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The themes and performances in Johnny English Reborn all hit the right notes but miss the over-the-top parody allures that had made the preceding score so attractive. During the spotting of the film, Eshkeri and the filmmakers came to the decision to only allude to the main theme from the first film in the bulk of this entry, largely because the character isn't truly himself. Therefore, Eshkeri adapts only part of the first phrase of Shearmur's theme (itself an adaptation of a Goodall idea from years earlier) into an equivalent of his own here, reserving statements of the full original theme for two cues that address English's past. The replacement thematic material doesn't succeed as well as Shearmur's, nor is there much continuity in action cues when they aren't explicitly stating a theme. Eshkeri doesn't apply a romance theme as the interlude bridge sequence to his main theme, instead placing his new valiant fanfare for the character in that same position within the bastardized Shearmur theme adaptation. Sadly, there is no significantly swooning material at all in Johnny English Reborn, its replacement in the dainty, ethereal "Hypnotification" not developed during the most romantic kissing scene of the story, "Johnny Reborn," which instead utilizes the new fanfare instead for English's restoration. There is a sufficient amount of specialty instrumental flair for exoticism in the work, most of it contained to the Tibet cues and "Hong Kong," though their mix isn't all that vibrant. The outright parody material includes source-like choral usage to open "Church Escape," Bill Conti-informed, hip flair early in "Wheelchair," and clear British classicism in "Buckingham Palace." But it's the themes that listeners will want to embrace here, and don't expect the album contain several of the best renditions of them. For instance, both solemn electric guitar performances of Shearmur's actual theme for English, in "Opening" and similarly rendered in the flashback during "Mozambique," are absent. The adapted version of the idea for elsewhere in the movie rearranges the second phrase and doesn't use any alternate second phrase like Shearmur had done so well; Eshkeri's take on it is far less sophisticated musically. This unsatisfying twist may be adequate in the one parallel phrase to make musical connections for the audience, and the theme's brevity in this format does lend it better to inclusion as a rhythmic device, but most of the snazzy appeal is lost in the process, and don't be surprised if you find yourself referencing the first score instead.

Eshkeri's adapted franchise theme is heard at the start of the opening titles in "London" and is frequently referenced in Johnny English Reborn. It's lovingly conveyed at 0:14 and several times thereafter in short bursts during "The Toy Cupboard." It opens "Commandeering the Vessel" and "Bravo Commander" with similar swagger, is humorously plucked at 0:41 into "Golf," guides the action later in "Helicopter" and early in "Wheelchair," and is vague early in "Tucker Shoots Johnny," with a solo trumpet fragment at the end of that cue. Interestingly, Eshkeri largely drops the idea at that point in the score, replacing it with his own main fanfare for this film's story. That theme is used like an interlude to the Shearmur theme 0:22 into "London" (returning at 1:08 in the background), and fragments of it open "The Toy Cupboard." The idea receives full, swinging glory at 0:13 into "Commandeering the Vessel," building to a confident crescendo at 0:53 to close out the cue, and exists in fits and starts at 0:51 into "Helicopter." The fanfare dominates "Wheelchair," briefly interjecting at 0:58 and leading at 1:54 on solo flute before forming a climax at the end of the cue. It turns melodramatically tragic at the start of "Timoxybarbobutenol" and appropriately goes missing for a while, returning in a tragic rendition that becomes fuller at the start of "Johnny Reborn," by which point the fanfare truly is the score's romance identity as well. It dominates the subsequent action after a victorious announcement at 0:29 into "Cliff Jump." Eshkeri does use a specific action motif in several places, nimble and rhythmic throughout "Rooftop Chase," becoming more prominent at 0:26 into "Commandeering the Vessel," vaguely informing the suspense in the first minute of "Lipstick Gun," and returning at 1:20 into "Cliff Jump." The villains receive a generic but sufficient motif that occupies all of "Karlenko Arrives" and "Ambrose," sneaks into "Poisoning the Drink," and quietly menaces the latter half of "The Manic Phase." The Rolls-Royce car receives the best motif in the score, swooning and romantic at 1:04 into "The Toy Cupboard" and returning when the car cuts itself out of confinement with a laser, a cue not included on the album. This cue, the two with Shearmur's full theme, and all of the Tibet material, including ethnic renditions of the franchise adaptation, were needed on album, for the narrative suffers without it. The same is true of the decent Bond-like end credits song, "I Believe in You," performed by Rumer. Without that, the album ends on the preceding stinger without satisfaction. In the end, Johnny English Reborn acquits itself in the film but lacks the magic of the prior score, and its album definitely needs reborn in a longer presentation.  ***   @Amazon.com: CD or Download

Total Time: 46:09