By Nadia Ranaputri
Director: Bryan Singer
Cast: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Ben Hardy, Gwilym Lee, Joseph Mazzello, Aidan Gillen, Tom Hollander, Mike Myers.
Believe it or not, the very first exposure I had to Queen was through Ella Enchanted, where Anne Hathaway belted out 'Somebody to Love' in a pub filled with giants. My then nine year old self upon watching the film at the time believed that it was the film's original song, which is silly considering that I then found out that it was a cover of the song that was originally sung by none other than Queen. To this day, Queen remains as one of the most iconic bands in history, their songs have hit the top of the charts several times and used in several films such as Ella Enchanted (Somebody to Love), Wayne's World (Bohemian Rhapsody), Shaun of the Dead ('Don't Stop Me Now' and 'You're My Best Friend'), and even had multiple songs covered by Glee. Queen is loved by the masses from one generation to another. Bryan Singer's new biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody, aims to tell the story of just how this band entered the music forray and the story of their eccentric frontrunner, Freddie Mercury; to the modern audience.
Bohemian Rhapsody starts off with the soon-to-be Queen front runner Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara) moving luggages in Heathrow Airport during the day. At night though, he visits a local pub and listens to a band he's been following, hoping to show some of his songs to them. Turns out, it's his lucky day, because the band's lead singer just so happens to abandon the band just after their performance, leaving the spot open to Freddie, who eagerly leaps to take the opportunity. As they begin playing in other local gigs, they begin to get recognized when music manager John Reid (Aiden Gillen) stumbles upon their recording booth. They begin to work with Reid and with the support of their label EMI (run by Ray Foster (Mike Myers), who's reluctant over the band's experimental delve in music), they begin their tour around the world, selling out shows, and becoming the band that everyone knows and loves. However, as their success rises, their personal issues follow suit, particularly Freddie, who's figuring out his sexual orientation, despite being happily in love with his partner Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton); and the media's eventual intrusion on his personal life.
Rami Malek is a star stunner as Freddie Mercury, fully embracing the frontman's enigmatic mannerisms and his passion in creating music. Malek not only nails Mercury's look, but his spontenaeous ways and every bit of how Mercury works on stage. Mercury's struts, flaunts, turns, and flicks are so intricately portrayed and Malek just dissolves into Mercury, getting almost every bit of the frontrunner's moves. At times, he's doe-eyed and curious, especially during his younger years, eagerly following a band he's fond of and willing to impress the remaining band members who just so happens to be Brian May and Roger Taylor when he finds that the band's lead singer had just quit. When he gets on stage, that's where he sheds that doe-eyed look and trades it for sharp turns and magnetic sway. You're instantly drawn into his portrayal with his every turn at the beat. And even when it comes to his more vulnerable moments, Malek just outshines every other actor in the room, making sure that Mercury's inner search for identity and struggle comes through on screen. Queen's other band members, Roger Taylor, Brian May, and John Deacon, played respectively by Ben Hardy, Gwilym Lee, and Joe Mazzello; all put impressive performances and create a genuine dynamic together with Malek, despite them not being as established as Malek's Freddie Mercury.
The thing that really made Bohemian Rhapsody a gem is its artistic aspects. The recreation of Queen's musical numbers is spectacular to watch, especially if you're fond of Queen, you're likely to sing along and have a good time doing it. Each of the performances are captivating, capturing the essence of what made Queen's performances so iconic, especially with Malek brilliantly embodying Mercury's mannerisms on stage. The Live Aid performance gets a special mention here because it is really where the film takes the high road and gives Queen the performance of their lives. This is also where I admittedly shed tears in sheer delight of how amazing this sequence was recreated and the performances in it. And what also made it mesmerizing was its cinematography, which is really quite something, from the opening long shot of Freddie getting ready to enter the stage to the beat of 'Somebody to Love' that ends with a glide of the massive audience awaiting Queen's performance (which is actually one of my most favorite sequences of the film), to a wide shot of Queen performing the hell out of a show. It's visually appealing, and is the aspect apart from the performances that prevents the film from fully crashing down.
