Bohemian Rhapsody – A FUCHSIA Review
“We’re four misfits who don’t belong together, playing for other misfits.”
Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody
Making a movie about the iconic rock band “Queen” would have to be a bold effort by any standards given Freddie Mercury’s iconic status worldwide. While the movie does justice in showing the contributions of all the band members, it is a universally acknowledged fact that Freddie Mercury was the essence of Queen.
Although it’s not easy to slip into Freddie Mercury’s character – a tall order indeed, for any actor, – Rami Malek has delivered a commendable effort. While the body language is spot on down to the overbite (which we get to see up close way too often), he is not quite able to match the physical presence that Freddie Mercury inherently possessed. However, Rami Malek has pulled off an admirable likeness to the Mercury-swagger as well as the pronounced speech that was so unique to the rock star.
“ I was born with 4 additional incisors in my mouth. More space means more range.”
Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody
For All the Young People, Listen Up. This One’s For You!
I love how the film magnifies the self-assurance that defined Freddie Mercury. A supreme manifestation of this self-assurance was, how he used his unique overbite and appearance to his advantage. THIS is the underlying message that is especially significant in today’s highly polarized world and for our youth everywhere.
“Bohemian Rhapsody” is a tribute to a very talented band. But beyond that, it also delivers a very strong message – to not give up even when others around you give up on you for superficial reasons.
In an age when rock bands thrived, Queen held their own royally.
On Staying True to the Storyline
One cannot really find fault in a movie that is so original and fresh in its story, and in highlighting the issue of AIDS at a time when it was a taboo subject.
However, it was not really necessary for the camera to constantly render close-ups of the overbite, since that did not actually define Freddie Mercury. If anything, it was another unique characteristic amongst the many others he possessed.
A Performance that Carries the Film
It’s so hard to do justice to a band like ‘Queen’ – and the film stood its ground on this front. One must watch it for this reason alone. There’s no doubt that the lead actor Rami Malek has really stretched his acting chops and given a very worthy performance.
Although no one can truly fill Freddie Mercury’s larger than life-sized shoes and the physical presence he exuded, Rami came within a hair’s breadth of it. That feat in itself must be applauded.
There is a striking resemblance to Mercury’s mannerisms, and this helps carry the film. The music is of course, top notch.
On Nostalgic Moments. Live Aid Revisited
The movie scores full marks in recreating Queen’s Live Aid performance at the end of the biopic.
Watch out for the scene where an awkward microphone stand can’t deter him from singing and taking over the stage in impromptu style when he was yet an unknown name.
The super-excessive parties at the time, and the flamboyant outfits he wore, are played out onscreen. They magically recreated in full showmanship, a vision of how this rock legend lived and celebrated his life.
I give Bohemian Rhapsody a 4/5 stars for its originality and ability to build a story around the songs we’ve grown to love. This film will be cherished as a celebration of nostalgia, emotion, and the victory of the human spirit above all else. Watch Queen in Bohemian Rhapsody to relive all this and more!
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Maha holds a Masters Degree in International Security from Georgetown University USA as well as a Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education from New Jersey. She is currently working in the field of education.
She dreams of opening a school of her own one day. Maha loves to write, read, travel, and do sports and yoga. She believes in becoming the best version of herself. She has travelled widely, and has engaged in voluntary and non-voluntary work on multiple occasions: Developments in Literacy in Washington D.C and SOS, Islamabad Pakistan, to name a few.
Maha loves watching a good Bollywood film occasionally and lives by the motto: Count each day as a blessing and practice more gratitude.
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