Bohemian Rhapsody is something of a curate's egg, ultimately feeling mediocre. While the film celebrates Queen's music brilliantly, capturing the energy and essence of their iconic songs, it falls short in providing a faithful and accurate portrayal of the band's history. Queen undoubtedly deserved a biopic with fewer annoying historical inaccuracies and a more authentic narrative.
I have now watched the film three times and the inaccuracies have annoyed me more with each viewing. The whole scene with Freddy Mercury playing Carmen in the manager's office (an unrecognisable and bizarrely cast Mike Meyers) to explain A Night at the Opera felt particularly contrived given that the album was, like A Day at the Races, named after the Marx Brothers film of the same name, and the use of Who Wants to Live Forever around Freddie Mercury's AIDS diagnosis felt particularly strange, given that it was written by Brian May for Highlander, not in response to Mercury's illness.
Additionally, the split caused by Mercury's solo career was a complete fabrication, as was the 'reunion' in 1985 for Live Aid; the other members of Queen were apparently happy for Mercury to record solo material and it didn't stop them recording and touring. As Roger Taylor and Brian May recall in one of the bonus features, part of the reason they were so successful at Wembley was because they had recently played in big South American football stadiums, so Mercury was used to trying to reach the back of the venue and have everyone clapping and singing along with him.
I have enjoyed and appreciated other films written by Peter Morgan, such as Frost/Nixon, Rush, The Damned United, and The Last King of Scotland, making this film something of an oddity in that respect. The reports of some cast members clashing with Bryan Singer, who was fired before principal photography completed and replaced by Dexter Fletcher, might have contributed to why it feels disjointed.
However, the performances by the actors playing Brian May, John Deacon, and Roger Taylor are convincing, bringing the band members' personalities and dynamics to life with a fine array of costumes and wigs, with some clothing belonging to their real-life counterparts. Despite Rami Malek's commendable effort, his portrayal of Freddie Mercury doesn't quite capture the legendary frontman's complexity and charisma as effectively as one might hope.
Overall, Bohemian Rhapsody is an enjoyable watch for its music and certain standout sections, particularly the final recreation of the Live Aid performance but, on three occasions now, it's left me wishing for a more accurate and comprehensive biographical film.
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