Lorne Balfe

It’s debateable whether we needed a new Sweeny film. The original television series is a staple of the ITV channels and there were two reasonable films made in the 70’s to look back on. It remains one of the most ground-breaking and important TV series ever made, and apart from the clothes and the cars, has aged pretty well. Then, and which is most relevant here, is that theme tune one the great classic TV themes, that perfectly captured the raw power of the series.

As The Sweeney's been slickly brought up to date that’s reflected in the music. The opening titles are a rolling, menacing combination of synths and strings. Regan’s Beginning has the merest of hints of the original theme – which runs through the soundtrack and more on that later - but does capture the character. The big set piece of the film is the gunfight in Trafalgar Square and that is given the full treatment here with a palpably melancholic air running throughout the track

After that there are quieter, more contemplative moments such as Fog Horns, You’re Extinct and Couldn’t Help Her. The home run of Regan Rebels, In Prison but Out for Blood and the too long Carter Solo is a little lacklustre. And there we come to the main problem; the original theme rises in End and, orchestrated, sounds magnificent but the rug is pulled away by End Credits which is an abominable remix of the TV theme. We then have two tracks from Magnetic Man followed by Dr P and Barry Adamson’s take on the Sweeney Theme; the former atrocious, the latter a touch more sympathetic.

What we have here from Lorne Balfe is, in the main, a big, brash, score that suits director Nick Love’s style. It does what it has to do, and away from the film, maybe not a soundtrack that will be played very often.