Bohemian Rhapsody film
I saw Bohemian Rhapsody at the cinema the other day and loved it. This is not a review, however, as I have realised that with a film like this, there is no real point to reviews. There is a reason why opinions are split on this movie and it is down to who is watching it and why.
The problem from a film reviewer’s point of view is that they need conflict and wild swings in the fortunes of the protagonist/s. As shown in the film, Queen started, gained popularity, then continued to get more popular. Sure Freddie Mercury split to do something else for a bit but you already know how it pans out before watching. So there are no real ups and downs. The main point of interest is Freddie Mercury’s life but Bohemian Rhapsody is a film made by, essentially, his friends. They aren’t going to be massive dicks about him, especially as he seems to be a genuinely decent guy (and this isn’t just based on the film). So as a piece of drama for a non-Queen fan it is entertaining but I can see why the critics weren’t enamoured or were ambivalent.
If you are a Queen fan, however, then Bohemian Rhapsody is bloody great. Certainly everyone at my screening and everyone I have spoken to – that is a fan – loved it. If you aren’t a fan and aren’t a paid critic, then why would you go? I wouldn’t go and see a biopic of Michael Buble or Ed Sheeran.
I enjoyed seeing how the band formed, how the dynamic worked and it was both sad and funny in a decent measure. The last 20 minutes had most people around me nodding to the music or crying a bit. Or both. The cast, especially Rami Malek, are superb. I feel bad singling him out as all the other cast members were also great, but he had the hardest task and he really, really pulled it off.
I guess this is now kind of turning into a review but it can be summed up pretty easily: ignore critics and go and watch Bohemian Rhapsody if you like Queen. The story is interesting and the live music scenes will rock you.
Here’s a trailer:
