An Interesting Portrayal Of Queen And Its Flamboyant Frontman

Rating: 7/10 (25 February 2019)

This film about the rock group Queen primarily focuses on its frontman, Freddie Mercury. Based on actual events, it starts with the formation of the band and ends with Mercury's death, though Queen exists today with other members.
The film shows Mercury to be charismatic, capricious, dramatic, inventive, confident and, appropriately, mercurial. Often he would subject others to his emotionally neediness. But he was always passionate about the band and their work. He is such a compelling figure, one might wonder why the writers chose to change any actual facts, often with no discernible dramatic benefit. Because of this factual digression, I am downgrading my score by one. This is quite disappointing.
Still, the film is worth seeing. As a fan of the group's music, I enjoyed the inclusion of many of their best songs, especially the set from the Live Aid Concert at Wembley Stadium. Even non-fans have plenty to enjoy with the film's mix of music, drama, and comedy.
Rami Malek's performance as Freddie Mercury has been singled out by most critics. Dental appliances and weeks of training to mimic Mercury's stage antics contribute to this compelling transformation. Mercury's flamboyance makes him very watchable and a suitable subject for a biopic.