The following is a movie review “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Marc Primo.
Release date: 2 November 2018 (United States)
Director: Bryan Singer
Language: English
Production companies: 20th Century Fox, New Regency, GK Films, Queen Films
Producers: Graham King, Jim Beach
It doesn’t really matter which generation you belong to when you watch Bohemian Rhapsody because once the opening credits roll, you just know you’re about to witness something extraordinary.
In the unlikely event that you are unfamiliar with either the rock band Queen, its flamboyant and legendary lead singer Freddie Mercury, or arguably their greatest hit song Bohemian Rhapsody, then all the more are you in for a treat that is as timeless as it is unforgettable.
Director Bryan Singer, whose notable works include 1995’s The Usual Suspects and 2006’s Superman Returns, exhibits his prowess at musical biopics with this latest effort, only to be fired late in the film’s production due to absences and conflicts of interest. Singer was then replaced by Dexter Fletcher to complete the picture, but managed to retain sole director credit.
The movie begins with establishing shots of Mercury’s life as a baggage handler at Heathrow Airport before meeting his future band mates at a night club where he watched them perform as a rock band called Smile.
After joining the band to replace its lead singer who had left to join another group, Mercury convinces the remaining members of Smile, Brian May and Roger Taylor, to change their name to Queen. With the addition of bassist John Deacon, the four begin playing gigs all over Britain, which eventually leads them to a deal with EMI Records.
In a performance that many are predicting a win for Best Actor in a Leading Role at the 2019 Academy Awards, American actor Rami Malek delivers a startlingly heartfelt and uncanny portrayal of the man who would be Queen.
Much of the film plays like an extended music video, complete with lyrics, guaranteed to satisfy virtually all die-hard and casual Queen fans, while exploring various aspects of Mercury’s life, from his extremely close ties with the rest of his band mates to his special relationship with and engagement to Mary Austin.
Mercury's metamorphosis into superstardom wherein he begins to question his own sexuality and adopts a lifestyle that initiates his downward spiral into addiction, promiscuity, and ultimately--HIV--are also addressed, before ending on a high note with a near shot-for-shot remake of Queen's 1985 Live Aid performance--widely regarded as the greatest live rock show of all time.
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