"Bohemian Rhapsody" Review

Queen.

If one doesn’t think of the English Royals first, the second thing that will come to mind is the famous band. In the U.S. on Friday November 2nd, Bohemian Rhapsody was released to the delight of fans. The film starts with Freddie Mercury as he finds his place with the band we know as Queen then follows their rise to stardom.

To begin, Rami Malek’s portrayal of Freddie was pretty darn perfect. All the awkwardness that seems to be Mr. Mercury’s personality is delivered spot on. In many interviews Malek confesses that he didn’t try to act like Freddie Mercury but that he tried to understand why he did the things he did in order to motivate his actions, a praiseworthy approach in my opinion.

Article: How Rami Malek Found His Inner Freddie Mercury.

Video: Jimmy Fallon interviews as Rami Malek Discusses His Freddie Mercury Transformation.

While the film shadows Freddie, the bandmates were nothing short of spectacular as well. (left to right) Bassist Joseph Mazzello as John Deacon, drummer Ben Hardy as Roger Taylor, and guitarist Gwilym Lee as Brian May, were marvelous as they painted the picture of true band life and the ups and downs that came along with success, not excluding the breakups. This authenticity shows the audience that not all musical creations are made through fun and games, but that sometimes the best can come out of those arguments and challenging of others’ ideas.

Article: Is Rami Malek singing in ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’? Did the cast play their instruments? Here’s what we know.

While the actors performed wonderfully, especially some supporting roles by Tom Hollander and Mike Myers, this film is not for the faint of heart when it comes to addressing Mr. Mercury’s inner and outer struggle with his sexuality. From the moment he begins to question it up until the certainty of his unpreventable death, the film zeroes in on this somewhat heavily. Being that he was the lead singer of the band, it is understandable that this character flaw, some might call it, would be addressed and thankfully, it is not done so in an excessively risqué way. (However, a couple of same sex kisses are shared, so whether you are a diehard Queen fan or not, you have been forewarned.)

Video: Jimmy Kimmel interview with Rami Malek on Becoming Freddie Mercury.

Bohemian Rhapsody cannot be discussed without mention of the music, specifically the creative processes the band used to make their songs in the early eighties. The viewer can appreciate the unique approach to music-making that Queen took to make their music specific to no style in particular and simultaneously every genre of music out there.

Article: Rami Malek on playing Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody: ‘I’m not a singer and I can’t play piano’.

At times the songs seem to be ‘nothing but random words and phrases strung together,’ says their producer Ray Foster, played by Mike Myers, referring to the 6-minute long “Bohemian Rhapsody,” but the band members remind him that not every lyric has to be explained and this alone gives their records more power over any songs heard on the radio. I strongly appreciated hearing them discuss the motivations behind their artistic choices and seeing the development of those ideas.

Bohemian Rhapsody ignited a new passion for Queen that I didn’t know I had. From every well known hit to the more obscure ones, Queen’s music has and will undoubtedly withstand the test of time. And from the older to the younger generations, Queen has without question left their mark on music history.

Click HERE to see the full cast!