There are many times you go to see a movie and don’t know quite what you’re going to get – it’s a new story, new experience. But other times you go in knowing the story and, as a fan, you want to see just how they manage to pull it off. That’s the case with the latest music biopic to hit screens, Bohemian Rhapsody. 

Ostensibly a movie about the creation and evolution of Queen, it’s really mostly about Freddie Mercury. And considering the presence he had as the frontman for the band, it’s only appropriate that the focus be on his life. Of course, it’s a life that made a lot of headlines, even after his death, so there aren’t many surprises to be had from the film plot. There are, however, some interesting insights regarding particular pieces of his, and the band’s, history. Even someone (like myself) who has read a bio or two about Freddie will end up learning something new.

There are many ways the movie could have been made more exciting or interesting, but that doesn’t make the end result a bad movie. I think it’s a good thing that they didn’t go too far showing the overindulgence or all the times the wrong path was chosen – too many movies already do that and it brings things down. The mix of the music everyone loves with some truly standout performances (especially by Rami Malik, who not only looks like Freddie, but captured his flamboyant yet troubled attitude perfectly) makes this an enjoyable movie to watch. And ending it with a recreation of Queen’s Live Aid performance was a great finale, making the film well worth seeing on a big screen. Ultimately, Bohemian Rhapsody feels like a celebration of genius we lost far too early.