Bohemian Rhapsody review: Rami Malek slays as Freddie Mercury

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Bohemian Rhapsody review: Rami Malek slays as Freddie Mercury

The movie skirts away from uncomfortable truths but is an engrossing watch.

By Anita Iyer

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Published: Fri 9 Nov 2018, 12:39 PM

Last updated: Fri 9 Nov 2018, 2:53 PM

The film opens with Queen's most iconic performance, a 20-minute set at Wembley Stadium for 1985's Live Aid concert. In the opening scene, we have the lead vocalist, Freddie Mercury arriving at the stadium with the camera following him as curtains open and thousands of people are waiting for them.  
Bohemian Rhapsody chronicles the band's run from 1970 to 1985. We are taken to the 1970s when buck-toothed Farrokh Balsara of Indian Parsi descent meets a little-known band Smile. Popular in the college circuit, it is a band nobody cares about until Freddie becomes their vocalist and gives the band a direction, starting with the recording of their first song.  
It is known that Freddie was conscious about his frontal teeth and the film touches upon it in the scene that follows. When he asks the band members if he can be their vocalist, they say not with that teeth! He breaks into a song, surprises them with his singing range, and says "With that teeth, I have more space and more range!" 
It is just one of the scenes and throughout the film we see this awkward, misfit aspiring vocalist leading his life with an attitude that took him places.
The clear winner of the film is Rami Malek as he transforms himself into Freddie Mercury. His mannerisms, voice, facial features, physique through the years, body language is spot on! You forget that you are seeing the actor on the screen as he brings Freddie Mercury alive for us and delivers an Oscar-worthy performance. Among other roles, Gwilym Lee who played Brian May and Ben Hardy as Roger Taylor leave a mark. 
Produced by surviving Queen members Brian May, Roger Taylor, and the band's manager, Jim "Miami" Beach meant they would skirt away from uncomfortable spaces. Critics expressed disappointment that the film doesn't really highlight the ultimate fall of Freddie after he contracted AIDS. But it does enough and why should they go overboard into his personal life?  In the film, Freddie rightly says, 'I have no time to be an AIDS poster boy. I want to be a performer in the time left with me." And that seems to be the slogan of the film.  
Having said that, there are enough scenes showing him visiting nightclubs, being part of eccentric communities, having multiple relationships during his lifetime. The makers avoid treating Freddie's private life scandalously but venture into it respectfully - something, his fans would agree, the legend deserves.  
Some of my favourite scenes in the film include the making of song Bohemian Rhapsody, its initial recording in a makeshift studio and then trying to convince the music label. 
What I think the film could have explored more was how the band was named Queen and how the other band members accepted the name. We are shown Queen's logo already designed on his bed and Freddie telling Mary, "The band's name is queen, outrageous just like me!" But how did he convince the other band members?  
Another standout scene is when during the rehearsals of the Live Aid concert, Freddie loses his voice and decides that it is about time he came clean to his band about him contracting AIDS. Done with subtlety, the scene shows a vulnerable Freddie accepting the situation he finds himself in.  
And the live Aid concert will give you goosebumps with thousands of people singing along to the band as they came back after their temporary split. If in real life, Freddie gave his all to the concert as he knew he has little time left, Rami gives all his honesty to the performance. The spectacular recreation of the concert will take you back to the time when Queen was worshipped by their fans.   
For the two hours that you watch Bohemian Rhapsody, you will forget everything. You are in sync with the band as they rise to fame and the downfall of Freddie Mercury. You won't stop humming their songs or forget Rami Malek's performance. And that is where the film wins. It is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen's music that you can't afford to miss it.  
Given its restrictive content, Bohemian Rhapsody is still edgy and hits all the right emotions. 
Director: Bryan Singer 
Cast:  Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee
Ratings: 3.5/5
- anita@khaleeljtimes.com
 


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