That VOICE!

Rating: 6/10 (26 October 2018)

Greetings again from the darkness. That VOICE! During my life, I've been fortunate enough to see many of rock's greatest bands live in concert, including: The Who, The Rolling Stones, Bad Company, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and AC/DC. Each of these bands are amazing, but no other concert combined the energy, showmanship and musicianship as Queen (two different tours). And certainly no other lead singer donned a Harlequin leotard ... only Freddie Mercury could make that look seem natural.
This is such an odd movie, and one that is somewhat difficult to discuss. It's billed as an "inspiring story", though one wonders how self-destructive living, an acrimonious band break-up, and dying young of AIDS could be considered inspiring. It's not supposed to be a biopic, but the vast majority of the screen time is devoted to Freddie Mercury. And to really confound us, the film kind of drags (pun possibly intended) during the personal story times ... and then explodes with greatness during the band and live performance segments.
Rami Malek plays Freddie Mercury, and he perfectly captures the swagger and strut of one of rock's greatest theatrical showmen. Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsari in Zanzibar, and the film shows us his conservative family and time spent working as a baggage handler at Heathrow. Of course, things change quickly once he joins up with guitarist Brian May (played here by Gwylim Lee) and drummer Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy, MARY SHELLEY). When bassist John Deacon (Joseph Mazzello) is added, Queen is born.
With a story and script from two Oscar nominated writers, Peter Morgan (THE QUEEN, ironically) and Anthony McCarten (THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING), it's surprising that much of the film is downright slow - especially the bits with frenemy Paul (Allen Leach). Perhaps this is more a factor of the issues with the director's chair, where Bryan Singer is credited despite being fired during production. Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel filled in until Dexter Fletcher (next year's Elton John biopic ROCKETMAN) was hired to complete the film. Lucy Boynton (so good in SING STREET) holds her own as Mercury's wife and friend Mary Austin, and Mike Myers plays producer Ray Foster (with a tip of the cap to WAYNE'S WORLD). Other supporting work comes courtesy of Dickie Beau as influential DJ Kenny Everett, Aiden Gillen, Tom Hollander and Aaron McCusker.
The 20th Century Fox opening fanfare has its own Queen version, and is not to be missed as the film begins. Of course, it's the infamous 1985 Live Aid performance that is the film's highlight and one that will leave every audience member pumped up, smiling, and singing along. It's a stunning sequence on a custom built Wembley Stadium stage, and it helps erase much of the tedium of the film's non-band scenes. Erasing any doubt as to whether the film is worth the price of addition ... hearing that VOICE at full volume on today's theatrical sound systems. Killer Queen.