod rhythm theme with noble, anthemic brass/guitar Superman theme. (this track is different from the film version and features different string and guitar elements, removing some and adding others)
1.9	2:53	Tornado (The Tornado)	0:00: Flashback while talking to Lois by Pa Kent's grave: while in traffic, an approaching tornado forces the Kents to seek shelter: ambient textures joined by ticking sound/brass swell, low string ostinato figures developed with percussion accents, poignant brass figures. 1:12: Pa Kent runs to save their dog who was left in the car (not Krypto, obviously): drum circle Zod rhythm, poignant Codex theme in sweeping strings and drum accents. 2:05: He stops Clark from helping him and revealing his powers, and is killed in the tornado: quiet texture/Clark theme in piano, resigned muted brass.
2.4	2:59	You Led Us Here* (Zod's Story, Pt. 1 )	0:00: Superman meets Zod on the general's Kryptonian mothership: sinister textures, Zod humming motif. 0:33: The Kryptonian ship "atmospherics" cause Clark to pass out.  He has a vision where he talks with Zod in a field: Codex theme in various layers, developing. 1:21: In a flashback montage, Zod describes how Krypton's explosion freed him from the Phantom Zone and that he had been collecting abandoned Kryptonian technology from around the universe until he noticed Clark's activation of the Kryptonian scout ship: dark, gothic string/brass/choral figures with fast Codex theme and monolithic Superman theme variation flowing underneath, eventually building to a climax.
1.8	9:50	Terraforming (We Have A Plan/ World Engine)	0:00: Clark and Lois plan to use the original Kryptonian escape spaceship as a bomb in order to destroy Zod's mothership (and part of the terra-forming machine): Mission rhythm in low strings, modulating, low Superman theme A. 1:14: Superman flies off towards the World Engine (the 2nd part of the terra-forming machine) in the Indian Ocean: Superman theme A with brass/Mission rhythm on drums. 1:29: Zod's mothership creates destruction in Metropolis.  Clark and Lois (with the escape pod) fly towards their respective goals: ominous low textures, joined by Mission rhythm, Superman theme A on low electric guitar under sinister Zod theme B in low brass. 2:25: At the Kryptonian scoutship where Clark first learned of his true parentage, Zod argues with Jor-El's AI ghost.  Superman approaches the World Engine, which starts defending itself with tentacles.  The army attacks Zod's mothership.  Citizens run as Metropolis begins collapsing: ambient textures, Zod Humming motif, Superman theme A in distant brass, Mission rhythm/Superman theme A, Zod theme in violins/Zod theme B in brass, Superman theme A/B into Zod theme B developed on brass over drums, Codex ostinato in low strings, Zod theme in staccato string accents/Superman theme B ending harmonies, Codex theme. 5:37: Zod and Jor-El continue arguing: ambient textures, Superman theme A over tremolo textures, subtle string rhythms enter, poignant rising strings. "I will harvest the Codex from your son's corpse and I will rebuild Krypton atop his bones." 6:47: Zod deletes the Jor-El AI and flies the Kryptonian scoutship (and birthing chamber) towards Metropolis.  Superman has trouble fighting the World Engine: Superman theme A with accented brass chords/string rhythm, joined by chorus/slams and sweeping Zod theme B. 7:50: In Metropolis, Perry tries to help a trapped assistant.  On the other side of the world, a determined Superman valiantly rises against the World Engine's gravity waves and destroys it, breaking the terra-forming device's gravity chain and saving Perry and the girl: suspense tremolo textures, rising variation of Superman theme B in strings, becoming triumphant with brass, choir joining, relieved ethereal texture.
1.1	3:13	You Die Or I Do* (Final Confrontation, edit)	0:00: (After Lois and the army have successfully used Kal's escape pod to destroy Zod's mothership in Metropolis) Zod seethes at Superman for destroying the World Engine and the Kryptonian scoutship/birthing chamber: low textures, ambient rhythmic elements/ low Superman theme A. "We could have built a new Krypton in this squalor." 1:30: Zod attacks Superman hand to hand: Zod rhythm, drums with Codex in low strings/climactic rising figure. 2:10: Zod learns how to use eyebeams.  Massive architectural destruction ensues: massive drum/brass accents/Zod Humming motif, Zod theme on strings, quiet textures.
1.6	3:23	If You Love These People (Battle Continues, edit)	0:00: Zod asks where Superman trained ("On a farm?") and then learns how to fly.  The battle continues in the air and then in space.  Lois and Perry observe satellite fragments falling from the sky: low textures based on Superman theme A/Zod theme rhythm, building with Superman theme A/Zod theme, joined by choir/guitar figure, modulating, etc..becoming somewhat poignant (from Lara theme?). 2:09: The battle moves inside Metropolis Central Station. Superman is forced to kill Zod to prevent him from killing bystanders with his eyebeams: held string figures, climax, poignant variation of Clark theme led by cello, Krypton harmony.
