Bohemian Rhapsody

Bohemian Rhapsody bleeds rock and roll as it sings guitar riffs, blasts oversized speakers, and flares with Freddie Mercury's costumes. Go see this film instead of reading the political muckraking critics are pulling out of their hats. There are scores of articles deriding this film for “having the audacity to gloss over Freddie Mercury’s heritage,” even though we spend the first thirty minutes experiencing him fight with his traditional family and breaking apart from his immigrant parents through his rock career. In reality, who cares about what they say? With a story following one of the greatest Rock-Icons of all time, critics will never be satisfied, but audiences are.

The film struggles with the balance between telling Freddie Mercury’s story and Queen’s beginning. Ultimately, it is about Freddie Mercury, but not to the extent of putting the band in the background. The other band-members are actual characters, but they are hardly fleshed out, since that would waste time away from the man in the spotlight. I wanted to spend more time with the band, having the better scenes with the songwriting, but I am glad they still gave them development in the small moments they appear. It is Freddie’s “Biopic,” so it should focus on his story more than the band. Rami Malek glows with Freddie’s energy, dancing on stage with his spunk but also revealing the hidden scars of his social life. The surrounding cast gives their own moments of flare, helping the narrative swirl around this legendary character without feeling dull, and they support the heavier moments with quality rock & roll moments and band chemistry.

What this film does best is make Freddie Mercury feel completely alone. The lyrics highlighting the story, the framing that cuts him off from the parties, and the opening shots that follow his isolated morning routine all give the impression that everything he does outside of the music is a cry for help. Does this follow the real Freddie Mercury? Many critics are saying no, but it serves a very concrete and universal character arc that I felt matched the performance quite well.

I have no knowledge towards the accuracy of this film, but what I experienced was definitely worth the theater experience. The music hits with force, the dialogue is snappy, and the look is fantastic. Like the songs itself, the film knows how to get you involved with the story. It shines a lot of light on the fans for us to place ourselves in their shoes. In reality, we are not supposed to fully understand Freddie Mercury by the time the credits roll, that is not what the film is trying to do; it is trying to put us in the front row seats of Queen’s greatest concert, and every step it had to take to get there.

Story Rating: 8/10

Character Rating: 7/10