Rami Malek becomes Freddie Mercury in 'Bohemian Rhapsody'

Image from NBC News

By Darian Scalamoni

            Bohemian Rhapsody has been in development for years now; and while multiple directors have been attached to helm the film, there was only a couple of names attached to play the iconic front man of Queen, Freddie Mercury before the studio landed on Mr. Robot star, Rami Malek.

            When the film first was reported to be in the making, Sacha Baron Cohen was attached for the role for many years. He ultimately signed on but then left the project after the remaining living band members and Cohen did not agree on the direction in which the band wanted the film to go. Ben Whishaw, whose best known for his role as Q in the recent Bond films and voicing Paddington Bear in the Paddington franchise was the studio’s next target, but they ultimately landed on Malek to star and boy, did they make the right decision.

            The Emmy winner could soon be known as an Oscar-winner for his performance as the mesmerizing and eccentric lead singer of Queen, Freddie Mercury. I’ve been a fan of Queen since the first time I heard the record, Bohemian Rhapsody to which the film is titled after. It makes sense given the phenomenon that the song has become since its release in 1975. Malek’s Mercury is obviously the focal point of the picture, commanding every frame in which he’s in. The unsung heroes of the film are those in makeup and costuming as Malek disappears into the role; essentially becoming Mercury from the first time he’s on screen. Sporting crowns, spandex and the iconic eventual moustache, Malek is almost a carbon copy. I truly believe based on the performances that I’ve seen so far this year, Malek is my favorite to win the Best Actor title at the Academy Awards this year.

            While many had issue with the lack of a darker tone, there are still beats within the film that showcase Mercury’s sexuality and eventual AIDS disease. However, these criticisms are valid as they lack the emotional punch that they should’ve. Anthony McCarten, the writer who also wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay for The Theory of Everything, weaves in and out of iconic songs that the band produced as well as turmoil that led to the eventual demise of Queen for a short time.

            The big takeaways that could steer you one way or another are the reports of historical inaccuracies from the true-life story of Freddie Mercury and his life with the band versus what is shown in the film. The main one being that Mercury tells the band and others that he has AIDS before he discovered he was diagnosed with the disease. I understand why some are upset with this however, for a casual moviegoer who doesn’t know the whole life story of Mercury, which yes, I understand is few and far between, they might not know he dealt with the disease and so, the filmmaker, Bryan Singer decided to make the decision to show him dealing with it on screen.

            The concert sequences are some of the best that have ever been shown in a narrative feature. They’re electrifying and do a terrific job of showcasing what it would feel like if you were in the audience for their show. Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy and Lucy Boynton, who played Freddie’s first love, Mary Austin, also do terrific work in the film.

            Overall, though there are a couple of pacing problems and the film does at often times feel familiar to its biopic format, I had a ton of fun with this movie. The music vibrates throughout the theater, there are terrific performances and you get immersed in the story of one of the greatest music acts of all-time.

8.5