In Bryan Singer’s (well, sort of Bryan Singer’s) Bohemian Rhapsody, one scene showcases the band Queen in a fight against the record company EMI. One executive argues about how the band should stick to a formula. Their statement: “What’s wrong with a formula? I like formulas.” The film positions that as a bad thing, as Queen is a revolutionary band unlikely to stick to one theme. What’s funny is that Singer’s film is perhaps one of the most formulaic features to come out in quite some time. Following every trope and beat found within a music drama, Bohemian Rhapsody is a pretty dull affair, despite some enjoyable performances.
The film follows a basic “rise, fall, redemption” arc with Mercury, with no surprises. The film plays it so safe there’s little room for surprise or intrigue. Rami Malek clearly gives his all as Freddie Mercury, and he is entertaining. He pulls off his flamboyant side, as well as the important emotional beats. But the film fails to really dive into his character and what made him an interesting figure.
His Pakistani upbringing? Glanced over. His queer awakening? Glanced over. Him changing his name, and therefore his roots? Glanced over. His later AIDS diagnosis? Glanced over. The last part is especially depressing, as the film could have really explored his bisexuality and the effect of the AIDS crisis on queer culture. But the film seems almost afraid to tackle anything further and would rather focus on playing Queen music instead.
The other band members barely have character. It does make some sense they don’t get much focus. Mercury is the face of the band. But all that Brian May, George Taylor and John Deacon do is perform music and occasionally get mad at Freddie. The record producers and Mercury’s manager only exist to move the plot forward. The only real stand-out supporting character is Lucy Boynton as Freddie’s girlfriend Mary Austin. They have a sweet chemistry, and their scenes are the few times the film carries good emotional pathos.
The film’s messy production is a well-known. Not only was Singer in charge of directing, but so was cinematographer Newton Thomas Siegel and later Dexter Fletcher. These director changes are most obvious when it comes to the cinematography. Scenes are inconsistent, as some have different lighting than others, and often have putrid colors. The worst example is a scene where Freddie throws a house party. It’s supposed to be massive and lavish, but it’s so poorly lit and bland. The concert sequences, despite the iconic music, are nothing special. The Live Aid sequence in particular fails to leave much impact, despite the film being as authentic as possible to the actual event. Considering A Star is Born and its incredible concert scenes just a month ago, this is a serious downgrade.
Bohemian Rhapsody is so safe and so mediocre there’s really nothing to gain from watching it. Novices to the band will only learn the basics, and hardcore fans will note all of the inconsistencies. Even with the fun Queen music, why see a boring movie when you can listen to the music at home? Outside of a solid lead performance, there’s no reason to see something so basic and by-the-books.