The upcoming musical biopic Rocketman feels reminiscent of Bohemian Rhapsody, as both films explore similar themes.
Bohemian Rhapsody, though cliché, is my favourite film of 2018. Director Dexter Fletcher, whom had stepped in for Bryan Singer after he was fired from the film, is also directing Rocketman (2019). The film is described as an “uncensored human story” of Elton John’s life and music career.
I can’t not think of Bohemian Rhapsody when I see this first trailer of Rocketman because it’s set around the same era, and has the very same type of vibe as Queen’s biopic. Also the romantic relationship—which is briefly hinted in the trailer—between Elton John (Taron Egerton) and his manager John Reid (Richard Madden) is somewhat similar to the complex relationship that Freddie Mercury had with his manager Paul Prenter.
It looks like Rocketman will touch on similar themes as Bohemian Rhapsody, such as sexual identity, but the main difference being how extensive the former is going to explore such a topic. And I know that it’s certainly not fair to place Rocketman in comparison to Bohemian Rhapsody because after all, such films are intended to celebrate the legacy of the artiste and not be judged solely on its similarities in terms of production value and story. But it’s difficult to not compare both films, as the hype of Bohemian Rhapsody has not died down especially since the awards season is still ongoing at the moment.
With that being said, I will still watch Rocketman in theatres—possibly IMAX—because musical biopics are often a ton of fun. And who doesn’t want to hear Elton John’s music on the big screen? 😉
Tracy's Screen Blog 