“Bohemian Rhapsody” will Rock You
Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Because after watching the movie I’ve been floating around in ecstasy. “Bohemian Rhapsody” is a foot-stomping tribute to Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer, Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek), who defied all stereotypes and made Queen one of the most legendary bands of all time.
The biopic is an incredible testimonial to the charming nostalgia of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Malek did an amazing job in capturing the flamboyant, eccentric side of Freddie Mercury, who we tearfully witness struggling with depression and AIDS, which eventually leads him to reject his band in pursuit of a solo career. During this time, he is fueled by partying, drugs, alcohol, and sex.
However, for many Queen connoisseurs like myself, the script didn’t quite show audiences the tortured genius that Mercury truly was, and crucial details about Mercury’s life were changed in order to fit the format and dramatic elements for the movie. For instance, in the movie Mercury manages to track down his love interest, come out to his parents and perform in one of the most televised concerts all in one day, when in reality the sequence happened over a greater period of time. Nevertheless, real-life events are often over-exaggerated in order to make movies more appealing and easier to follow to a mainstream audience.
Something I commend the writers for is making the characters relatable, despite being literal rock stars. Freddy Mercury is lovably awkward, even as he rises up the ladders into stardom. Malek really makes his struggles seem genuine, while at the same time staying true to his rather quirky unrelatable personality.
The end of the movie leaves audiences teary-eyed when against all odds, Mercury managed to play with Queen again at one of the most famous concerts in history, Live Aid, with an estimated two billion people tuning in on television — in a sense curbing the limitations of AIDS until he ultimately succumbed to the syndrome.
Despite its meager flaws, like its timeline inaccuracies, the electrifying soundtrack transformed “Bohemian Rhapsody” from an average movie to a stand-out from other movies this year with its obvious flawless soundtrack. With audiences bobbing their heads, stomping their feet and screaming the lyrics to every song, “Bohemian Rhapsody” is a movie that “Will Rock You” every time.
