Director: Bryan Singer
By Alex Watson
There was controversy surrounding Bohemian Rhapsody before it was even released. Due to continuous problems and behaviour surrounding director Bryan Singer- Fox was forced to fire him and hire Dexter Fletcher to finish the film. The result is a mixed success and although this movie does firmly capture the spirit and energy that Queen brought the music world- its depiction of Freddie Mercury feels almost too safe. However, Rami Malek proves to be the movies secret weapon and he perfectly embodies the great performer and persona that Mercury truly was.
In 1970, a toothy oddball named Farookh Bulsara (Rami Malek) meets two other misfits called Brian May (Gwilym Lee) and Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy) who perform in a struggling band named Smile. Together with bassist John Deacon (Joseph Mazzello), they form the band Queen and quickly ascend to the dizzying heights of music glory. While Freddie quickly becomes the face of the band, problems begin to develop both in and outside the band.
You can sense that Bohemian Rhapsody is treading a very careful path when depicting the life of Mercury. This was an artist who was unafraid to push the boundaries of what was appropriate, yet this movie feels very overly cautious and seems to determined just to play the hits. Singer glosses over the early years of Queen with too much speed. Immediately they go from playing colleges and pubs to selling out arenas. We never get the sense of success being earned the hard way and Anthony McCarten's script seems overly focused the life of Mercury. There are moments of hard-won respect- such as their struggle against the pushback of releasing the experimental Bohemian Rhapsody by EMI boss Ray Foster (Mike Myers). Their refusal to budge and confidence in their success makes you want to stand up and applaud. The band here is shown as a unit and more of this should have been included.
When it comes to Freddie himself, the movie sparkles brightest and injects real emotion and heart. As a character, he is always ready with a quick wit and has a stubborn streak a mile wide. Ever the perfectionist, he is always shown to strive for best- even if it means making Roger sing 'GALILEO' multiple times. Despite this fine and moving portrayal- Singer and McCarten seem afraid to depict the man he truly was. The over-focus on his lifelong companionship with Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton) feels like a misstep and we only get the briefest look at the romances he shared with any male lovers. In particular, it largely ignores his loving relationship with Jim Hutton and his eventual death from AIDS (referenced fleeting in an end title card). Were they afraid to tarnish the name of a man who was unafraid to bend the rules and live life to the fullest? This cautious feel drags down what could have been a great biopic.
While its scripting and feel might not sing the high notes, Bohemian Rhapsody does excellently bring to life just how energetic and fun Queen's live shows were. In glorious and thumping detail plus some excellent Freddie costumes, we find ourselves singing and nodding our heads to the hits. The high point comes from its stunning recreation of Queen's infamous 1985 Live Aid set. Capturing the fever and infectious showmanship that Mercury brought to the stage, you see the crowning glory of an already stellar band. Freddie is at his most complete during this stretch, strutting and commanding the stage and the audience alike as if it's his last moments on earth. While the movie ends on a high note, you are still hungry for more.
Sasha Baron Cohen was the original choice to play Freddie Mercury. But his departure was a blessing in disguise because they couldn't have chosen better than Rami Malek. The movie's shining light, Malek is magnificent as the flamboyant and effortless showman Freddie. Effortlessly bringing to life his ability to steal the spotlight along with his multi-range voice, Malek hits all the right notes. Always the centre of a party and never wanting the good times to end, we see at times a man on the verge of falling over the edge. His arrogance often threats to drive the family apart, but he shows a big heart and soul to continually rally the troops. His performance comes alive during the Live Aid set and wonderfully he recreates the performance move for move and resurrects one of the truly great live performances. Ben Hardy provides great support and some terrific one-liners as Roger Taylor and Gwilym Lee is excellent as the more level-headed Brian May, complete with the appropriate fuzzy hair.
Bohemian Rhapsody is a biopic that is not always in tune and misses a great opportunity to showcase one of the biggest showstopping bands of our time. Rami Malek however, deserves awards contention for his stunning performance. We are still waiting for the hammer to fall!
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