Bohemian Rhapsody: The Movie Dominating Awards Season

By Lindsey Purcell

Have you ever heard “We Are the Champions,” “Another One Bites the Dust,” or “We Will Rock You”? Do you know who sings these iconic songs? Some teenagers may not realize that all these songs are performed by the band Queen! The 2018 Academy Award winning film Bohemian Rhapsody, directed by Bryan Singer, depicts the life of Queen’s lead singer, Freddie Mercury.

Starring Golden Globe and Oscar winner Rami Malek, the movie begins with the story of how the band formed, and it explores Freddie’s life before fame, including his relationship with the love of his life, Mary. The mood was more uplifting in the beginning by showing the success that Queen garnered and the excitement about finally achieving fame. Throughout the movie, readers see the obstacles that Mercury went through to compose music while discovering his sexuality.

Mercury experiences life on the road and eventually learns that money cannot buy happiness. He acknowledges that the other members of the band all have families of their own and that he is all alone. The void of Mary and his bandmates, among other conflicts, leads him to resort to drugs and alcohol to relieve his pain. He eventually gets the devastating news that he has contracted the AIDS virus. Through his journey, Mercury discovers what is really important to him and finally breaks ties with those who hurt him. The movie ends with Queen’s performance at the Live Aid concert and leaves people on a somber yet hopeful note.

Movie goers will appreciate this film because it teaches them more about Freddie Mercury's life and captures the details of the time. The vibrant costumes depicting Freddie’s style and the concert scenes are sure to captivate all audiences-- not to mention Malek’s spot-on portrayal of Mercury. From the mannerisms to the voice (and even the teeth), Malek’s performance presented fans with a believable Freddie Mercury. 

In addition to Rami Malek’s performance, co-stars Ben Hardy, Gwilym Lee, Lucy Boynton, and Joseph Mazzello show how the relationships between the band members changed as they experienced fame.
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Bohemian Rhapsody has introduced millions of people to who Freddie Mercury was and has caused his spirit to live on. In Rami Malek's words, “Thank you to Freddie Mercury… I love you, you beautiful man!”