The following article contains spoilers for the film Bohemian Rhapsody.
In a tug-o-war between critics and Queen fanatics, everyone has their two cents on the biopic known as Bohemian Rhapsody. Released on November 2, the film has already surpassed $400 million in the box office according to Forbes. As of now, critics at RottenTomatoes accumulated an average rating score of 62%, and 92% of audiences reported liking the film.
So what is it about the film that’s so controversial?
A spectacular biopic is particularly difficult to achieve; there are many things to consider, such as who will best represent the subjects of the film and what angle to take. After watching Bohemian Rhapsody, you come to the consensus that Rami Malek was one of the best, if not the best thing about the film.
Malek brought life to Freddie Mercury, who was the primary focus of the film. There are scenes where even in momentary glimpses, implications midst silence, and subtle gestures where we forget that we’re not looking at the real Freddie.
Malek relives the vulnerability that we were unaware of, and the finesse that earned Mercury’s fame.
In an interview with Jimmy Fallon, Malek expresses his admiration for Freddie in tracing his motives. As opposed relying on imitation, he dedicated himself to absorbing the motives and intentions of Freddy. Malek noted feeling insecure when wearing the faux teeth that resembled the reason why Mercury was called “Bucky” growing up.
To compensate for the insecurity, he adjusted his posture with essence of elegance. Mercury’s spunk, that was once thought to be impossible to emulate, has met its match with Rami Malek.
Freddie Mercury’s depiction in the film is near-perfect; much of his life is illustrated so that the viewer gets an over-the-shoulder view of the rockstar’s life. In his journey of climbing up the latter of fame with his bandmates, he strut in the same perfect-posture throughout his career.
When push comes to shove, Mercury leaves Queen for his own project, that goes south along with his state of mind. Drowning in a sea of unhealthy indulgences, such as unsafe sexual encounters and substance abuse, Freddie loses his sense of self. In a midst of chaos, Mercury comes to terms that he no longer resonates with the idea of being a single artist.
When you see Freddie Mercury at his lowest, you’re reminded that he was much like the rest of us.
More often than not, biopics are susceptible to carrying the depicted artists as pedestal deities as opposed to what they are: human.
The film is nostalgic as it reignites a love for Queen that you didn’t remember you had. Even when you swore you didn’t know many hits produced the quartet, after watching the film you realize that you spoke too soon.
Queen’s work is everywhere; their hits are featured in television shows, sports events, and even playable in some “Guitar Hero”s.
Bohemian Rhapsody reminds you that your love for Queen is universal; everyone who loves them has their own favorites, (mine being “Killer Queen”). Great hits like “We Are the Champions”, “Another One Bites the Dust”, and “Bohemian Rhapsody” induce a trip down memory lane of some sort, whatever it may mean to you.
Unfortunately, the creative process behind the music is limited throughout the film where the inspiration for some tracks isn’t even addressed. For fans, this can be a disappointment.
Regardless not everyone could be satisfied, because the con of a biopic is that only certain information is introduced within a short time period. For a two-hour long film, it was successful in its pacing. Even at its length, not a moment feels wasted.
While the film doesn’t delve deep into the grounded and emotional aspects of the band’s backstory, it has a tendency to be sparkly and exciting.
Bohemian Rhapsody does call for some serious conversation between Hollywood and the LGBTQ community. As a bisexual icon, the film places Freddie in a strict dichotomy where only straight and gay exist. It is an all-too-common issue in Hollywood were bisexuality is subject to erasure.
In a world where sexuality lies on a spectrum, it’s reduced to check-boxed options in scripts.
Some argue that the queer characters are often villainized and placed under an infamous spotlight throughout the movie, while many of the straight characters are spotless by the conclusion. The film is susceptible to establishing AIDS as a punishment for gay promiscuity.
The film shows Freddie discovering his diagnosis before his iconic Live Aid performance, however, it wasn’t something that he was aware of until a few years after. The script takes advantage and writes it as a reason for Queen to perform at Live Aid with all they’ve got.
There are notable moments where the timeline of the biopic is inaccurate, which is ultimately bizarre due to the fact that living, breathing members of Queen had their hands on the production.
Instead of being honest, the film has its own share of white lies. In the aftermath of a raging house party, a drunken Freddie Mercury sexually harasses Jim Hutton, whom he is destined to live with to his dying day. He was written into the film as a hired hand at his mansion. Toward the two-hour end, Freddie coincidentally makes it a quest to search for him on the exact date as Live Aid.
According to VanityFair, Mercury actually met Hutton at a gay nightclub in London and had a long-term relationship until he passed away. The biopic presents a standard that unrealistically represents how homosexual males find love.
It’s not an accurate representation of what happened, in fact, Bohemian Rhapsody’s treatment toward Freddie and ex-wife Mary Austin’s relationship is handled far more delicately in its development.
Regardless, this isn’t a flag to guilt you into disliking the film if you genuinely enjoyed it. Instead, it is a way to bring attention to a problematic issues that should be addressed.
Sometimes, we have problematic favorite-anythings, but it’s our responsibility to show integrity and call out our favorites when they’re wrong.
Whether you’re a fan or just familiar with the classic rock band in the slightest, this film should be on your watch list.
Even in the harshest of criticisms, the film can still be appreciated for what it is: a thrilling celebration of Queen’s musical progression, a mini-concert if you will. The cinematography is gorgeous, brilliantly accentuating the pinnacle of the 70s and 80s.
The replicas of Freddie’s iconic stage costumes deserve an applause of their own. In fact, we get a glimpse of his ivory, batwing top, one of his many looks that reinvented men’s fashion. His fashion taste was much like himself: not bound by gender.
Bohemian Rhapsody is on its way to be one of the highest grossed biopics of all time, which surpasses a remarkable milestone.
As one of the world’s most iconic classic bands, Queen is brought to life by Bohemian Rhapsody’s electrifying performances and Malek’s resurrection of Freddie’s daring spirit, a bravado without compare.
Alma Tovar
Features Editor