Johnny English Reborn Composed by Ilan Eshkeri
Varese Sarabande (2011)
Rating:
7/10
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“If anything, parody
allows a composer to truly let loose and exploit the clichés within
the themes of a film, and this is certainly prevalent throughout ILAN
ESHKERI’S score for JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN.”
"Parodisiacal"
Review by Richard Buxton
The last decade has been a decidedly erratic one for the parody film
genre, with the likes of the SCARY MOVIE franchise, SHAUN OF THE DEAD,
VAMPIRES SUCK and KUNG FU HUSTLE all sitting at wildly varying positions
on the critical scale. Being a source of whimsical imitation at best, the
parody genre is one that never has the weight of great expectations placed
upon it and is therefore one that can occasionally surprise in a number of
areas. JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN is certainly not one the greatest entries the
genre in recent years, but the genre it aims to imitate and satirize is
one that provides ample room for a musical score to excel. If anything,
parody allows a composer to truly let loose and exploit the clichés within
the themes of a film, and this is certainly prevalent throughout ILAN
ESHKERI’S score for JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN.
ESHKERI’S intention to embrace the memes found within the James Bond
franchise is immediately apparent as the orchestral swagger and suave of
his main theme for JOHNNY ENGLISH slides into the frame. The main theme is
instantly attractive and easily digested with its ascending and descending
brass and string interchange. The smooth sound ESHKERI is imitating is
presented in a light-hearted fashion that is initially an exciting mixture
of bravado and light suspense, but eventually becomes tiresome in its
repetition and lack of noticeable evolution. This main theme and identity
of the score is established almost instantly in the opening track “London”
(1). Any suspicions that JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN might be a score that
teases the listener with whiffs of the main theme rather than fully
exploring it are quickly dispelled, yet it is here that ESHKERI’S score
experiences its downfall. The motifs hear in the score are satisfying to a
degree, in that they are indisputably suitable to the film and its
protagonist, but they are motifs that never stray beyond the comfort zone
and develop their own identity within the score. The swagger of the main
theme is heard in full swing in “London” before it is echoed in slightly
varied forms in later tracks. “The Toy Cupboard” (2), for example,
ratchets up the pace of the theme whilst maintaining the bravado of the
opening track. The flexibility of the main theme makes for more than
welcome shifts in gear as ESHKERI adapts it in to various forms such as
that of the erratic “Commandeering the Vessel (5) or the action-packed
“Helicopter” (11). Yet, This flexibility eventually becomes a reminder
that beyond the main theme JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN lacks any particularly
memorable themes.
“The Toy Cupboard” presents what could have been an opportunity for
ESHKERI to expand beyond the main theme as a rousing string motif flashes
momentarily amongst the action-rendition of the main theme. A greater
exploration of this theme beyond its occasional revival throughout the
score would certainly have given JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN greater depth and
impetus. The emotion heard in the strings is perhaps of greater value than
anything else present in ESHKERI’S score, and it’s a great disappointment
to learn that such emotion is rarely evoked. “Johnny Reborn” (20) treads
similar ground and establishes itself as one of the highlights of the
soundtrack, but is hardly enough on its own.
Beyond these two themes and ideas, JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN is an example of
competent action scoring that never roams beyond the formula set by many
an action score before it, merely accenting it with the default bold and
enchantingly suave orchestral sound that has come to be expected from the
franchise. This, admittedly, does add extra value to an action-scoring
template that has been retread numerous times, but doesn’t quite manage to
lift the score above the sea of action-scores available today. ESHKERI
briefly flavours the score with an oriental aesthetic in “Hong Kong” (3),
but the moment is so fleeting that it barely registers in the grand scheme
of things. Otherwise it is up to the likes of the engaging but ultimately
routine “Wheelchair” (13) or the cacophonous “Cliff Jump” (21) to hold the
attention of the listener.
As an accompaniment to a film, ESHKERI’S score does a fine job, lining
itself up exactly with the nature of the film as a parody, exaggerating
the ideas heard within the Bond franchise without becoming overpowering.
Based purely on the score’s ability to fit the film it accompanies, JOHNNY
ENGLISH REBORN is an accomplished musical arrangement, beyond that however
it grows from promising origins into an embodiment of unfulfilled
potential that rides the dwindling wave it rose from.
