Rami Malek with the help of director Bryan Singer, screen writers Anthony McCarten and Peter Morgan performs a miracle resurrection of Rock/Pop Icon Freddie Mercury and Queen in Bohemian Rhapsody. Malek's performance is nothing short of a mesmerizing transformation. He literally channels Mercury's spirit in every scene. Malek's performance can hardly be described as "acting" as he displays every minute nuance of Mercury's larger than life yet lonely and troubled presence to the slightest detail. Its truly a wonder to behold.
His stellar work is aided greatly by a script that delves deeply into not just Queen's origins as a band, but the complex emotional and psycho sexual conflicts that both inspired Freddie to become a legend and sadly also ultimately lead to his very untimely demise. Of course the ground breaking music of Queen and some outstanding film editing are the buttresses that also aid Malek in his flawless portrayal of Mercury. The music has a powerful spirit of its own that is just as strong today as it was some 30 years ago. The fun is in learning the origins of many of the band's most noteworthy hits and the script seems to cover most of them. The producers were also very smart to use many of them to narrate the tumultuous action that comprised Mercury's extremely complicated professional and private life. Though shot tastefully ( there is really no explicit sex here) the film does not shy away from Mercury's notorious bisexuality and drug abuse. But none of that material is displayed gratuitously. Quite to the contrary, the frank exploration of Mercury's privately life is the vehicle for some of the film's most poignant and powerful scenes. These are scenes in which Rami Malek shows an incredible emotional range and even deeper depth of characterization. I have absolutely no complaints about this film. If you love Queen, Freddie Mercury or just a good musical biopic that stands head and shoulders above the crowd you must see Bohemian Rhapsody!
