Review of Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) by L W — 27 Nov 2018

There is an obvious disconnect between the critics' opinion and that of the audience. I rarely see a movie more than once at the theater, and this is the only movie I've ever seen three times at a theater.

There are a handful of musical artists who help define any given period of musical history. Queen was a defining group for those of us coming to age in the mid to late '70s and early '80s. News of the World left an imprint that is still being felt today. Freddie Mercury had one of the best rock and roll voices ever. Queen produced some of the most instantly recognizable music. For those of us who experinced Queen in real time, the movie is a very pleasant walk down memory lane. My late teens to mid twenties children grew up listening to Queen, and were excited to see the movie. They also saw it multiple times.

Remi Malek did a masterful job as Freddie Mercury. He captured the essence of his showmanship and personality. The remainder of the cast are also very strong.

The critics seem to primarily either dislike the biopic genre or wanted to see a movie that was more explicit about Freddie's sexuality. The movie did not shy away from his sexuality or the hedonistic lifestyle he led for many years. As a Queen fan, Freddie's sexuality was part of who he was, but it really wasn't the reason you would or would not like the music. He was obviously very private about his personal life, and it would seem extremely voyeuristic to want to delve into the part of his life that he was reticent to share with the public. Brian May and Roger Taylor helped to show an accurate, if not explicit, depiction of someone who they obviously cared a great deal about.

This is definitely a movie that will be appreciated by music lovers and Queen fans.