Bohemian Rhapsody

Eine Feier der künstlerischen Hingabe mit Funken von Emotionen und Energie, eine individualistische Verrücktheit und die Botschaft, dass es wichtig ist, das zu machen, was man möchte. Die witzige und frische Darstellung der Studio-Entstehung von größten Hits entspannt die gefühlvollen Beziehungen, welche die Tiefe der Figuren zeigen. Gleichzeitig ist es eine Vorspeise zum AbschlussKONZERT. Seine erstaunliche technische Ausführung fasst alle Freuden, Schmerzen und Lebenswerte von Mercury und seinem Umfeld zusammen. Man möchte es gar nicht glauben, dass es so "schicksalhaft“ wie im Film auch in Wirklichkeit war, dass für ihn immer die wichtigste Person seine Ex-Frau gewesen ist, obwohl er eine andere sexuelle Orientierung hatte. Ein hervorragender Schnitt, ausgezeichnetes Licht und hauptsächlich super gespielt. Im Film gibt es viele spielerische Details und keinen einzigen schwachen Moment oder eine Stelle mit Mängeln. Rami Malek erscheint vor der Kamera und nimmt sie sofort gefangen. Sie sind dort, mit ihm und haben von seiner Schauspielleistung und von den freundschaftlichen und professionellen Beziehungen sowie Liebesinteraktionen nicht genug. Sie bewundern ihn, unterstützen ihn und zum Schluss, während des KONZERTS, tut er Ihnen schrecklich leid. Man spürt, dass mit ihm die Welt etwas Außergewöhnliches verloren hat. Der beste Biografie-Musikfilm, den ich je gesehen habe. Eine große Leinwand und ein hochwertiger Ton sind ein Muss! (30.10.2018)

Singer mechanically cycles through human dramas, studies, and live performances that in parts are brimming with energy, oozing from all sides - from the excellent actors, through the camera and editing, to the last precisely-aimed spotlight. Otherwise, the 130 minutes slip by like a missed chance to go beyond the edge of a slick biopic that suits the screen. But the fact that the audience, regardless of age and musical taste, sits down to watch it in droves means above all that the effort to please absolutely everyone has succeeded perfectly. However, if it wasn’t for the brilliant music (and I say this as someone who is not that fond of it), it's a seasonal dud. Fortunately, it's about the music, and I won't hide the fact that it moved me. (10.12.2018)

Finally, a movie that packed the cinema with regulars as well as occasional viewers. A hit that was destined to be a hit. The story of a band, which was destined to be legendary and unique from the very beginning. Queen is actually like that and I have been waiting for many years to see somebody pick up their story and film it in a personal way that feels good. Bryan Singer felt it exactly as I hoped. I could talk about its pros, but also cons. I could talk about the good, but also weaker moments. There are points of the plot of the movie, which I don’t really understand, but on the other hand, there are also points which made me think about what Freddie was possibly like and what sort of life he lived. On the next day, I agreed with my coworkers that the movie is actually very conciliatory as far as Freddie’s life is concerned. I believe that the true reality was much worse… harsher. However, the story oozes a great deal of humility. It also shows the great respect of the whole band for the man who grew up with them and who is for me the greatest singer of the century. That may be one of the reasons why I am giving it five stars and I am unable to rate it differently. You can feel the precision and emphasis on details, which I am sometimes missing in other biopics. It conceals the soul of a perfect story, which has not been seen for a long time and probably won’t be seen for a long while. (08.11.2018)

The story of one of the greatest bands of all time, Queen, and its charismatic lead singer Freddie Mercury, is conceived as a grand celebration of their music, energy and camaraderie rather than a classic biopic. Instead of private information, dying of AIDS or escalating conflicts between the protagonists, there are concerts, singing and the film tries to entertain above all. Fans will probably appreciate this, but if you go to the cinema expecting to learn more or get any significant insight into Mercury's private life, you'll probably leave disappointed. (01.11.2018)

