Bohemian Rhapsody Rocks the Box Office
Bohemian Rhapsody is a biopic that depicts the life of Freddie Mercury, and the story of the British rock band, Queen. Rami Malek plays Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of Queen. The film is directed by Brian Singer, and is co-produced by former Queen manager, Jim Beach. Two former Queen members, Brian May and Roger Taylor, served as musical and creative consultants for the film. The film accomplishes giving the audience a good understanding of Mercury’s background, as well as a greater appreciation for the music that Queen released.
The film begins showing Freddie as a baggage handler at an airport. He visits a bar and hears a young band called Smile. Mercury is intrigued, and approaches Brian May and Roger Taylor. The lead singer had just quit, and so they gave Freddie a shot. This was the formation of Queen. Freddie meets a woman who would later be his wife, Mary Austin. She is his rock when things aren’t going so well. On Queen’s first tour in America, Freddie starts to question his sexuality. After he returns to England, He admits to Mary that he is gay. They remain friends for the remainder of Freddie’s life. The movie goes on to show the audience how Bohemian Rhapsody, along with many other Queen hits were created. The film ends with a full recreation of the Live Aid Concert in 1985.
This film gives the audience a good insight to who the true Freddie Mercury was. Freddie had a persona on stage. He was known for moving flamboyantly, wore an outlandish wardrobe, and sang using only half the mic stand. Though this is his stage persona, he has similar qualities in his life. He is a little out there. His fashion style was on the feminine side. One of the first scenes shows Freddie at a department store, unknowingly browsing through the women’s rack. This is the first sign the audience gets that makes us question his sexuality. However, within 3 scenes, Freddie is proposing to Mary. This constant questioning of sexuality by the audience mirrors the inner struggle of someone who is questioning their own sexuality. Freddie was also very funny. He was the life of the party. In an interview, Freddie said that many of his on-stage outfits and gimmicks were in good humor. Many people might think that Freddie’s persona is who he is, but in fact he was very human.
Bohemian Rhapsody had a budget of only $52 million, and as of December 4th, the film grossed a worldwide total of $542 million. That is a grand total of a $490 million profit. In the first week alone, the film grossed $142 million globally. It is safe to say that the film was well anticipated, and that shows in the ticket sales. RottenTomatoes rates the film at a 62% on the Tomato Meter. The overall critic consensus is, “Bohemian Rhapsody hits a handful of high notes, but as an in depth look at a beloved band, it offers more of a medley than a true greatest hits collection”. However, the audience showed that they had a better appreciation for the biopic. The Audience Score comes in at a 91% approval rating. That being said, I believe Bohemian Rhapsody has the potential to be nominated in the Academy Awards, however I don’t believe that this will win best motion picture.
Overall, I enjoyed this film. I did not have a true appreciation for Freddie Mercury, along with Queen and their music style. I thought that Queen music was overplayed on the radio, and I was urged to change the station. After the film, I played Queen’s Greatest Hits Album for a week straight. The film made me realize that Queen was not restricted by the mainstream music. They did not follow a formula. They were very experimental in both the music making itself, as well as the production. I give this movie 3.5/5 stars. It was a movie that will be re-watchable, however I do not believe that is will be Critically Acclaimed.