I would buy the so-called Sound Design paradigm as an "alternative" to a traditional orchestral film-score, IF:
a) There was some actual and sophisticated sound design involved. There isn't, and hasn't been in this case at least. Hans' sound design skills and output are absolutely commensurate with his symphonic skills and output (i.e. puerile and unworthy of mention). People who think Hans and his team are doing anything special regarding synthesis should spend a month with Eric Persing, and then another month at IRCAM, read a little Curtis Roads and David Cope, to get the first glimpse of what adult Sound Design is about. DJ sound design is for pre-school. So, with that out the window, we come to
b) If somebody is ACTUALLY good in synthesis and it's not easy - the otherwise great composer Maurice Jarre's embarassing Witness being an example - then that is what they should do, and leave the symphonic forces out of the equation completely. A score doesn't have to be "Romantic" to be poignant and effective. But the turd directors and producers that do demand the sound of an orchestra (thank Heavens they still do), cannot differentiate between an adequate score, and a mephitic one...
I came back tonight having survived another "gem" of a score in the movies by a guy I have not heard of before (and hopefully won't again either), that elevates Giacchino's Star Treks and Hans' total oeuvre to the level of the Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun. The movie was Elysium.
To answer the thread's question. Without knowing more than say 10-12 of Hans' scores, I would say that the music to The Last Samurai was at least satisfying. Incidentally, Gladiator was a shameful job, as one of the two main themes was completely pilfered from Vangelis, and the other utterly inappropriate for the subject matter. But I suppose who pays any attention to the subject matter these days?...