I would agree with your assessment of Williams were it not for the music of the original Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back. To me that puts him in an elite league of movie score-makers. Of course it's derivative, but it does a tremendous job of being derivative.

Yeah, OK, it isn't fancy pantsy like Bernie Hermann and Miklos Rosza, but someone called this instantly recognizable, we might even say canonical.

Yes, it's instantly recognizable, and I like it, and I don't think anyone would dispute your characterization "great job of being derivative."

So, with no intention of being critical, I think that what I'm hearing there reminds me of Korngold's March from "Much Ado About Nothing" (but less comical), but it also runs through key modulations that I think come from Shostakovich Symphony #5 (or is it Prokofiev I'm thinking of?). I'm trying to recall the source of the fiddle work starting at 0.56, I know I've heard it before, I'm just not sure where (Mendelssohn's Midsummer Nights Dream? No, not quite).

Anyways, I don't hear anything that I'd call "ripped off" in it (I'm listening to Shostokovich #5 right now, and there's no "gotcha"). The derivativeness is perfectly legit and acceptable. And it's a march, so if it's "plodding" that's a good thing in this case.

I've got to say that the Shostokovich #5 is chock full of wonderful movie music.