Loads of Fun, Wish It Went Further

Rating: 7/10 (3 November 2018)

The first paragraph is spoiler free for anyone who doesn't want to have the movie ruined for them.
I found the film to be quite fun and enjoyable. Definitely something you will sing along to by yourself or with the right company.I think a lot of people that are rating the film very poorly were expecting a biopic solely on Freddie, while this movie looks at his personal life and his life with the other members in a moderate scale and focuses more on the music and its relationship with people. I would say if you want to watch a film with lots of laughs, great music and a bit of heart go watch it.
In some ways this film should have been two separate films: one on Queen the band and one on Freddie himself. It treads the line in a way that leaves me wanting it to lean to one side or the other. I wish it delved deeper into the band's process of creating and their evolution,or Freddie's direct impact of that music based on the things that were happening in his life. While the film covers this lightly, I wish it explored more Freddie's psyche seeing as he was a deeply private man. For example, and SPOILER: When Freddie's ex Mary has moved on with a new love interest Freddie looks to her window and turns on his lamp, a move copied earlier in the film in which he talks to her over the phone in the hopes of feeling some sort of connection to her, or to anyone she doesn't turn the lights on in the present. And there is a moment of palpable pain at his loneliness that I think if was shone more would make it easier to see where some of his most amazing songs were coming from. Obviously the music Freddie made came from very high emotions, and very low ones as well. I believe had the film decided on what the primary focus would be it would be stronger as a whole. Whether it was the band and their evolution and their sense of closeness and family, or Freddie's personal life and his mentality towards approaching his music either would have been acceptable had the film veered towards one of these paths.
One thing I will say though against the film are blatant historical inaccuracies for the sake of movie tension. SPOILERS: Like when in the film towards the end it is said that the band hadn't performed together for years prior to the Live Aid concert, when in fact they had toured the year before for their album The Works. They were also not on bad terms when they did part ways for Freddie to do his solo albums as the film depicts. They were burned out from touring and all agreed on a break. The made-up feuding is a big detractor for me, especially knowing how close all the members were and how much they cared for each other. Those are two things regarding actual history that was dramatized that I don't care for.
I have to give credit where credit is due though for the last twenty minutes of the film where they replicate Queen's performance at Live Aid. That was a marvel in itself, the cast did a fantastic job, the film crew did a great job. The audience at the theater was enjoying it as much as if the theater was Wembley itself. So major kudos to the film for covering it in all its glory. And many thanks to Marc Martell, the man who was responsible for the reconstructed singing of Freddie's voice that laid over Malek's and Freddie's own voice. Very well done.