Spanning the 15 years of their rise to stardom and eventual success, Bohemian Rhapsody has the weight of cramming the many events that occur during those fifteen years, like who Freddie Mercury was before he was Freddie Mercury, how the band was brought together, how they got their band name Queen, and the struggles they had in making it in the music scene. It is suprisingly fast paced for a film that's more than two hours, but then again, it does have a lot to cover. For the first hour, the film is filled with quirky wit that does work most of the time, like the doe-eyed young Mercury belting out tunes in the parking lot in front of his future bandmates Brian May and Roger Taylor, his eccentric choice in fashion ("I've got to make an impression, darling," he confidently says when he's questioned about his clothing), the band mixing non-musical objects with their music, or Roger Taylor constantly having to repeat his high notes on the "Galileo" part in the 'Bohemian Rhapsody' song several times until the recording tape is nearly spent. But their dedication in showcasing their music to the world is relentless, from only playing in pubs to becoming one of the most iconic bands in history- from their music producer stating, "Mark my words, no one will play Queen," to the point where one of the characters say in the film, "When they hear Queen, ears perk up."
Bohemian Rhapsody manages to present the fact that despite their success, Queen has their issues as a band. There are scenes where they argue over whose song they want to use (one fairly hilarious scene being an argument about whether or not they want to use Roger Taylor's song 'I'm in Love with My Car' that leads to Taylor nearly throwing a coffee machine), and questioning some creative decisions regarding the songs. But at its center is Freddie Mercury's personal life, struggling with his sexuality and trying to keep anyone else besides the people closest to him from prying into anything other than his music. It is at most parts, executed well and also heartbreaking at some point, humanizing Queen's eccentric lead singer. This is mostly propelled by Malek's performances, who is effortless in portraying Mercury's struggles between his personal choices both in music and in his lifestyle. Mercury has personal issues that clashes alongside the media that constantly barges him with questions of interest regarding his sexuality, the focus merely on him than his band and their music. He throws lavish parties in his mansion, but cannot bring himself to face the fact that he'll eventually be alone at some point, asking his bandmates or his former partner Mary Austin to accompany him for dinner or for a drink when he spends the night alone.
But when it comes to how Mercury's personal drama that surrounds him was executed during the second half of the film, that's where it gets most of its ups and downs. It's understandable that some things won't go into focus, but sometimes the film feels confused between wanting to focus on Mercury or Queen. It mainly focuses on the former, but that would mean the other members would have to take a back seat, though they're not fully shadowed by Mercury here. At some parts, it may feel underwhelming, mainly due to the pacing of each sequence (save for the Live Aid performance). Sometimes sudden developments are thrown at us without prior foundation as to why it was there, and it may take you aback for a second, particularly at the band's road to stardom and deep insight into their struggles as a band. It really jumps too swiftly from having the band do small gigs, and the next thing you know, they have a manager that's suddenly convinced to work with them by a single statement and sky-rocketting to instant fame. Some might be bothered by that, and to tell you the truth, I was slightly bothered by it too. It does affect the story and even if it does manage to show Mercury and Queen's struggles in a way that made them accessible to tug at heartstrings, it's everything else that surrounds them that prevents the film from hitting that sweet high note, the homerun that could have made it great.
Flaws aside, Bohemian Rhapsody was honestly very enjoyable, capturing some of Queen's essence as a band and their experimental music that would become much loved and iconic until today (though yes, there are some errors in the accurate depiction of for example, the era of a song's initial release). It's eccentricly magnetic in all the right ways, there's a big amount of wonderful chemistry between Malek, Hardy, Lee, and Mazzello. There's a brilliant scene where their music producer refuses to take risks with the band, and the band replies to this by stating that the name Queen serves as a mystery, that they could take any genre of music and incorporate it into theirs. It's scenes like those that really made Bohemian Rhapsody shine. It's captivating when the band starts to belt out the iconic tunes, but sometimes lacks when it comes to some part of the film's story execution, though I have to admit, it is still a damn good time. When walking out of this film, you're really going to leave with one thing in mind: that Queen and their lead singer Freddie Mercury will forever remain as icons for the ages. "You're a legend, Fred," Roger Taylor says. Mercury smiles and with the outmost fondness, says back, "We're all legends."
Overall verdict: Bohemian Rhapsody thrives in visual appeal, recreating Queen's performances in spectacular fashion, led by Rami Malek's magnetic performance as Freddie Mercury. Malek stuns in embodying Queen's frontruner with his eccentric mannerisms on stage, drawing us to his performance. Ben Hardy, Gwilym Lee, and Joe Mazzello manages to stand alongside Malek fairly well, particularly when it came to the band's dynamic. Its striking cinematography is also where the film really shines through, capturing each performance, be it on stage or behind it. However, it does suffer in pacing that affects the story, making sudden developments happen that could take the audience aback for a second. Some things could have been explored more, but since it's cramming a story spanning 15 years, it is understandable that not everything is going go be delved further. Despite that, Bohemian Rhapsody really is a good time, and it's the kind of film that you'd sing your heart out shamelessly through every Queen song that plays throughout the film. It's not exactly a homerun, but it has every potential to be, and for nearly much of the parts, it does realize that.
