In early November, the movie Bohemian Rhapsody, based on the origin story of legendary rock band Queen, was released. Despite mixed review from critics, Bohemian Rhapsody has been an audience favorite. Original Queen guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor were executive producers of the film. Though the movie told the story of the entire band, much of the focus was on the life of lead singer Freddie Mercury.
In early production of the movie, controversial actor Sacha Baron Cohen was attached to the role of Freddie Mercury. In what turned out to be a stroke of good luck, creative differences led to a change in actors. Rami Malek stepped into the role, and his performance has received critical acclaim, despite lukewarm reviews for the rest of the movie. Donning prosthetic teeth (the size of which meant that Malek had to relearn how to talk when wearing them), Malek struts through the film embodying the late Freddie Mercury. He has such immense stage presence that the audience feels like they are really at a concert. Malek’s performance has such a transfixing quality that it alone makes Bohemian Rhapsody worth seeing.
Some die-hard fans of Queen may be irritated at the minor timeline inaccuracies of the film, but most people will not notice. Many of the changes were meant to aid in the flow of the film, which does not claim to be a documentary. Casual fans of Queen, or even those who are not familiar with the band may see this film and ignite their passion for the music and the showmanship.
The soundtrack consists of many of Queen’s greatest hits, as well as a few lesser known songs of theirs. The music is used both to tell the story and to entrance the audience. Rami Malek performed vocals for the movie, which were mixed with Freddie Mercury’s original vocals and recordings of live Queen performances to make a flawless transition between Malek’s performance and Freddie Mercury’s vocal talent.
Bohemian Rhapsody is such a pleasing and entertaining film that has been universally loved by audiences. The rags-to-riches story of Queen is a heartwarming emotional rollercoaster. Perfect for holiday viewing, Bohemian Rhapsody is essential viewing for any fan of music and movies.