by Trisha Bala ‘22, Arts and Entertainment Writer

Bohemian Rhapsody was first released on November 2, 2018 and tells the story of the hit rock band Queen. Queen was an English rock band whose prime was in the ‘80s. It celebrates their music and their lead singer, Freddie Mercury, who is one of the most beloved entertainers of all time. The movie shows Queen’s rise to fame and includes a number of performances of their hit songs. The film also includes moments like when  Freddie’s lifestyle spirals out of control, the near dissolution of the band, Freddie’s diagnosis with AIDS, the band’s performance at 1985 Live Aid. Mercury died in 1991, around 6 years after his 1985 performance at Live Aid.

Bohemian Rhapsody has received mixed reviews. The film earned a score of 62% on Rotten Tomatoes. Some have absolutely loved this movie, while others don’t think much of it. A review from the New York Times criticized the movie: “A baroque blend of gibberish, mysticism and melodrama, the film seems engineered to be as unmemorable as possible.” In contrast, a review from the Washington Post says the movie “winds up being giddily entertaining,” and Common Sense Media says “the music sequences in this drama (especially the Live Aid performance and the recording of the title song) are electrifying.” Others critics argue that songs played in the movie were not the best choices as they did not properly show Queen’s big hits. Even though the film as a whole didn’t get the most positive reviews, Rami Malek, who played Freddie Mercury, is praised for his performance. Critics put Malek on the list for best performances in 2018. The last two living members of Queen, drummer Roger Taylor and guitarist Brian May, said when they first heard the idea of making the movie that they couldn’t imagine anyone doing justice to Mercury. Then they met Malek. Brian May said that Malek’s performance “has captured not only Freddie’s great power and ebullience, but also his sensitive, vulnerable side, of which there was a lot. He smashed it. He inhabits Freddie.” Malek has been applauded by many critics for an amazing performance. The last members of Queen also loved the movie as a whole. May said that the movie satisfies him completely and he feels reminded of Freddie when he watches it.

A few Newark Academy students were able to talk about what they thought of the movie. First was freshman Ava Cole. Ava said that while she enjoyed the movie and now has an appreciation for Queen’s music, she felt that the movie dragged on for a while. Ava said: “The movie was pretty good and I liked but at some points I was wondering if it was going to end. I will say that I really enjoyed listening to all the music performances though.” Another freshman, Vittoria Socolof, remarked: “I absolutely loved this movie. The performances were amazing and Rami Malek was amazing at playing Freddie Mercury.”

Good reviews or bad, Bohemian Rhapsody is a widely watched movie that has attracted many different viewers. It shows Freddie Mercury’s talent and gives the audience many enjoyable performances to watch. Most importantly, it inspires many young musicians today.