Stars: 3.5/5
Trailer
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| Image source: IMDB |
Director: Bryan Singer
Cast: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Ben Hardy, Gwilym Lee, Joseph Mazzello, Aidan Gillen, Tom Hollander, Mike Myers.
Believe it or not, the very first exposure I had to Queen was through Ella Enchanted, where Anne Hathaway belted out 'Somebody to Love' in a pub filled with giants. My then nine year old self upon watching the film at the time believed that it was the film's original song, which is silly considering that I then found out that it was a cover of the song that was originally sung by none other than Queen. To this day, Queen remains as one of the most iconic bands in history, their songs have hit the top of the charts several times and used in several films such as Ella Enchanted (Somebody to Love), Wayne's World (Bohemian Rhapsody), Shaun of the Dead ('Don't Stop Me Now' and 'You're My Best Friend'), and even had multiple songs covered by Glee. Queen is loved by the masses from one generation to another. Bryan Singer's new biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody, aims to tell the story of just how this band entered the music forray and the story of their eccentric frontrunner, Freddie Mercury; to the modern audience.
Bohemian Rhapsody starts off with the soon-to-be Queen front runner Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara) moving luggages in Heathrow Airport during the day. At night though, he visits a local pub and listens to a band he's been following, hoping to show some of his songs to them. Turns out, it's his lucky day, because the band's lead singer just so happens to abandon the band just after their performance, leaving the spot open to Freddie, who eagerly leaps to take the opportunity. As they begin playing in other local gigs, they begin to get recognized when music manager John Reid (Aiden Gillen) stumbles upon their recording booth. They begin to work with Reid and with the support of their label EMI (run by Ray Foster (Mike Myers), who's reluctant over the band's experimental delve in music), they begin their tour around the world, selling out shows, and becoming the band that everyone knows and loves. However, as their success rises, their personal issues follow suit, particularly Freddie, who's figuring out his sexual orientation, despite being happily in love with his partner Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton); and the media's eventual intrusion on his personal life.
Rami Malek is a star stunner as Freddie Mercury, fully embracing the frontman's enigmatic mannerisms and his passion in creating music. Malek not only nails Mercury's look, but his spontenaeous ways and every bit of how Mercury works on stage. Mercury's struts, flaunts, turns, and flicks are so intricately portrayed and Malek just dissolves into Mercury, getting almost every bit of the frontrunner's moves. At times, he's doe-eyed and curious, especially during his younger years, eagerly following a band he's fond of and willing to impress the remaining band members who just so happens to be Brian May and Roger Taylor when he finds that the band's lead singer had just quit. When he gets on stage, that's where he sheds that doe-eyed look and trades it for sharp turns and magnetic sway. You're instantly drawn into his portrayal with his every turn at the beat. And even when it comes to his more vulnerable moments, Malek just outshines every other actor in the room, making sure that Mercury's inner search for identity and struggle comes through on screen. Queen's other band members, Roger Taylor, Brian May, and John Deacon, played respectively by Ben Hardy, Gwilym Lee, and Joe Mazzello; all put impressive performances and create a genuine dynamic together with Malek, despite them not being as established as Malek's Freddie Mercury.
 |
| Image source: IMDB |
The thing that really made Bohemian Rhapsody a gem is its artistic aspects. The recreation of Queen's musical numbers is spectacular to watch, especially if you're fond of Queen, you're likely to sing along and have a good time doing it. Each of the performances are captivating, capturing the essence of what made Queen's performances so iconic, especially with Malek brilliantly embodying Mercury's mannerisms on stage. The Live Aid performance gets a special mention here because it is really where the film takes the high road and gives Queen the performance of their lives. This is also where I admittedly shed tears in sheer delight of how amazing this sequence was recreated and the performances in it. And what also made it mesmerizing was its cinematography, which is really quite something, from the opening long shot of Freddie getting ready to enter the stage to the beat of 'Somebody to Love' that ends with a glide of the massive audience awaiting Queen's performance (which is actually one of my most favorite sequences of the film), to a wide shot of Queen performing the hell out of a show. It's visually appealing, and is the aspect apart from the performances that prevents the film from fully crashing down.
