A solid but risk-free biopic

Rating: 6/10 (1 November 2018)

For a band and frontman that were anything but run of the mill, Bohemian Rhapsody is a rather bio by the numbers affair that does nothing you wouldn't expect it to do, while delivering the crowd pleasing moments that will see it become a likely box office heavyweight.
That Bohemian is even the middle of the road experience it is is some form of movie miracle, as the production of this long mooted examination of world conquering rock band Queen and it's lead singer Freddie Mercury had lived many lives before it began, most famously with Sacha Baron Cohen signed up to play Mercury, only for the film to again face more trauma when it's credited director Bryan Singer was fired deep into production.
Finished off with the help of actor turned director Dexter Fletcher, Bohemian is a coherant and polished undertaking that shines a light onto the stadium packing band and the polarising behaviour and chauvinism of Mercury, that never threatens to become anything truly special despite the valiant and impressive turn from its lead man Rami Malek.
Inhabiting Mercury in a chameleon like performance, this is a career defining role for Malek who has so far been best known for his role in TV show Mr. Robot and while it would've been quite the sight to see Baron Cohen's take on Mercury, it does feel as though there was no better man for the Mercury job at this time and place than Malek.
Malek remains a constant strength to the film as it ebbs and flows between a foot stomping Queen love letter and an at times laborsome play by play on key Queen moments, that culminates in what's unquestionably the film's highlight, the famous Wemberly Stadium Live Aid Gig that will make audiences leave the cinema thinking they watched a much better film than they in fact did.
It's a shame the energy found in this extended and energetic sequence wasn't to be found more regularly in the film, as had it done so in addition to featuring more daring and inventive structures and further delving into Mercury's complicated mindset, Bohemian would've been one of the years most memorable big screen outings.
Final Say -
All thing's considered Bohemian Rhapsody is a solid Queen experience that's founded around Malek's showstopping turn, one only wishes that this safe offering took more risks and aimed a little higher, much like its subject matters did.
3 coffee machines out of 5