All is fair in the game of love and tennis – that is what director Luca Guadagnino wanted to portray in his sports romance film “Challengers,” released on April 26, 2024. Having worked with Guadagnino several times before, there were no other composers who could perfectly tailor a sound to go along with this movie other than the creative partnership of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
Reznor and Ross are both members of the band Nine Inch Nails, but the two men have worked together outside of the group since 2002. Since the beginning of their partnership, the pair has managed to snag several noteworthy awards, including three Golden Globes, two Academy Awards, two Grammys, and various other nominations. Their most recent Golden Globe was awarded to them for their work on the “Challengers” original score.
After collaborating on several scores for movies such as “The Social Network” (2010), “Soul” (2020), and “Bones and All” (2022), Reznor and Ross were hired by Guadagnino once again to craft the soundtrack for “Challengers.” The duo is known for their electronic-based film scores, yet “Challengers” has an entirely different feel compared to any of their past projects with its entrancing charged sound.
Typically, a film soundtrack is not made to be listened to on its own – it is meant to be paired visually with a movie. Reznor and Ross completely disregarded these presumptions. The “Challengers” film score breaks the norm. This soundtrack is a work that could be entirely separated from the movie itself and create a new atmosphere contrary to an audience’s expectation of a film about tennis.
From the moment the “Challengers: Original Soundtrack” begins, it is extremely evident that it is not just any average background music. The first track, simply titled “Challengers,” perfectly sets the tone for the film right from the beginning. The opening scene is set on a tennis court, a conventionally serene environment. However, Reznor and Ross completely shift the dynamic of a classic game of tennis by kicking in a heart-thumping electronic beat right in the middle of the first set, completely elevating the situation. The only thing that takes away from this song is the use of in-movie sound effects. The noise of an iPhone alarm that plays to cut off the music at the end of this track is a small part that could have easily been left out, improving the overall experience.
The same beat of the opening song is revisited at the end of the movie in the second-to-last track, “Challengers: Match Point,” which serves as an incredible accompaniment to the final scene. Other tracks with similar sounds include “Brutalizer,” “The Points That Matter,” and “Pull Over.” The upbeat, funky techno textures in the background keep the movie alive and allow the characters to communicate on and off the court without lines of dialogue.
Perhaps the most contrasting song compared to others on the score is a performance of “New Year Carol” originally composed by Benjamin Britten from his 1993 work, titled “Friday Afternoons,” including vocals from Choir of Downside School, Purley. This track sticks out because it is a completely different genre and may come as a shock when listening to the album on its own. The reason for including this song only makes sense when paired with the context of the movie scene, which is a rather undesirable component when you look at the project independently from the film.
The final track, an original song titled “Compress/Repress,” co-written with Guadagnino, is a remarkable conclusion to the soundtrack. Reznor’s voice fuels the song which makes for a very notable performance despite the style contrasting from the nature of a typical Nine Inch Nails track. Reznor’s vocals are paired with soft, whispery ones floating around in the background, belonging to Reznor’s wife, Mariqueen Maandig. The layers of electronic beats, tied in with a piano riff, and the overall dance-club feeling of the song encapsulates all of the components of the film in a maddeningly perfect way.
The intense blend of clashing styles, ranging from blaring EDM to hauntingly beautiful vocals of a choir – all add up to create a chaotic yet phenomenal score. “Challengers” would not be the same without the help of Reznor and Ross on this soundtrack.
