And you know what? I'm not neccessarily against guitar riffs in the music.
Look at music done by Bear McCreary for Battlestar Galactica...it's fantastic.
Pieces like "Black Market" (Season 2) and "Dirty Hands" (Season 3)...are fantastic examples of how to mix guitar music to have a timeless, yet energetic feel.
Check them out on Itunes or download them. They are certainly worth a listen, as is most of the soundtrack for anyone interested in film.