Bohemian Rhapsody

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Bohemian Rhapsody had a troubled production, to say the least. The idea for this movie started surfacing around 2010 and Freddie Mercury was to be played by Sacha Baron Cohen. Cohen abandoned the film in 2013. In November 2016, Rami Malek was cast in the role. The movie went into production in September 2017, with Bryan Singer set to direct. Singer was ultimately fired and replaced by Dexter Fletcher. While I am happy that the movie we got wasn’t a complete disaster, I couldn’t help but find it kind of generic. Don’t get me wrong, there is some really good stuff in it. And this isn’t a bad or awful film by any means, but I don’t know if I can say it lives up to its full potential. Full disclosure, this is a movie I really wanted to love since Queen is one of my favorite bands of all time. This movie has been criticized for historical inaccuracies. I will be the first to admit that I don’t really know that much about the band’s behind the scenes history. The film is also a touch long, and the slower pace can make this movie show its teeth at times. Rami Malek practically embodies Freddie Mercury. It never really feels like I’m watching somebody play Mercury, so much as watching Mercury himself. Nowhere is this better showcased than in the film’s amazing concert sequences, especially the incredible Live Aid scene. For some, it might be distracting that they feel more like music videos. For me, that look and feel just sort of enhanced them In some respects, I wish there was more of them. There’s a point where a music executive for EMI says to something to the effect of: “Kids want a song they can turn up the volume with and bang their heads to. Bohemian Rhapsody is not that song.” When you realize the character who says that is played by Mike Myers, it just feels a little bit on the nose, and probably didn’t need to be in the movie at all. Some of Mercury’s personal life feels a little bit downplayed. Lucy Boynton is a talented actress, but she kind of feels wasted as Mercury’s girlfriend, and doesn’t really seem like she has anything to do. The movie doesn’t really do a whole lot to explore Mercury’s sexuality. My thoughts on Aiden Gillan as John Reid were fairly similar to my thoughts on Boynton’s performance. The man is a good actor, and does good with what he’s given, but he felt kind of wasted. Bohemian Rhapsody has probably been one of the most divisive movies of the year. The opinions seem to be all over the place, I fall somewhere in the middle. I don’t think it’s great, nor do I think it’s awful. 

5 / 10