The story of bands are often mystified by the general public. We wonder what went into these often tragic stories of music's most important people. One way these stories are told is through the biopic.
The biggest issues with these biopics is the clear interference from the families or surviving members of these groups/people. This film tries so hard to make the surviving members look good, making Freddie look even worse.
The film has to entirely make up stories in order to create antagonists and conflict in a band that honestly never had many issues. There was no dramatic breakup. There was no evil manager. Just 4 dudes who made music for a while and probably had a few conflicts here and there.
So how do you fit the Queen story in the cringy, corny, music biopic formula that Walk Hard (2007) parodied so well? Well the answer is obviously, make Freddie’s sexuality the core conflict in this film.
It’s honestly disgusting how the film uses his sexuality to make him look more evil. They have him be so happy and kind to everyone whilst in his straight relationship. But the second that ends (even when he says he is bisexual) it forces this narrative on how the life of being a “gay man in the 80s” made him evil and ruined his life.
Last thing to throw out, the editing is atrocious. I’m not even gonna go further, just watch it yourself.
I don’t hate Queen. A Night at the Opera is an amazing album. I believe that their story deserves to be told more respectfully and honestly than it is now.
1/5