1.17	5:27	What Are You Going To Do When You Are Not Saving the World? (Clark Kent, Reporter)	0:00: At Pa Kent's grave, Clark and Martha talk (flashback of young Clark playing around while wearing a cape, and Pa Kent looking worried): ambient figures leading to Earth motif, Clark theme on piano. 1:29: Clark tells Martha of his future plans (montage of Clark starting a new job at the Daily Planet): drum rhythm with low strings, Superman theme B/hopeful string rhythm, joined by Superman theme C in tremolo violins. "Hi, Lois Lane.  Welcome to the Planet." 2:41: Title, end credits: Superman theme C/Superman theme D fanfare in brass/drums/etc. 3:28: Hopeful low strings rhythm/distant Superman theme B in brass/strings. 4:35: Superman theme C in strings with choir/drums. 4:59: Drums/bass pulses.
Suites and Sketches
1.14	3:47	This Is Clark Kent (Clark Kent Suite)	0:00: Clark theme in piano over ambient textures. 0:56: Piano solo over soft pulsing textures, joined by quiet string rhythm. 2:24: Clark theme on low piano and martial percussion. 3:10: Percussion/piano accents, low textures into Krypton harmony.
2.1	28:17	Man of Steel Suite (Hans' Original Sketchbook)	0:00: Krypton harmony, joined by Superman theme A, Superman theme B. 1:52: Lara theme in sweeping strings/guitar/synths. 2:51: Lara theme with added brass and drums, effects. 3:51: High falling figures over synth pulses, undeveloped Codex theme in high synths, joined by fast piano variation. 5:13: Modulation with added string accents, joined by big chords and female choir. 6:14: Joined by Superman theme B, electric glissandi, modulating. 7:51: Theme layers fade out into ambient harmony with repeated piano note, Superman theme A/echoed guitar, Superman theme B. 9:13: Clark theme in piano/low percussive punctuation, developed into an anthem with rhythm section. 11:01: Lara/Clark theme variation on piano with ambient pulses/guitar/strings. 12:32: Superman theme A, B with drums, Superman theme C joins. 14:08: Drums/piano accents, Superman theme B on brass/synth. 15:20: More drums/guitar join with Superman theme C, adding Superman theme D. 16:22: Ambient textures, drum slam, Superman theme A, B in low muted brass over held string textures. 18:14: Superman theme C in low strings, joined by electric glissandi/drums, low drones/ambient textures. 20:05: Superman theme A on slow low figures enters, joined by string rhythm, Zod theme B in brass/male choir. 22:33: Drum accents/more strings join Zod theme B. 23:25: Rising choral textures based on Lara theme (used for when S destroys the World Engine). 24:43: Superman theme A developed in drums/brass with synth ostinato/string tremoli, poignant string figures, joined by choir. 26:29: Rising fanfare, Zod theme B in brass. 27:53: Drum slam accents.
2.3	7:21	General Zod (Suite)*	0:00: Zod humming motif/low textures. 0:54: Drum accents and high swirling ambient elements enter, low chords/Zod humming motif. 1:55: Zod theme in strings/low textures/Zod humming motif, building in layers. 3:54: Zod theme continues with drum accents. 4:20: Quiet strings/ambient textures, poignant string theme, developing and eventually joined by brass.
2.5	3:48	This Is Madness!* (Action Drums Suite)	0:00: Ensemble drums with low impact textures, developing mix. 1:04: Rhythm change. 1:33: Quieter rhythm but building, snare accents enter. 2:14: New accent rhythm, developing. 2:43: Rhythm change, developing. 3:11: Rhythm change, accents.
2.6	6:11	Earth (Suite)	0:00: Ambient textures, Earth motif. 0:55: Clark theme in synth, Superman theme B ending harmony, Clark theme on piano. 2:13: Guitar figures (over bass pulses) enter based on previous motifs. 3:40: Soft synth melody figure and light percussion enter, joined by guitar/synth/etc continuing previous texture. 4:40: New rhythm, added synth figures, etc. (kind of U2 "Joshua Tree"-ish).
2.7	7:26	Arcade (Suite)*	0:00: Ambient swirling textures, joined by low synth figures. 1:21: Zod Humming motif, Zod theme in strings, developed with drum accents. 2:58: Zod theme builds with brass chords entering, drums enter. 4:24: New synth figures (square waves), rhythmic use of Zod humming motif/slams, Zod theme. 5:35: Ambient textures with Zod theme drums (and synth), Zod humming motif/slams, drums rhythm over ambient textures, ambient low strings, etc.

Link
Soundtrack Wiki
Hans Zimmer.com listing
Zimmer YouTube EPK video #1
Film Music Notes Analysis (excellent, didn't find this until after I finished my post, I think his might even be more accurate than mine, oh well...)
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice