The movie Bohemian Rhapsody was a huge hit as soon as it was released in theaters at the end of 2018. It became such a long-running hit that it eventually grossed over 13 billion yen at the box office.

I have never felt the afterglow of a live music concert before. I have often heard people say, “I’m so dazed and unmotivated,” “I feel lethargic,” or “I feel burnt out.”

But after watching this film, I understood these feelings. I have felt “happy” and “sad” after watching good comedies and tragedies. However, this is the first time I have experienced this “burned-out” feeling.

Legendary Rock Star Freddie Mercury’s Awesomeness

Freddie Mercury, lead singer of the popular British rock band Queen, is the central character in the film Bohemian Rhapsody. An overwhelmingly talented and talented man, he was diagnosed with AIDS due to HIV infection. He died in 1991 at the young age of 45. Although Freddie has remained popular as a legendary rock star, his sexuality, race, and illness have often been prejudiced against him, and he has usually been unable to receive a proper reputation.

This movie focuses on the period from 1970, when Queen was formed, to the legendary Live Aid in 1985. Many viewers may have thought about his life story without prejudice for the first time through this film. Rami Malek’s performance as Freddie was also excellent and struck a chord with many people.

Even more surprising was what many people said at the time of the film’s release: “Queen songs have surprisingly good lyrics. Queen’s songs are so popular and highly regarded today that they appear in Japanese music and English textbooks. Still, it is also true that there is a big difference in perception among different generations. While viewing the film, many people may have thought about Freddie’s talent and life while carefully savoring the lyrics of Queen’s songs with subtitles.

For example, the opening line of Bohemian Rhapsody, the title of this film, is, “Is this real life?”

High level of reproduction with full cooperation of the person in question

One factor that makes the film Bohemian Rhapsody so special is that Brian May and Roger Taylor, who are still active as Queen, are fully involved in the film. When biographical films are made, there are two types: those that do not include the musicians and those that affect them deeply. May and Taylor are also involved in the film production. They are also the film’s music producers.

It is their full cooperation that brings to light their respect for Freddie. You can see how much they both cherished Freddie as a member of the band. I felt that the emphasis was not on the sensational and scandalous image of Freddie that people like to see but more on what a true rock star he was and what kind of band Queen was. However, I felt that the film did not portray Freddie as a saint but rather the negative side of Freddie.

The play also stood out for its high level of reproduction in various aspects. One performance that drew much attention was that of Gwilym Lee, who played the young May. Not only did he look exactly like the May of that era, but his guitar solo, the way he spoke, and even his mannerisms were so similar that it was almost as if we were watching a documentary. However, the Live Aid scene in the second half of the film is essential to the film’s high level of reproduction.

Live Aid is projected in a stunning reproduction.

The best part of the movie Bohemian Rhapsody is the Live Aid scene at the end. It is a recreation of the largest charity concert held in 1985 to help African refugees, and the performance of Queen is faithfully recreated down to the smallest detail. The lyrics of “Bohemian Rhapsody” performed during this scene resonated with everyone who had seen the film up to that point, and the performance reminded us why the film’s title was this song. Malek’s performance, in particular, was fantastic, and it is easy to see why he has won so many awards. His arm movements, back flexing, and the way he held the microphone all replicated Freddie’s unique gestures without becoming unnatural imitations.

Although this film is over two hours long, it is made so that the final Live Aid scene is enough to make you understand that this was the time for it, so there is no loss. Unfortunately, two songs were cut from the film’s performance. Still, “Live Aid Complete” is also available to compensate for this.

Bohemian Rhapsody [Blu-ray]

Amazon.com: Bohemian Rhapsody [Blu-ray] : Rami Malek, Joseph Mazzello, Mike Myers, Tom Hollander, Aidan Gillen, Allen Leech, Lucy Boynton, Ben Hardy, Dexter Fletcher, Bryan Singer, Jim Beach, Brian May, Bryan Singer, Graham King, Roger Taylor, Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal: Movies & TV

Summary

The movie Bohemian Rhapsody is not a documentary-like faithful reproduction of historical facts. However, it is made with respect for Freddie, the other members of the Queen, and the band members. The level of reproduction is astonishing. It depicts the life of Freddie Mercury, his personality and human suffering, his falling out with his friends, and his reunion with them, which alone could be considered an excellent human drama.

It is a film that allows us to reflect on Freddie’s magnificent life and talent along with his songs, and that is really what this film is about, not the copyright of “definitely go to the theater.” Please spend more than two hours watching this moving film.