Bohemian Rhapsody is not only a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury, but a love letter to believing in yourself, finding your dreams, and somehow through it all… finding yourself.
How does a man born on the island of Zanzibar go from being a baggage handler at Heathrow Airport to one of the most important figures in rock ‘n’ roll?
He just does… he becomes exactly the person he was alway meant to be! The man singing for the people right at the back of the arena, the ones who don’t fit in – the outcasts, the shy, the pretty-damn-sure-they-don’t matter. Showing them anyone can fly above the critics and the bullies. If Freddy can do that, then those misfits and outcasts can also do or be anything they want to.
From the moment the new biopic starts and the guitar riff is heard in the iconic 20th Century Fox fanfare, to the final scene where the crowd is as alive as the music and the legend of Freddy Mercury has been brought to life, I was in awe. Queen and the story behind the music – which broke all the rules and set new norms for rock ‘n’ roll – is one that is actually completely unbelievable. Freddie defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound. They went on to reach unparalleled success but not without absolute tragedy.
Rami Malek brings the larger than life rock star to life and plays the part to perfection. At times you have to remind yourself that you’re not actually watching a documentary but rather a rendition of the character who will go on to live forever.
The real story behind Queen is one filled with heartbreak but through it all Mercury finds himself, his family and his love for performance.
It’s a rare thing when a cinema filled to the brim, stand with applause as the final credits roll but this premiere was not just a performance, it was a reminder of a legacy that continues to inspire outsiders, dreamers and music lovers to this day.
Bohemian Rhapsody was the only single to reach Number 1 four times – in 1975, 1976, 1991 and 1992 respectively – and I have a feeling that it might have another run in 2018.
The new film hits Ster Kinekor theatres on the 30 November 2018. Watch the trailer below:
Update***
On the 6 January 2019, Rami Malek won an award at the Golden Globes for “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture” in the Drama category.
A euphoric @ItsRamiMalek was kind enough to make his first stop after winning to talk with the HFPA about his #GoldenGlobes win! pic.twitter.com/910ZiiaVYx
— Golden Globe Awards (@goldenglobes) January 7, 2019
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