Niemand auf der Welt kann mich dessen beschuldigen, kein Fan zu sein, denn es hat wohl keine andere Band in meinem Leben gegeben, die mich so in ihren Bann wie Queen gezogen hat. Ganze Jahre lang habe ich nichts anderes gehört, Lieder, Texte, Konzerte hineingesogen und Biografien gelesen. Und wahrscheinlich ist genau dies der Grund, warum mir Bohemian Rhapsody wie eine leichtfertige Geschichtsrecherche vorkommt, die außerdem von den noch lebenden Bandmitgliedern mächtig kastriert worden ist. Dementsprechend ist lediglich die laue Geschichte eines ungezogenen Kindes und eines Trios seiner Papis übrig geblieben, die sich darum bemühen, den verzogenen Bengel vor dem Übel in Form einer ekelhaften Version des Tom of Finland und seiner Truppe sehr warmfühlender in Leder gekleideter Kumpels zu schützen. Es hätte das Porträt einer tiefen Einsamkeit sein sollen, allerdings ist dies lediglich eine schlecht motivierte Sammlung lau erzählter Geschichten. Ich hätte es noch halbwegs überlebt, dass der Film alles Dunkle (Sexualität, Drogen) mit bis zu puritanischen Andeutungen abwimmelt, wenn er denn wenigstens etwas mehr bieten würde als Sitcom-Figuren und sehr unbeholfen arrangierte Szenen (wird sich denn jemand im Jahr 2019 tatsächlich mit einer theatralisch beleuchteten und durch einen highlanderähnlichen Song untermalten Szene aus einem AIDS-Zentrum zufrieden geben? Allem Anschein nach ja ...). Der Film wird durch eine klasse Schnittarbeit über Wasser gehalten und auch dadurch, das er einen für diese Genreart typischen Rhythmus aufweist. An Live Aid merken wird, dass es Singer immer noch recht Spaß gemacht hat. Bei einigen Szenen hatte ich das Gefühl, dass der Regisseur entweder schnarchte oder nicht gar nicht am Drehort erschienen war. Das Paradoxe daran ist, dass gerade durch all diese blinden Flecken ein perfektes Produkt entstanden ist. Die Menschen finden hierin, was an alle dem empörend war und von Queen wird das pathetisch-lobende Flair einer stadionfüllenden Band beibehalten. Nur Roger war so ein bisschen ein böser Schürzenjäger. Na ja, aber Sie wissen doch, wie es sich mit diesen verhält ... (09.11.2018)

This is not a biographical movie about the conflicting controversial Mercury´s personality. However, it is not even a film about the ups and downs of one of the most important bands in history. Where the Queen pushed / broke boundaries, the film is the exact opposite of their nature. It is "only" a completely safe “medium-current" (but at least not pathetic) and a celebrating film for fans in the form of “flying around the world through the careers of the Queen and their biggest milestones / hits". And not surprisingly, it doesn't matter at all, because it has one motto, which has the insignificant portion of films / documentaries (not only) about music. Namely, a completely unprecedented captivating driving force and energy, moreover supported by excellent technical (and especially sound; especially in Imax) aspects and performances. Not only Malek, but also Gwily Lee as Brian May and others are worth mentioning. Yes, I can complain about the fact that if I cast an actor in the caliber of Malek, who more than aptly (not) portrays, but becomes Freddy (how he managed to balance memorable poses and facial expressions with moments where only his look is enough, is worth all the praise), into the role of such a bearing and grateful role, it is an outright sin not to make full use of it and not to explore all aspects of his life. Yes, it's basically a fairy tale about outsiders, where the remaining members of the band have no place left beyond their role in the band. Yes, a lot of characters play a purely caricature role (especially the duo Ray Foster / Paul Prenter), a lot of things don't fit in time, quite a few of them are modified or even invented. There might complain about a lot of things. But, as I mentioned, that energy and pace push all these week points completely out of the field of vision and instead just rock and roll. (04.11.2018)

Yeah, it was alright. While Bohemian Rhapsody is at first glance the prototypical film that misses me by a thousand miles (a musical, a biopic gay drama) is a bit of the opposite of my favorite (horror, action, thriller), but oddly enough I saw the film and I’m alive and well. Rami Malek overacts a bit too much for my taste, but he and Freddie are very similar in appearance and he doesn't do a shameful job for a second-rate actor. Story-wise, there's not much of interest and the only strong moment comes in the final performance at Wembley, which is definitely good. I certainly won't see it again, but I was expecting suffering and in the end I got a fairly watchable film. 60%. (18.03.2019)

A celebration of music. Framing the entire story with a concert works incredibly well. The packed Wembley Stadium hungry for every note and Mercury’s every movement enraptures the viewer and takes them not just to the center of the action, but even above it, with the camera flying over the audience and weaving between the band’s legs and even between the fingers on the piano keyboard. Singer is brilliant in terms of form, serving up details on a silver platter, and that’s just the framework I’m talking about. The approach to the band's origins, recording the greatest hits, the dynamics of their relationships and to AIDS also functions well. The movie doesn’t go into detail and it’s a little fragmentary, which is a bit of a shame, but at least it doesn’t hinder this ode to the best band in the world. If you want details, watch a documentary… Malek is fantastic, but so is the rest of the acting ensemble. Ehm…great soundtrack. (07.11.2018)

