The Story of Queen is "Rhapsodic"

The biography of Queen and their flamboyant lead singer Freddie Mercury would seem a natural fit for the big screen, but it’s taken a while for the project to reach fruition. The film has been in the works for years, with actors like Sascha Baron Cohen and Ben Whishaw, and directors such as Tom Hooper and David Fincher reportedly attached to the movie. Filming finally began in 2017, with Bryan Singer behind the cameras, and a screenplay by Anthony McCarten. Then Singer was suddenly fired from the project several weeks before completion, reportedly due to ongoing absences from the set and several clashes with the cast and crew. Dexter Fletcher was brought in to complete the film, though Singer eventually received sole onscreen credit for his direction.

Bohemian Rhapsody (photo courtesy 20th Century Fox)

Bohemian Rhapsody tells the story of the band from their early days in the 1970s through their triumphant performance at the Live Aid benefit concert in 1985. Despite it’s troubled production history, the movie is an entertaining rock biopic that features Rami Malek (of Mr. Robot) as Freddie Mercury. He's simply terrific in the role. When Malek is onscreen, the film crackles with electricity. He’s got the moves, the gestures and the rock star swagger of Mercury down perfectly. Malek isn’t just acting; he becomes Freddie Mercury. Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy and Joe Mazzello also do fine work as Mercury's band mates Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon. Gwilym is especially good as guitar hero May.

The movie plays fast and loose with some of the facts, and there are some factual inaccuracies, which have already been noted by fans. But Bohemian Rhapsody gets somethings right, especially when displaying the raw power of Mercury’s magnetic stage presence and boundless energy, highlighted in the film’s powerful recreations of the band’s live shows. The strong bond (and eventual discord) between the group members is portrayed in some excellent sequences showing them at work on several of the band's most well known songs, including “We Will Rock You” and “Another One Bites The Dust.” There’s an amusing scene with a record company executive (portrayed in a nice bit of irony by Mike Myers of Wayne’s World fame) who refuses to release “Bohemian Rhapsody” as a single.

The film also touches on Mercury’s doubts and insecurities about his own sexuality. While his soul mate and longtime love, Mary Austin (nicely played by Lucy Boynton) remains a loyal friend to him, as time goes on, it becomes clear to Freddie (and those around him) that he’s gay. Although the subject of Mercury’s sexuality is handled in a relatively delicate manner, the history and the music of Queen remains the film’s main focus. The movie culminates in an exhilarating recreation of the band’s appearance at Live Aid. It’s a fantastic sequence that ends the film on a triumphant note.

Bohemian Rhapsody is a mesmerizing rock and roll story driven by a transcendent performance from Rami Malek as Mercury, and the iconic power of the band’s music. Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor were consultants on the project, and the final product definitely does justice to Mercury’s (and the band’s) legacy.  If you’ve ever stomped your feet and hand clapped your way through “We Will Rock You” and “We Are The Champions” at a sporting event or sang along with the classic “Bohemian Rhapsody” you’ll truly enjoy Bohemian Rhapsody. The film is finishing up its theatrical run, and a home video release should be announced soon. Here’s a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP0VHJYFOAU.