Q(WE)een Will Rock You

On Nov. 2, 2018, Bohemian Rhapsody (the movie) was released in theaters. The film, or movie memoir more or less, is a celebration of Queen and its  iconic lead singer, Freddie Mercury. Not only is the movie a beautiful tribute to the stereotype-defying, rock music icon Freddie Mercury, it also displays the story of how the iconic 1970’s British band, Queen, came to be; as well as the troubles they faced as a band, their famous reunion, and the difficult journey to Live Aid (one of the band’s biggest performances before Mercury passed away).

   The drama, dedicated to Freddie Mercury and the famous band Queen, reached $51,061,119 in sales its first weekend, and was widely loved by critics. This cinematic masterpiece features the talents of Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton (who played Mary Austin, Freddie’s ex wife), and Ben Hardy (who played Roger Taylor, the drummer of Queen). Bohemian Rhapsody not only took home the Golden Globe for ‘Best Drama,’ but Rami Malek (the actor who played Freddie Mercury) won ‘Best Actor in a Drama’, beating out Bradley Cooper in A Star Is Born. According to Rotten Tomatoes, 90% of audiences liked the movie. I am among those 90% and frankly, everyone else should be too.   

   Personally, I loved the film because it gave audiences a look into the crazy, creative-genius mind of Freddie Mercury, and the effects that stardom, and even disease, have on a person. The movie included paths of growth and self discovery, as well as the infectious, enthusiastic rock music that is Queen. Each actor portrayed the band members in an equally beautiful way, and deserve great recognition for their work. Rami Malek was an amazing casting choice on the directors part. His interpretation of Freddie was nearly spot on; the look, the emotion, the appeal. The sense of character that Rami brought was superb. One of my favorite things about the movie was that they stuck to the music. Queen’s music is like no other and cannot be replicated or replaced, and the director recognized that.

   The musical genius of Freddie Mercury also included a man living with AIDs in the 70’s. Because of this, Freddie struggled with one of his biggest performances, the dual-venue benefit concert called Live Aid. Although he had obstacles, Mercury and the rest of Queen performed an outstanding show, with around 170,000 people in attendance, and 1.5 billion people watching a live television stream of it.

   The film is 132 minutes long and it is still showing in selected theaters. If any person had doubts or speculations about the film, I am here to put them to rest. Bohemian Rhapsody is an enticing work of art that everyone needs to experience for themselves.