Ich war nie ein Queen-Fan. Für mich war ihre Musik ein Synonym für den Kinofilm Highlander, und wenn der Name Freddie Mercury fiel, kam mir höchstens das Duett mit Montserrat Caballé in den Sinn. Aber ich respektiere einen Film, der mit so viel Selbstverständlichkeit so viel Energie vermittelt. Die letzte halbe Stunde des Live-Aid-Konzerts ist eine großartige Idee. Warum etwas verkomplizieren, das funktioniert? Oder ob die Realität etwas komplizierter wäre? Das könnte dann ein weiterer Film sein. (26.07.2019)

The celebration of a legend, sunny, full of breathtaking energy and musical highlights. Some of the passages are unnecessarily cinematic, not improvisational enough and quite for effect. Here is where the spontaneous A Star is Born wins. This is reminiscent of 2013, when the two best films of the year, Gravity and Rush, stood side by side and each had a slightly different fan base. Both were great films, but while Rush was a true-to-life story, graspable by any spectrum of audiences, Gravity wanted a more ambitious recipient who was willing to "put in the work" to be rewarded. The same thing happens here, and in films that are very similar in genre. Bohemian Rhapsody is the more challenging sibling, A Star is Born is a gentle American love story, but it manages to work better with emotions. And unlike Rhapsody, you'll take away a bit more from the cinema than just a polished musical component and an interesting depiction of a typically internally torn weirdo artist. (18.11.2018)

Eine Ode an Queen. Die Fans werden vor Behagen schnurren und im Kino herumtoben, die Sticheleien der vier Haupthelden, die perfekte Stimmung und viele Details genießen… Sie werden nicht verstehen, wie es möglich ist, dass jemand so ähnlich wie Freddie singen kann (ich könnte schwören, dass ich mehrmals wirklich Freddie gehört habe, aber angeblich war er es nicht) und dass jemand so wie Brian aussehen kann. Und sie werden auf das Finale warten – auf Live Aid. Und es ist wirklich ein unglaubliches Finale! Ich habe das Gefühl, als ob ich da gewesen wäre, bzw. wirklich eine Aufnahme von Queen beobachtet hätte. Hut ab. Diejenigen, denen es leidtut, dass Bohemian Rhapsody nicht "mutiger“ ist, haben einfach Pech gehabt. Der Film verheimlicht nicht, was auf Freddies wilden Partys vor sich ging (im Gegenteil – man sieht Zwerge mit Drogenpaketen, was eine Sache ist, die Peter Freestone fast in jedem Interview heftig bestreitet). Er zeigt es aber nicht, weil er es nicht braucht. Es ist ein Film über die Liebe, die Freundschaft und die Entschlossenheit eines Menschen, alles zu geben – auf dem Podium sowie außerhalb von ihm. Und es ist ein ausgezeichneter Film. (01.11.2018)

It’s something unique, pandering, energetic, top quality craftsmanship and yet empty. The opening scene is great and the camera panning in the end over a packed Wembley stadium brings chills, but neither the visual panache nor the stirring music can make up for the absence of a core conflict and the trivial development free from any controversy that would disrupt the unrealistic iconicisation of the adored Freddie. On the one hand, I have to admire this project because its box-office success is unparalleled for biopics and it’s also very good as advertisement for a famous band, on the other hand, it’s nothing more than an expensive promotional item – this prancing around fifteen years of history and conflicts that get resolved with a quick chat under the rain or in a manager’s office would have never been so easy to pull out without a brand like Queen. (25.03.2019)

