Since the debut of its first teaser back in May, I had great expectations for the movie. If a minute or less could give me goosebumps, imagine what a 2-hour movie could do? Needless to say, Bohemian Rhapsody gave me more than just that.
We all know how Freddie Mercury’s life went. Or so we think. With his story told over and over again, it wasn’t really easy to say which part is true or not. And for someone who enjoys Queen for their music and the legacy they have left, Bohemian Rhapsody is the perfect biopic one should see. It doesn’t dwell on the darkness of the band and Freddie’s history. It celebrates Queen for who they are—musicians, performers, artists.
A biopic straight out of facts—things we already know—is what the movie is. It’s not a pretentious display on what could have happened behind the scenes. Bohemian Rhapsody was a journey where the audiences feel like they belong. The movie alone is a representation of what Queen is all about—being a part of something when all your life you’ve been an outcast. The film gives the audience a sense of belongingness, allowing everyone to feel as if they’ve been with the band through their journey. It is a raw depiction of a journey boldly presented to allow every person in the audience to experience each scene. Soon as the movie ended a feeling lingered on me: I laughed, cried, fought, and lived with the band. Through the album making, the live performances, the tours, conflicts, and struggles—I felt like I was a part of those.
A true standout from the movie is Rami Malek’s stunning performance. It’s safe to say that Malek isn’t at all present in the movie. From the way he looks down to smallest gestures, it is Freddie Mercury we’ve seen all along. It can’t just be the handle-bar mustache or the overbite. Malek didn’t interpret an icon, he became the icon. It wouldn’t be any surprise to find him as one of the strongest contenders for the Academy’s best actor.
This takes me to the interpretation of Freddie Mercury in the movie. The movie took everything negative that happened to Freddie and gave it a positive spin. Like the song says, “keep yourself alive” is probably one the many messages the movie wants to interpret. A careful masterpiece—the film is a celebration of everything Freddie. His music, personality, sexuality, and genius mind is all there is to see. Much like the song Bohemian Rhapsody itself, that’s how the movie was created and presented. The more you try to dig deep into each scene, the more you lose grip of it. An attempt to dissect each part won’t do any good for one as an audience. Watch it to commemorate the legend whose story is being told in the film.
Spine-chilling—the production didn’t miss a single detail that could possibly ruin the experience. The crew has given special attention to the accuracy as one of the keys to perfecting the movie—from the Pepsi cups on top of a glossy piano to the audience roaring through the band’s performances. Not to mention, each of the band members was a carbon copy of the original.
Bohemian Rhapsody is a passion-filled experience complete with all the Queen essentials we need. It’s a forthright biopic that needed no explaining. Meant to be a classic, it was masterfully crafted not to be dwelled upon but to be, just like the hits of the band, an anthem to Freddie Mercury and Queen’s journey. The movie is proof that fortune does favor the bold.
