Rating: 2
Howard the Duck is scored with a character-driven approach, which is nice to see given the ridiculous nature of the film. It allows Barry a bluesy character theme for Howard, and a sweet flute love theme. This side of the score is better than the film’s reputation allows, with references to Americans and even Frances in Beddy-Bye For Howard. Unfortunately, these worthy themes are surrounded with pounding perdition of Black Hole inclination.
The problem with the film’s action music is not any lack of imagination or dynamism, as might be said of latter-day Barry disappointments. It is the phrasal discontinuity. The music pounds without any absorbing music interest. It simply offers little for further explorative listening. It functions on screen. It’s listenable, it’s workable and in parts it’s passably Bondian. But it’s also a shallow wash-and-go kind of music listening experience.