Bohemian Rhapsody Review

Ahoy me mateys Captain Cats here. Today we have the review of bohemian rhapsody and its done by none other then Omega Kai! So without further ado here is his review !

1985-Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek) takes stage though not turning around but we know it’s him not looking back is how the film opens. We assume this was the famous live aid concert in 1985….of course, it is!

Flashback! We do love those cliché from greatest moment to their humble beginning flashback openers. Now set in 1970s Freddie a baggage handler known to his parents and his sister as Farrokh Bulsara confront his lecturing father that he prefers to call Freddie at cozy home before politely storming out to a dive of some sort to attend his future bandmates show. This is my assumption because Freddie did have bandmates Brian May and Roger Taylor etc.

Then cuts to the lead singer Tim Staffell leaving the band name “Smile,” Make sense one of them is studying to be a dentist at this point. Although real-life accounts and Wikipedia suggest that Staffell introduce Freddie to the band as a suitable replacement. Oh, Hollywood you can’t stick to the mundane truth got to make an exciting opportunity to the main guy somehow. Before I forget the new bassist has arrived, John Deacon, ah… the Band is complete! Yay super team origin story plot point reach!

Stuff happens in between Freddie met Mary started a romance, the Band “Bonded like James,” Freddie talk to a guy on the phone with a guy who works with Elton John than got sign and become famous! Freddie proposes to Mary, tours America than does an album with the spy! Oh yes…that spy that shag me himself, Mike Myers. Well… he portrays the grumpy record producer for EMI Ray Foster (Never Existed!), I am assuming its Awesome Powers infiltrating the record label company to stop Dr. Evil diabolical plan, but that is a different story. Where were we….. Ahh yes! A Night at the Opera was the new album, and it was a hit. Also spoilers “Bohemian Rhapsody” was a song in this album another cliché movie theme… La Bamba anyone?

Also on a side note: Mike Myers from Wayne’s World made Bohemian Rhapsody top the charts one more time in the 90’s. It is a nice ironic twist that Myer’s character is the one that denies the green light to the song for its length. Of course, the song was too long and fantastic (hindsight)! Got rejected by Awesome Powers than the band took the song to a DJ friend, played it and then became a worldwide hit! While Freddie was slowly cocooning into his homosexuality and distancing himself from his fiancé or finance rearrange, Mary.

Now forward to 1980 – Short Hair Freddie time with the Iconic Mustache has a party, and it did not go so well. His bandmates leaves than Freddie make a subtle pass at a male waiter catering to the party…well just a little grab-ass than a gentle kiss. I think he is butterfly gay now; his cocooning days are over! Oh no! What about Mary! There is something about Mary! That makes me feel for her this moment, and she was such a sweetheart (sigh). Nothing will lift my spirit now! Only a powerful rock ballad that an audience can sing along to and become part chorus can do that! Next Brian May was pitching a new song….well technically an old song written and sang years prior, but come on this is Hollywood! The simply titled “We Will Rock You,” Dammit spirit lifted.

Of course, the joy does not last long as the ethical dilemma appears as in the form of betrayal…not really…Mary has a new boyfriend. I cannot blame a girl for wanting happiness. Than Baelish from Game of Thrones shows up, I knew I recognize him from somewhere. Well in this movie plays John Reid the music manager offer, Freddie, a solo career and was insulted and kicks him out of the car. Let us forget in real life both him and Roger went solo before. Well… only another smash hit by Queen can change the mood again! In the next scene, Deaky composes a new song titled “Another One Bites The Dust,” Okay you got me! This is the song they the home team pitcher strikes out the visiting team’s batter! Yea-great musical “hit” for a sporty “miss.”

Next, at a press conference, Freddie hounded by a reporter about rumors of his sexuality and wild orgies. These are not so “woke” times my friend. I hope that they don’t add fuel to the flame by making the whole band in flaming fashion. Of course, they did this by their music video “I Want to Break Free.” Not so shocking with today standards but the 80’s were different times indeed. MTV had to ban the video just because the group dress in drag. Maybe Freddie should have gone solo instead of “dragging” the band with him, but hey….what are homies for? However, the ironic twist Freddie told his mates that he signed a solo deal with CBS Records, a $ 4 million dollars deal. This cause a rift with his mates, of course, we have to move forward and no regrets to a successful solo career.

Soon after they departed from Freddie, a sense of drift and loneliness ensues him. Dammit! Why can’t we become happier when we make life decisions that further our careers in this type of biopic! Oh the cliché. After working on a solo album in 1984 title “Mr. Bad Guy,” gee no Freudian undertones here, Freddie visit Mary that tells him she is pregnant. Mary who has influenced over Freddie, mainly due to love…I guess, tries to talk some sense to Freddie to return back to his mates and join them again. He does need them more than he knows it…….well now he knows it. If only there was a way, they can perform together, one more time…perhaps maybe a 20 minutes plus jam session with collages of their greatest hits. Just one more time to bond with his mates again. Only if there was something that can “aid” him or a “live” concert, they can prepare for and rekindle their brotherhood.

Mary, of course, something about Mary that convinces Freddie to rekindle with his mates at a charity Concert. This is, of course, the famous Live Aid benefit concert, which no one tells him. Certainly, he talks to Paul who happens to be his lovers, that happens to be alienating Freddie to his friends and “turning” Freddie in the first place. This biopic portrays him as the sneak; barrier snake motif, hence I’m not so upset that Freddie ends the relationship. Paul did not take this so kindly and told the press about his sexuality and exploit. Ahh….yes apparently hell has no fury like a man scorn also.

Freddie talks to his mates and asks for forgiveness that he was wrong for leaving. That classic “, please take me back” minus John Cusack holding a stereo boom box, apologetic tone to the fellas for his behavior and abandoning them for the illusion of happiness. Of course, they forgave Freddie, who else will steal the show at Live Aid. Seriously, I do not know who else played at Live Aid besides Queens and Pepsi! But the show happens to be totally booked…..awwwwe, but wait a minute! Hollywood can’t change this part of history and especially this moment that happens to be the movie opening. Surprise they did not! Took some convincing but Queen become part of the line-up.

On a sad “note” during rehearsal, Freddie fell ill and told his mates that he had A.I.D.S, but this is for dramatic affection for the audience, Freddie actually told his mates two years after Live Aid that he has A.I.D.S. when first diagnosed with the disease. As mention before Hollywood and the mundane truth usually don’t go together. This is spiritual uplifting moment made for audiences only who does not want to fact check; it happens to be a good one. A very motivational moment indeed.

Before Live Aid, Freddie went to see Jim, the waiter who he play grab-ass with earlier and introduces him to his family than to Mary. He invites all of them to Live Aid, classy guy! Those tickets are hard to find.

Live Aid 1985 at Wembley Stadium Queen performs and delivers a memorial moment, goosebumps anyone? Of course, I wish one part history that I wish Hollywood can change in real life was at the end of the movie simply in text-” Freddie Mercury died in 1991 from AIDS-related pneumonia.”

This film worth watching indeed, though not entirely accurate it has captured the spirit of Mercury very well and also done it well without it being a hard “R” rating. Credited to the cast and Rami Malek performances, this is indeed worth the watch and definitely Queen fans-

Omega Kai