‘Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)’ will rock you at the theatre

Armando Flores, Writer

Do you want somebody to love? Maybe you got to break free? How about you get on your bike and ride… ride down to your closest movie theater and watch “Bohemian Rhapsody (2018).”

I love Queen’s music but I never investigated their history.When I saw that a movie based on this iconic 70s band history was coming out, I was excited. However, the journey towards the film’s release was a rocky one.  “Bohemian Rhapsody” has been in production since 2010 and initially had Sacha Baron Cohen set to play Freddie Mercury, but he later left due to “creative differences.”

Dexter Fletcher was set to direct the film in 2013 but had to excuse himself also due to “creative differences.” Things seemed to be heading into a positive direction in 2016 when it was announced that Rami Malek was signed to play Freddie Mercury alongside Bryan Singer who would direct the film, which would now focus more on the life of lead singer Freddie Mercury.  However, Singer was fired from production in 2017 and replaced with Dexter Fletcher.

Despite all its setbacks I would still recommend for people to go watch “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which premiered on Oct. 23 and took the number one spot for its box office debut.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” is a biopic about the band Queen from its formation to its performance at the Live Aid event held at Wembley Stadium. However, the movie primarily focuses on its lead singer Freddie Mercury.

The film, although taking number one in its box office review, received its fair share of criticism due to its historical inaccuracies. This is a fair critique, but one must remember that “Bohemian Rhapsody” is a biopic, a movie that dramatizes the life of a person, thus they often stretch the truth in order to create more drama.

If “Bohemian Rhapsody” was a documentary, then it should stay true to history. But “Bohemian Rhapsody” is not a documentary, it’s a film meant to create entertainment for its viewers, and the film gets the job done using Queen’s music and the actors’ performances.

Another major critique that follows “Bohemian Rhapsody” is that the film follows a formulaic process where we see the creation of the band, followed by the band’s success, which then leads to turmoil between the band members, who will then break up and finally end with the band’s successful reunion. This critique is valid, the film does follow a very basic plot line.

However sometimes a films strength is not the plot but on the actor’s performance; Rami Malek provide a magnificent portrayal of Freddie Mercury. Malek completely becomes Mercury whether it is his flamboyant behavior, the iconic teeth or his accent. Malek masters his performance as Freddie Mercury. This performance alongside with the music of Queen will entrance you (dare I say it… will rock you) in such a manner that you will forget the fact that the film is following a basic plot line.

Overall “Bohemian Rhapsody” is a perfect film to watch if you are looking for a great time. The film “Bohemian Rhapsody” much like the song received negative reviews, but I believe as time goes on, the film will prove the critics wrong and come to be considered a great film. If you are a fan of Queen or not, I still highly recommend this film if you want to leave the theater feeling a sense of joy.