Film review: Bohemian Rhapsody

The rumour about a film about the legendary rock band Queen and especially their frontman Freddy Mercury, who has become an icon, has been around since his premature death on November 24th, 1991. Serious work has been going on for years, but due to many problems there was never any actual shooting. First the originally cast Sacha Baron Cohen jumped off, later director Bryan Singer was fired. But now the time has finally come, the biopic is running in the cinemas and we can see for ourselves whether all these problems have harmed the end product.

CONTENTS

After the moderately well-known band Smile loses their singer and bassist in 1970, the remaining members Brian May and Roger Taylor, the fan and extremely gifted Farrokh Bulsara, come just in time. Under the name Freddy Mercury he takes on the role as lead singer and with a new bass player and the fresh name Queen, the band sets out to conquer the world.

No one could have guessed at the time that this band would actually go down in the history of rock music. And even less the development of Freddy Mercury, who was initially inconspicuous and later became an icon for several generations, whose life came to an all too early and tragic end in November 1991.



© 2018 Twentieth Century Fox

CRITICS

Two things shine above everything else this movie has to offer. On the one hand this is the music of the 4 British, which is still firmly anchored in the minds and auditory canals of at least 3 generations. No matter if you’re a fan or not, there aren’t many other bands that can claim that almost everyone between 60 and 20 can recognize at least 10 of their songs when they play and can sing at least 5 of them by heart.

The second thing goes by the name of Rami Malek, and he delivers the performance of his life with his portrayal of Freddy Mercury. Beginning with the mimic, over the at the same time over-twisted and nevertheless again and again very shy behavior, up to the theatrical gesture on the stage. In some moments one doubts even as an admirer of the icon not to have the original in front of one’s eyes. And by the way Malek manages to convey the whole range of emotions to this deeply torn personality.

It’s almost like Bohemian Rhapsody reflects the band’s history, because here and there the frontman is the only one in the spotlight. Just as the band members did much more than just keep appendages and contributed a lot to Queen’s success, the other characters, who are all portrayed in a first-class manner, are always in the shadow of the great man at the top. This is not only due to Malek’s outstanding performance, but to a large extent also to the script.



© 2018 Twentieth Century Fox

And that’s where the film’s greatest weakness is buried. The main focus on Mercury has been criticized in many places, but it is understandable. He’s what people want to see, that’s how it’s always been. Everything about each of the 4 in a movie is also an unrealistic wish. But what is also objectively sour is some artistic freedom in the representation of actual events. Such freedoms are basically quite legitimate, but here they seem to serve nothing else than the showmanship and neither the film, nor the eventful history of the band needs that. This is a double shame, because the script manages to transport deep emotions again and again, even without artificial drama.

The production effort with which this project was realized is gigantic. Since no original film material was used at all. Are all stage appearances that occur in the film reproduced in the smallest detail. This applies to stages, costumes, the audience and their yearly fashion. Highlight here is without question the legendary performance of Queen at Live-Aid at Wembley Stadium 1985. Almost the complete 20 minute set was recreated.

Also as far as the singing in the film is concerned, a huge effort was made. Maleks, as well as the voice of a dedicated singer was skilfully mixed with original Mercury recordings and sound so damn close, but far enough away, not to give the impression that all the vocals came only from an old Queen CD. About the soundtrack itself, I don’t think there is a word to be said, because if you can’t get along with Queen, you won’t be able to sit down in this movie. Everyone else will love it.



© 2018 Twentieth Century Fox

FAZIT

Bohemian Rhapsody is an elaborately produced declaration of love and Queen and especially Freddy Mercury. The cast, above all a fabulously good Rami Malek, knows how to convince as well as the entertainment value. The latter of course especially for fans of the band, but not exclusively at all. Only the superfluous attempt of the authors to make the band’s story appear more dramatic than it needs to is negatively noticeable. Nevertheless, the film remains a stirring and moving biopic about one of the biggest bands of the last century.