Movie review: Bohemian Rhapsody
“Bohemian Rhapsody,” a new biopic that details the rise, fall, and resurrection of Queen in popular culture, fails to tell the true story of Freddie Mercury and instead paints the Queen frontman as an obstacle in the way to the band’s success.
The music-infused drama is starting out strong with a projected $50 million opening weekend, and is expected to have legs throughout the winter leading all the way into the awards season. The film, however, falls flat half of the time and the other half relies on an audience of fans to keep the energy in the room.
Sure, a story about a singer who contracts AIDS in a homophobic world isn’t exactly “exciting” but the first trailer released early this year promised a fun and inspiring, gay tale of a man who defied odds and became a legend. Instead, the film seems to paint Mercury as a tragic anti-hero who couldn’t overcome his sexuality and that ultimately lead to his and the band’s downfall before getting a second chance at the historic Live Aid concert.
That, however is just the start of the movie’s problems.
In 2010 it was announced that Sacha Baron Cohen was attached to play Mercury in the film however, after finding out that guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor wanted to make a movie about overcoming Mercury’s “ordeal,” Cohen left the part. While filming the movie, even director Bryan Singer walked away from the production.
Despite the odds, “Bohemian Rhapsody” is finally in theaters and has an incredible cast but the story does no service to Rami Malek’s amazing portrayal of Mercury. Instead of an R-rated film that dives deep into Mercury’s struggle of self-worth and sexuality, the film offers a watered-down family movie that glides over his sexuality as if it was just a nuisance that is keeping him from his real love, Mary Austin, and is hurting the people around him.
Mercury never discussed his sexuality but his lyrics in “Bohemian Rhapsody” strongly alludes to him killing the man he once was to embrace a gay lifestyle. The song references his agony even admitting that Mercury sometimes wishes he “had never been born at all.” But this doesn’t get any time to resonate in the film, instead Mercury just believes he is the man he was always meant to be.
Every queer scene, a kiss or two, a gay bar that feeds into Mercury’s addictions, and even a passing glance from a trucker in a men’s restroom are all played down and just hinted at. However, a kiss and glances doesn’t amount to dying from AIDS and these moments should have been more focused on rather than ignored. In fact, the entire premise of Mercury contracting AIDS in the film is used to enhance the plot as Mercury didn’t get AIDS until later in life, while the movie uses it to pull at the audiences heartstrings.
“Bohemian Rhapsody” is a flawed cash-grab from a movie studio and the band’s current members who wanted to glamorize their success tale rather than telling the true, smart story of Mercury’s life that would have been much more cinematic. It has lazy writing, annoying stereotypes and a formulaic plot that would have been better suited as a “where are they now” primetime special.
—erickwood97@gmail.com
@GrahamWoodMedia