Bohemian Rhapsody

2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody, directed by Bryan Singer/Dexter Fletcher.

Starring Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Joe Mazzello, Ben Hardy, Aidan Gillen, Allen Leech, Tom Hollander, Aaron McCusker, and Mike Myers.

Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Actor (Rami Malek), Film Editing (John Ottman), Sound Editing (John Warhurst and Nina Hartstone), and Sound Mixing (Paul Massey, Tim Cavagin and John Casali).

What is it about?

Bohemian Rhapsody is the biopic of the rock band, Queen. Fronted by their flamboyant and wildly talented singer, Freddy Mercury (Rami Malek), the film showcases the band from their genesis in 1970’s England until the group’s performance at 1985’s Live Aid. Mercury’s self destructive genius threatens to alienate him from his band members: guitarist, Brian May (Gwilym Lee), bassist, John Deacon (Joe Mazzello), and drummer, Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy). His lack of faithfulness could also be an issue for his partner, Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton). With the benefit of historical hindsight, will Mercury be able to finish his story with his usual characteristic aplomb?

Why is it worth seeing?

Bohemian Rhapsody’s highlights include a scary good performance from Rami Malek as the incomparable singer Mercury, and has the benefit of going first into the Queen cinematic sweepstakes. Otherwise it offers little else in terms of establishing a connection to Mercury and the band’s background, and even less for furthering the genre.


Unable to explain Mercury’s motivations for what caused him to be such an eccentric and dynamite personality, we’re left to be swept along into a very familiar ride. I wonder: just why was Mercury angry at his family? What kind of cultural and racial tension came about as the son of immigrants who don’t seem that interested in Mercury’s extracurricular activities? Do these people exist outside of the family home? We see a familiar story arc that has been done to death, but when the credits roll still don’t understand where the pain and anguish that informs all great art, comes from.

With the train firmly established on a track with a mysterious starting point, it’s a fine place to be if it’s so intimately beside Rami Malek. Speaking out of false teeth and strutting through every inch of the screen like his life depends upon it, it’s a charismatic portrayal of the middle point of an interesting life. Consistent and believable, we wish we could go as deep into the depths the story as Malek is willing to go into his character.

Original director Bryan Singer (who finished the majority of the film before resigning amongst claims of sexual scandal) brings a very non musical presence to the film, in terms of portraying the wonder of the ebullient creative process. It could learn a lot from this year’s A Star is Born, or even the background fanboy chaos of Almost Famous. It’s a shame Singer can’t bring the same level of inspiration that he brought to mutant superheroes (Xmen, Xmen: United) what feels like forever ago now. It’s similar to Mike Myers’ cameo here as a music executive who doesn’t believe in the band- cute, but it fails to register.

There’s nothing wrong with paying tribute to a legendary rock band, but even in the spirit of semi-fictionalized biography, the end credits featuring the band performing live shouldn’t be the highlight of the movie. Possessing a great performance by Malek but failing to make much of an impression beyond the fact the band rocks, Rhapsody can’t make a supersonic person out of us.

Rating:

3/5

Trailer: Click Here.