Bohemian Rhapsody | 100 Movies Bucket List

 

I saw this film around the time it first came out and loved it... and then I saw the similarly themed Rocketman and adored that so much that I didn't have any love left over for BoRhap, so I haven't watched it since I first saw it.

That being said, it being on the bucket list is the perfect excuse to watch it again (though Rocketman also deserves to be on a bucket list).

That being said, I did love this again on re-watch.

I think I loved it so much because I was familiar enough with the music to really enjoy that side of things, but not familiar enough with the band that I already knew their story. So I could be really interested in both things at once and really become engrossed in the story.

All of the actors are great, particularly the other band members (played by Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy and Joe Mazzello), but Rami Malek is especially amazing in the role of Freddie. Not only do you love him, but you feel like you really know him.

The creation of the song Bohemian Rhapsody, which is the centre of the film, is perfect. Even if you weren't enjoying the film up until that point, that sequence is what pulls you in and holds you until the end of the film. Centring the story around this iconic song was genius.

But all of the songs are shown in a really interesting way, whether we only see them being performed or if we see them being written and created. And if you already know the songs, then seeing them from this angle sparks a new love of them.

That being said, the film does get a bit less entertaining as it starts heading for the ending. The less connected you feel with Freddie, the more your interest starts to wane.

Ultimately, the thing that makes the film, is the completely iconic ending - the Live Aid performance. Whenever I think about this film, that performance is what I think about. While watching (and enjoying) the film, this was the thing I was most looking forward to and it was the absolute best thing about it.

I'm really really glad I watched this one again, and the Live Aid scene alone is definitely worthy of the 'classic' title.