Bohemian Rhapsody ist zweifellos eines der besten und erfolgreichsten Biopics in der Geschichte des Kinos, vor allem dank der Figur des Mercury, der es auch Jahre nach seinem unglücklichen Tod noch schafft, viele Zuschauer in die Kinos zu locken, um einen Blick unter den Deckel seines kontroversen und wilden Lebens zu werfen und sich von den unsterblichen Hits der unsterblichen Band mitreißen zu lassen. Über die Darsteller brauche ich nicht viel zu sagen - sie haben alle mit Herz und großer Authentizität gespielt (und gesungen). Die erste Hälfte des Films erschien mir etwas inkonsistent und gespickt mit biografischen Ereignissen, aber die zweite Hälfte nahm an Fahrt auf und das Abschlusskonzert war wirklich bombastisch - man fühlte sich in das Jahr 1985 zurückversetzt und war bei diesem berühmten Konzert dabei. Ich war ziemlich überrascht, als ich in der Inhaltsangabe las, dass viele Momente aus dem Film nicht ganz der Wirklichkeit entsprechen, aber ich bin kein eingefleischter Fan, so dass ich mich leicht und ohne Reue täuschen ließ. Ein Film mit einem großartigen Thema, einer guten Umsetzung und unglaublichen Leistungen, der unbedingt auf der großen Leinwand zu sehen sein sollte, wo er zweifellos hingehört. (01.12.2018)

One has to be a little nervous when five Oscar nominations and record-breaking theatrical receipts are racked up by a film so empty, pointless, and devoid of ambition that even its director wasn't entertained enough to show up to the set. Which you can tell from the film, among other things. Bohemian Rhapsody is nothing more than a monolithic monument to Freddy Mercury, and by extension the entirety of Queen, who as executive producers, obviously made sure to come off as the right bunch of buddies with their hearts in the right place despite the occasional cloud in an otherwise blue sky. Which implies, for example, that the film spends almost more of its time lying than it does telling the truth. Then, lest the band's fans be offended, the film spends its entire running time telling them how unique and groundbreaking their favorite band's music is, as if patting them on the back and praising them for recognizing that quality. And yet it seems unable to actually prove it in any way other than by constantly having someone walk into the scene and say "Oh my God this is so good, you're a genius!" During the first half of the film, someone says "It's beautiful" more than ten times. There is repeated emotional weeping over Mercury's genius, and we even get a completely serious scene where the frontman himself cries over what he just wrote! I think the last 20 minutes of the film will hopefully make it clear to any fan of the band that this is a unique and legendary concert, without the movie having to chew their food for them with people dancing in front of the TV in the pub or ringing phones in Bob Geldof's office from people who were so inspired by how Queen rocked it onstage that they decided they just had to start sending money to Africa right away. I find the notion of music and the band as a career concept, where music is only thought of in terms of how to get more people to see it, to be utterly disgusting. Especially since they then try to elevate the film to a status above Madonna. Not to mention the fact that the film portrays Mercury's escapades, legendary gay parties, and the requisite party debauchery as if it were made in the 1950s. As I write this, I’m actually realizing that I haven't seen anything so disgustingly and stupidly small and bourgeois in a long time, so I'm knocking off another star. Put a little thought into it for crying out loud, film is not a safe space. (04.02.2019)

Viel Lärm um nichts. Trotz der massiven Kampagne und des Megaerfolgs in den tschechischen Kinos hatte ich kein bisschen Lust, mir diesen Film anzusehen, trotzdem schaue ich in den letzten Jahren wirklich alle Filme, die für einen Oscar nominiert wurden, also musste ich das durchleiden. Die erste Hälfte war eine Katastrophe, erst die zweite Hälfte bzw. das Ende des Films rief in mir Emotionen hervor. Hätte der Film mit München begonnen, hätte er etwas mehr Naturalismus an den Tag gelegt, hätte er nicht wie Kalkül, wie ein zensierter und pseudogefälliger steriler Streifen gewirkt. Außerdem irritierte mich die ganze Zeit über fürchterlich Rami Malek, ich denke, mit den Zähnen haben es die Macher stark übertrieben. Ich bemerke und betone, dass ich Queen mag, Mercury gehört für mich zu den besten Sängern der Geschichte, doch ich mag Aufrichtigkeit, Authentizität, Realität - warum werden alle übrigen Mitglieder der Band als tolle und aufrichtige Typen mit Heiligenschein gezeichnet? Wenn es im Film eine Andeutung von Kontroverse gibt, dann bezieht sie sich nur auf Freddie. ich verstehe den Wahnsinn in Tschechien nicht, wahrscheinlich begreifen das selbst die Amerikaner nicht. Viel mehr Emotionen und Realitätssinn hat in mir der Konkurrenzstreifen A Star Is Born geweckt. (16.02.2019)

Even before watching the film, I knew I would like the soundtrack. I have listened to Queen a lot (although Led Zeppelin is Led Zeppelin), but my knowledge of the band’s story was very superficial, which was okay because the film could hardly disappoint or upset me. The plot picked up a decent pace from the very beginning. All those great hits only added to the whole experience, and it wasn’t boring in the least. I had a pretty good time. (06.03.2019)

