I was not unique in my eagerness to see ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ when it came out in cinemas. It’s been one of the most talked about films of the year and once you’ve seen it you can understand why.

The film takes us on a journey from Queen’s birth performing at student gigs, through to huge success, sell-out international tours and all the bumps in between.

The musical sequences showing their rise to fame and the origins of their most-loved hits are a real treat for Queen fans. I had shivers running down my spine every time the band played or I heard the distinctive tones of the voice we all know so well.

One moment in particular where the band take themselves off to a remote farm to be free of distractions in order to produce their new album, which would become ‘A Night at the Opera’, was one of my personal favourites. To see the iconic ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ being born felt like you were being let into a secret that has never before been revealed.

The film seems almost more of a love letter to the band and its charismatic lead singer than it does a dramatic intrusion into their private lives. Brian May, the band’s lead guitarist, has said of the film since its premiere that Freddie “would have loved it” which further proves the film’s celebratory angle.

Whilst we are let in to the struggles experienced by Mercury by way of his sexuality, drugs, involvements with less than savoury characters and of course his battle with AIDS, it seems it’s often no more than we already know.

It is a respectful look into his life and is told with constant affection. The film has a conservative 12a certificate meaning that most of the dark matter is merely alluded to.

And while we may not directly see these goings on, this does not mean we don’t feel their effects. Rami Malek is absolutely outstanding in his role as Freddie Mercury, pulling you in and tearing at your heart strings.

Malek can only be applauded for his complete embodiment of the character – there were several occasions where I forgot I was watching an actor give a performance and felt as if I were watching Mercury himself fly across the stage.

The supporting cast members playing the rest of Queen – Ben Hardy (Roger Taylor), Joseph Mazzello (John Deacon) and Gwilym Lee (Brian May) – are also a joy to watch, adding a splash of humour to the often sombre subject matter.

However, the shining light of this film has to be Rami Malek. The final scenes take place at the world famous Live Aid concert in 1985. Malek performs with the essence that this could be Mercury’s last show and to say that I left the cinema with an extremely tear soaked face (and was not alone for that matter) speaks for itself.