Bohemian Rhapsody, directed by Bryan Singer, took the world by storm when released in early November of last year. The 2018 biographical movie follows the evolution of British rock band Queen, specifically focusing on the life of frontman Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek) as a young rock star and queer man around the time of the AIDS epidemic.

The movie begins by following Mercury during his college years, where his dream of being famous comes to fruition when he joins guitarist Brian May (Gwilym Lee) and drummer Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy) to become the lead singer of their band.

The audience is shown detailed highlights of the band’s career, beginning with their first performance together at a college bar and ending with their iconic Live Aid benefit concert set. The movie also includes the signing of their first record deal, the creation and release of their first album, and the breakup and reunion of the band.

The detailed recap gives younger viewers a perspective on why Queen is such an iconic band. Mercury’s story, being so unconventional and progressive, shines throughout the movie and easily inspires the audience.

The impressive casting and costume design of the movie are some of the most noteworthy aspects. Mercury’s spirit is alive and well throughout as Malek’s close resemblance to him and avant-garde acting is flawless. Malek’s remake of Mercury’s eccentric style is emphasized by eye-catching costumes and is tied together with false teeth, resembling Mercury’s own.

Throughout the movie, Mercury’s struggle with his identity is shown through his close relationships and acceptance of his sexuality during a time of prejudice towards the LGBTQ+ community. Bohemian Rhapsody looks into Mercury’s very personal life, allowing viewers to feel connected to him by the end of the movie. Mercury’s charm and charisma is revived by Malek, bringing Queen’s pop culture impact into the 21st century.

Integrated into the movie is a blend of vocals from Malek, Queen’s master tracks, and vocals from Marc Martel, a Canadian musician who also performed as Mercury to front the tribute band The Queen Extravaganza on their worldwide tour. Martel was handpicked by Queen drummer Roger Taylor for this role. The movie soundtrack was flawlessly blended and transformed the theater into a live concert.

Fox Movies also gave fans the opportunity to be part of the movie by having them send in their “best rendition of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’” which the sound editors used by layering and mixing them into the movie soundtrack. These vocals were mainly used for clips of the crowd singing along during the Live Aid concert, which made the recreation of the the band’s iconic performance feel as though it was the original.

Holistically, the movie does Mercury’s eccentric and progressive personality justice while showing the audience the hard work and dedication that went into making Queen such an iconic band.