Grade: A-
There’s a scene in director Bryan Singer’s Bohemian Rhapsody where Freddie Mercury is having to field difficult questions from reporters, and the visual and the sound gets all trippy, with many quick cuts and blurry claustrophobic close-ups. It reminded me of the moments at the end of The Usual Suspects (also directed by Singer) where the pieces come together and we learn who Keyser Soze is. It was a fun throwback, and an authentic Bryan Singer touch.
I never had anything against Queen, but I was always only the most casual of fans, if you could even call me a fan. However, I could always appreciate and respect the musical genius and sweet tenor voice of Freddie Mercury, and the impact the band had. They were arguably the best performance at Live Aid. Bohemian Rhapsody – the movie – only reinforces that, and makes me want to explore Queen further. Rami Malek (who is only 3 days older than me) makes one hell of a breakout performance as Freddie Mercury. It is not an over-the-top shallow SNL impression. It is multi-faceted, a tour-de-force, and he will probably win the Oscar.
The movie takes us from Freddie’s days of joining Queen – with long hair and a demeanor that is a cross between Mick Jagger and Tim Curry’s Frank N Furter – to the rich, frivolous, flamboyant, mustachioed, “out” Freddie Mercury we came to know. It culminates with their Live Aid performance. Along the way, Mike Myers has a fun cameo. The band owes a lot to the Wayne’s World movie for putting the song Bohemian Rhapsody back on the map. It was the first time I had ever heard it, actually. I won’t spoil exactly how Myers is used in his small role, but it is a hoot. We are taken behind the music to witness the inspiration and writing for a few key Queen tracks (We Will Rock You, Another One Bites the Dust, the namesake), but is refreshingly not overdone. It would get tedious if we were laboriously taken through the genesis of every one of their songs.
What I suspect will be an underrated aspect of the movie, but worth talking about, is its lovely cinematography, that coupled with the efficient scenes that clip along nicely, makes this feel like a symphony. Bohemian Rhapsody succeeds in so many ways that a lesser biopic would fail. I found it to be quite exhilarating.
Grade: A-
Film Reviews by Mark 
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