This movie isn't quite sure if it's a Freddie Mercury biopic or a Queen docudrama. The result is something of a compromise. The focus is very much on Freddie (some of the other band members while convincing looking are thinly drawn characterisation wise), but doesn't manage to get under the skin of what made him tick.The other problem is that the story of Queen doesn't seem to be a very interesting one. It's basically band gets together, has some hits and becomes massive, splits and then reunites. The snippets of insight into the how and why some of the hit songs were made was often fascinating, but probably not covered in any more depth than the relevant wikipedia article.
The film's crescendo - a performance at Live Aid - is hardly the stuff of legend to the average viewer. I have honestly given Live Aid almost no thought in the last 30 years - and can remember nothing about the individual band performances. Mercury, however, is genuinely interesting as a person. For example, "What drove him creatively?" is a question which is barely touched upon.
By now you've probably realised I am at best a passing Queen fan, and I felt Malek had got Mercury about 90% right. The accent and diction is a bit variable, but his look and movement often eerily invoked the musician. The film soars when it comes together and you realise the dent in the public conscious this band family managed to make thanks in large part to Mercury's singular vision and zest for life.
Verdict: Does the job.
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