Say what you want about director Jaume Collet-Serra, you certainly can’t accuse him of lacking balls: reviving the once-popular Carry On series in these woke times is a bold move indeed. I have to say I didn’t find it as funny as the better films in the series – Taron Egerton is no Sid James, though Jason Bateman does a reasonable Barbara Windsor – but there are more laughs than the previous entry, Carry On Columbus, back in 1992. Composer Lorne Balfe takes over yet another beloved franchise after Mission: Impossible and Wallace and Gromit, continuing his relationship with the director started on Black Adam, which sported a hugely entertaining, thematic score, raising hopes for this one. It’s a taut film though, one that doesn’t leave much room for any expansiveness in its music, so keep that in mind.

The album opens with “Ethan’s Theme” – but no, Balfe hasn’t forgotten what franchise this one is, the lead character here is also called Ethan if you can believe that – it’s an introspective piece, no sweeping melody, instead a bit of psychological exploration of the character (who goes through what I can only describe as a tough time over the course of the movie). The bulk of the score is actually even darker, percussive suspense music – a Qatari orchestra is credited in the movie, and Balfe has also credited a Scottish one on his social media for performing the score – but this is one where the orchestra is only really providing a bit of gravy, its meat and veg is largely electronic, with the rhythmic drive of percussion serving to give it some forward momentum, strings generally swirling subtly, psychologically away underneath. Back to Black Adam, imagine some of the bass lines from that score with none of the thatrics going over the top of them. The occasional lighter moment is generally accompanied by a piano, but usually with some sense of foreboding even then. This is a perfectly decent film score but even the enthusiasm I’ve found for this composer’s music over the last few years – I think he’s firmly established himself as a top film composer now – doesn’t allow me to derive much pleasure from it as a standalone listening experience.

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