Bohemian Rhapsody review: Ten years in the making, the story of Freddie Mercury and Queen finally makes it to the big screen.
Credit: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek) however, was never going to be defined as a cliché. He steadfastly refused from childhood to be defined by someone else’s vision of what he should be. Throughout his life, he was conflicted, growing up as an immigrant boy in Middlesex as a teenager. He changed his family name Farrokh Bulsara, and named himself Freddie, eventually adding Mercury, reportedly much to his father’s disliking. The film glimpses behind the scenes and gives us a picture of Freddie’s true character, though it is impossible to pull from all the volumes of books, articles, and news that was published about him throughout his epic career. The film connects strongly with Freddie’s humanity, the lessons his father taught him, although perhaps rejected at first, formed a huge part of his character.
The film starts with an opening sequence of Freddie waking and traveling to Wembley to emerge onto the Live Aid stage, the film circling back to tell the story of how he started as a baggage handler at Heathrow. If you are a true Queen fan you will already know the history of the band, its inception during his college days when he got lucky in meeting Brian May and Roger Taylor when their lead singer quit, through to his pinnacle at Live Aid event in the 1980s. Although the film doesn’t cover every last detail – which is impossible – it paints a fantastic picture, giving an impression of what it was like to be in Queen.
The film is not just about Freddie, although the spotlight during Queen’s time is firmly focused on the lead singer. The rest of the band are represented with overwhelming realism (according to Brian and Roger), and to them, it is like looking back inside every moment of the band’s creation. All the fights, disagreements, and almost break ups are showcased, but in counterpoint to all the fun, parties, and bold adventures that the band had in becoming one of the worlds greatest rock bands.
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They were never a ‘mainstream’ band, they openly challenged musical boundaries, pushed against the vision of what a rock band should look and sounds like, and in the process built a fanbase that spans the globe and transcends generations. Freddie once said of his performance at Live Aid – let’s punch a hole in the sky. Well, they truly did that. This film, in reliving all the moments that led up to Live Aid, and the full setlist with a truly immersive fan-focused experience, delivers not just the music but thrusts you into their world and alloys out to relive their greatest moments.
Bohemian Rhapsody is a totally epic film for all fans of Queen, the era, and the music. It opens the door for a glimpse at one of the best years in British rock music – 1985. “If we are not a part of this we will regret it for the rest of our lives,” Freddie said before Live Aid. If you miss this film, you may just feel the same way.
Bohemian Rhapsody review by Dan Thompson. October 2018.
Bohemian Rhapsody is now on general release across the UK.
