Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
Singer Freddie Mercury, guitarist Brian May, drummer Roger Taylor and bass guitarist John Deacon take the music world by storm when they form the rock 'n' roll band Queen in 1970. Hit songs become instant classics. When Mercury's increasingly wild lifestyle starts to spiral out of control, Queen soon faces its greatest challenge yet – finding a way to keep the band together amid the success and excess.
Bohemian Rhapsody follows a fairly conventional music biopic structure with the standard rise-fall-redemption arc, earning it a below-average Novelty score. The plot hits familiar beats without much creative risk. Acting is competent with Rami Malek delivering a committed if occasionally mannered performance as Mercury. Cinematography is serviceable but unremarkable for the genre. Where the film genuinely earns its reputation is the ending — the Live Aid recreation is an exceptional set piece, electrifying and emotionally resonant, justifying a well-above-average Ending score.