Bohemian Rhapsody

Some films engage the heart and trigger an emotion reaction, whereas some film engage the brain and connect with the audience on an intellectual level. Great films win over both the heart and brain, but unfortunately Bohemian Rhapsody was not one of those film. What it did instead was that it totally won over the heart with its blatant emotional manipulation and re-writing of history for maximum impact, and all through the electrifying power (and nostalgia) of Queen's songs. If it were not for the songs, the film may not even be half as successful as it was.

Intellectually, the film was riddled with faults, other than the aforementioned historical untruths, it was undecided if it wanted to be a retelling of the story of Queen or a biopic of Freddie Mercury. This resulted in a film that had no depth or emotional complexity for its lead character who is surrounded by a cast of stereotypical supporting characters (other than Mary....ah Mary, the saving emotional grace of the film), and a narrative that appeared to be a series of vignettes stringed together with no depth or consequences.

And specifically with regard to Freddie, the glossing over of his discovery and exploration of his sexual identity, coupled with a cookie-cut villain in Paul Prenter and a misalignment in his HIV-diagnosis, left a bitter distaste and minimal understanding of Freddie as a person.

But it was not all bad through the whole 134 minutes. The final Live Aid scene was spectacular. It was not as immersive as Bradley Cooper's direction in A Star is Born, but the full scale of Freddie's charisma, Queen's magnificent discography, and the massive scope of a Live Aid performance, was absolutely brilliant.

Then we also have Rami Malek's transformative performance. Kudos to the former Emmy-winner for convincingly portraying - or imitating - Freddie Mercury. Mr Robot was lost within and Malek embodied the flamboyance and larger-than-life persona of Freddie. However, he was let down by the writing, and the emotional beats although convincing lacked authenticity. But again, bravo to Malek's dedication in that final Live Aid scene as he imitated - and successfully embodied - the charismatic energy of Freddie.

Of the supporting cast, only Lucy Boynton's Mary Austin was a standout. Boynton (one of the breakout stars from the under-appreciated Sing Street), reminiscence of a young Nicole Kidman - think Days of Thunder or To Die For - held the emotion heart of the film. Mary's relationship with Freddie deserved more exploration and they both had great chemistry together. More than between Malek and Allen Leach's Paul Prenter, and between Malek and the rest of the Queen members played by Ben Hardy, Joe Mazzello and Gwilym Lee.

Bohemian Rhapsody is the The Greatest Showman of 2018. A fun, enjoyable musical film that had so many problems but, the heart seeks pleasure first, and its Queen-led infectious nostalgia was undeniable.