Disclaimer: I watched this on Hawaiian Airlines so I’m pretty sure I watched the PG version of this movie. I’m not sure if the rated R aspects of this film would really change my review, but in case you disagree with me, there’s that.

Here’s the bottom line of this movie: Rami Malek 100% deserved to win Best Actor (if you haven’t seen the side by side comparison of his performance at Live Aid on YouTube, you must watch now), HOWEVER, this film was boring. Maybe I’ve just re-watched too many Harry Potter films recently, and this one didn’t have magic so it obviously didn’t impress me much, but also the whole plot to this movie was basically “talented quirky guy gets famous and realizes he’s gay after marrying a pretty chill girl.” I get that it’s a true story and a tribute to Queen but aside from the cool backstories behind the songs, the actual movie was just kinda bleh.

Now before everyone starts hating on this review let me say a few things:

1) Freddie Mercury was brilliant

2) Queen is and deserves to be a legend

3) The last 15 minutes of this movie were fantastic

My main issue is with the middle part of this film. You could tell the director wanted you to feel bad for Freddie like he was the victim of some huge unfair plot. They kept trying to show his soft side with the lamp scene to his ex-wife and with his cats everywhere. But the main message I got was that he was a diva and needed to just treat people decently. His anthem was to be the band that belonged to the people yet he was rude and selfish and not super pleasant to work with.

In short, I just don’t appreciate it when movie directors try to tell me how to feel about the main character. I can judge people all on my own thank you very much.

I don’t particularly like or dislike Freddie Mercury any more now than I did before watching this film, but I did learn a lot about the band. I just wish an hour of this movie wasn’t spent on watching Freddie party. Also I love how he is shocked near the end that his band didn’t like him…..uh you made fun of them all the time and treated them like your servants….when you’re mean, people don’t like you! #lifelessons

In conclusion- the acting: superb. Costumes and make up: impeccable. Songs and performances: literally perfect. Movie as a whole: not worth watching again

Popcorn Rating: 2 popped corns and 2 kernels for Rami

Maybe “Rock n Roll tribute movie” just isn’t the sub-genre for me, but I felt like I was watching The Lion King- I just couldn’t wait for them to get to the next song. I needed the plot to fast forward so I could hear the band play. Sorry if this is some sort of faux pas, but I wanted more music, less parties.

K thx

PFP