Spanning the 15 years of their rise to stardom and eventual success, Bohemian Rhapsody has the weight of cramming the many events that occur during those fifteen years, like who Freddie Mercury was before he was Freddie Mercury, how the band was brought together, how they got their band name Queen, and the struggles they had in making it in the music scene. It is suprisingly fast paced for a film that's more than two hours, but then again, it does have a lot to cover. For the first hour, the film is filled with quirky wit that does work most of the time, like the doe-eyed young Mercury belting out tunes in the parking lot in front of his future bandmates Brian May and Roger Taylor, his eccentric choice in fashion ("I've got to make an impression, darling," he confidently says when he's questioned about his clothing), the band mixing non-musical objects with their music, or Roger Taylor constantly having to repeat his high notes on the "Galileo" part in the 'Bohemian Rhapsody' song several times until the recording tape is nearly spent. But their dedication in showcasing their music to the world is relentless, from only playing in pubs to becoming one of the most iconic bands in history- from their music producer stating, "Mark my words, no one will play Queen," to the point where one of the characters say in the film, "When they hear Queen, ears perk up."
Bohemian Rhapsody manages to present the fact that despite their success, Queen has their issues as a band. There are scenes where they argue over whose song they want to use (one fairly hilarious scene being an argument about whether or not they want to use Roger Taylor's song 'I'm in Love with My Car' that leads to Taylor nearly throwing a coffee machine), and questioning some creative decisions regarding the songs. But at its center is Freddie Mercury's personal life, struggling with his sexuality and trying to keep anyone else besides the people closest to him from prying into anything other than his music. It is at most parts, executed well and also heartbreaking at some point, humanizing Queen's eccentric lead singer. This is mostly propelled by Malek's performances, who is effortless in portraying Mercury's struggles between his personal choices both in music and in his lifestyle. Mercury has personal issues that clashes alongside the media that constantly barges him with questions of interest regarding his sexuality, the focus merely on him than his band and their music. He throws lavish parties in his mansion, but cannot bring himself to face the fact that he'll eventually be alone at some point, asking his bandmates or his former partner Mary Austin to accompany him for dinner or for a drink when he spends the night alone.
 |
| Image source: IMDB |
But when it comes to how Mercury's personal drama that surrounds him was executed during the second half of the film, that's where it gets most of its ups and downs. It's understandable that some things won't go into focus, but sometimes the film feels confused between wanting to focus on Mercury or Queen. It mainly focuses on the former, but that would mean the other members would have to take a back seat, though they're not fully shadowed by Mercury here. At some parts, it may feel underwhelming, mainly due to the pacing of each sequence (save for the Live Aid performance). Sometimes sudden developments are thrown at us without prior foundation as to why it was there, and it may take you aback for a second, particularly at the band's road to stardom and deep insight into their struggles as a band. It really jumps too swiftly from having the band do small gigs, and the next thing you know, they have a manager that's suddenly convinced to work with them by a single statement and sky-rocketting to instant fame. Some might be bothered by that, and to tell you the truth, I was slightly bothered by it too. It does affect the story and even if it does manage to show Mercury and Queen's struggles in a way that made them accessible to tug at heartstrings, it's everything else that surrounds them that prevents the film from hitting that sweet high note, the homerun that could have made it great.
Flaws aside, Bohemian Rhapsody was honestly very enjoyable, capturing some of Queen's essence as a band and their experimental music that would become much loved and iconic until today (though yes, there are some errors in the accurate depiction of for example, the era of a song's initial release). It's eccentricly magnetic in all the right ways, there's a big amount of wonderful chemistry between Malek, Hardy, Lee, and Mazzello. There's a brilliant scene where their music producer refuses to take risks with the band, and the band replies to this by stating that the name Queen serves as a mystery, that they could take any genre of music and incorporate it into theirs. It's scenes like those that really made Bohemian Rhapsody shine. It's captivating when the band starts to belt out the iconic tunes, but sometimes lacks when it comes to some part of the film's story execution, though I have to admit, it is still a damn good time. When walking out of this film, you're really going to leave with one thing in mind: that Queen and their lead singer Freddie Mercury will forever remain as icons for the ages. "You're a legend, Fred," Roger Taylor says. Mercury smiles and with the outmost fondness, says back, "We're all legends."
 |
| Image source: IMDB |
Stars: 3.5/5
Trailer
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