The Phantom Voice
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Happy thanksgiving!
Cassie Soto
Bohemian Rhapsody, with its rather lackluster initial reviews, recently proved critics wrong with a global earnings total of about $122.5 million, which is great for a movie that costed around $52 million to make. The room goes dark. The familiar 20th Century Fox trumpets begin to blare, only this time as a Queen-like electric guitar, preparing the audience for the rest of the head-bang worthy film. When was the last time that a movie got so many cheers before it even started? Much like Queen’s music, the movie was an emotional rollercoaster. From the initial rock entrance, to softer parts like the subplot where Mercury is attempting to come to terms with who he was, the film has everything that an entertaining and generally true biopic should have. They even brought in former members Brian May and Roger Taylor, as well as Queen’s previous manager Jim Beach as creative and musical inspirations for the film. The movie does some things amazingly, other things average, but one thing flawlessly: it captures the charisma and charm of the lead singer.The movie was always going to heavily rely on who would take up the role of the one-of-a-kind Freddie Mercury. There could have been no better choice than Rami Malek. Looking similar to Mercury is one thing, but being able to carry out variations of his outlandish performances is something else. Malek did both. In the most dramatic moment of the film, the reenactment of the 1985 Live Aid concert in London, Malek, sporting a studded leather belt, arm band, and signature mustache, struts across the stage performing the band’s signature anthems and ballads, perfectly embodying the rock sensation and all of the emotions that came with his story up until that point. That same preciseness was seen in the large role given to Mercury lover-turned-bestie Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton), who was central to the singer’s life until the very end, a point clearly made in the film. Mercury’s unwavering love for Austin — writing songs about her, willing her his estate — highlights the legendary kindness those in his presence reported so often and so lovingly. In actuality, that’s the real power behind Bohemian Rhapsody: not just Mercury’s musical talent, which was obvious and abundant, but his realistic persona and humanity that never faltered, even when nothing seemed to go his way, and when illness threatened to end all that he was. Overall, Bohemian Rhapsody undoubtedly and successfully captured an era, a man, and a relatable quest for identity.
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