A fascinating audiovisual presentation of Queen that is reprehensible in how extremely flat the psychology of the characters is. In any case, I doff my cap to the marketing strategy, since few people probably expected a such a mainstream success in the cinema. As long as you let yourself get carried away by the atmosphere and those timeless songs, it's a grandiose spectacle. In fact, the opening almost lured me beyond my expectations, as the first 30 minutes are simply perfect. The problem comes when the characters are supposed to acquire some more serious definition. The key facts are presented is very offhand way, which of course impacts the believability of the central characters. The depiction of Mercury's promiscuous homosexuality (while I understand the limitations of Singer and Fletcher as far as keeping an accessible rating) comes across as "obligatory" in Bohemian Rhapsody, as does the announcement to the other band members that Freddie has AIDS. Maybe I'm being demanding, but both of these facts must have had a very significant impact on the functioning of the band, as well as a significant impact on Mercury's mental state. There have been words exchanged about it here where some venture the "obligatory" and others distance themselves from it. I understand the desire to avoid wider controversy (this is supposed to be a film for the whole family, after all), but unfortunately the result of such a half-hearted approach is the brutal emasculation of any serious narrative. (10.03.2019)

Brian und Roger wollten ein großes Familienspektakel und die bekamen sie auch. Wer Freddie auf allen vieren depressiv am Boden krabbeln sehen möchte, der muss wo anders hin. Bohemian Rhapsody ist der Inbegriff purer Unterhaltung und liefert the best of the best der Queens mit den vier Darstellern, die den berühmten Bandmitgliedern wie ein Ei gleichen. Wo aber mich persönlich dieses Quartett erdrückt, ist das fast komplette und megalaute Live Aid, das dem original aus 1985 voll ebenbürtig ist. Erst dann wurde einem bewusst, dass man sich doch gewünscht hätte, der Film, das Konzert und vor allem das Leben von Freddie Mercury nicht so schnell ihrem Ende verdammt wären. (06.11.2018)

I've been a huge fan of Queen and their brilliant music since I was a young girl, so I was really looking forward to this film. I can't help it, but Bohemian Rhapsody is a big disappointment for me because of that. Visually and musically, it's a near-perfect piece of work, but it doesn't have much in common with a biopic. Queen is primarily Freddie Mercury, and I assumed I would actually learn something about him. Where did he come from and where did his personality take shape? His sex life was probably quite turbulent, that must be obvious to everyone, but here it looks like he was almost innocent... It seems to me that the film skillfully glides only on the surface and doesn't want to get even a little dirty. If I compare it to The Dirt (what a fitting title) about the band Mötley Crüe, I can't rate Bohemian Rhapsody better than slightly above average. The Dirt is a truly believable biopic with all the trappings that go with it. (06.03.2020)

I find it hard to rate this for a number of reasons. Queen are an absolute legend and their music is a true masterpiece. I have seen this happen many times - wherever their music is used, the result is always awesome, so the creators had a much easier job, because no matter how they filmed it, it could never turn into a complete disappointment. The story of this legendary band itself was actually much more dramatic. The movie barely scratches the surface, never cutting to the core. A lot of the things are over-simplified, not just regarding the way it is filmed, but also due to gaping holes in the story. I don’t mind the fact that the rest of the band gets pretty much ignored. Freddie gets all the attention, because (although the creators and especially the living band members/producers probably wanted to convince us otherwise) his story is simply the most interesting one. But even that feels incomplete - I didn't actually learn anything new or fundamental, and it's an even greater shame as the creators had Rami Malek at their disposal, whose rendition of Mercury’s mannerisms and speech was spot on. All the hit songs were written without showing their true inspiration or meaning, they simply came into existence, period. Yes, everything is sort of implied, but none of it is developed in a satisfactory way. The editing is sometimes confusing, or at least I felt that some scenes lacked continuity. Anyway, to get back to the beginning of my review after such a long digression - can you really be disappointed after watching Bohemian Rhapsody? Absolutely not, because even if they screened YouTube videos of their concerts instead of the movie, it would still be an amazing experience thanks to Mercury's perfect singing and his incredible ability to wrap the audience around his finger. And even if you were (theoretically speaking) untouched by Queen's music, the final part at Wembley is something absolutely spectacular, and it is where the emotions really fly high and its energy is so over-whelming that it will draw you in and won't let go. (08.11.2018)