Malaysian movie-goers have expressed anger after 24-minutes were cut from local screenings of the Freddie Mercury biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody.
According to Malay Mail the film was rated 18+ by the Malaysian Film Censorship Board and runs for 110 minutes, while in the US, UK and Australia the film is rated PG-13 and has a 134 minute run time.
The board has reportedly advised upset Mercury fans to see the film elsewhere or wait for it to become available on a streaming platform such as Netflix.
"The rating for Bohemian Rhapsody in Malaysia is 18+ but I'm not sure why there are a lot of censoring & scene cuts. Then, what's the point of categorizing it under 18+? Hello, we're all adults here!? Such a waste of money!" One upset audience member wrote on social media.
Another tweeted: "I watched it in both Singapore & Malaysia & I realise you won’t fully understand if you watch it in Malaysia. Recommend to watch someplace else!"
The film, which has no nudity or explicit sex scenes, was directed by Dexter Fletcher and Bryan Singer and stars Rami Malek as Mercury.
One of the several key scenes barred from Malaysian audiences is the critical moment Mercury comes out as bisexual. Malek, known for his role on Mr Robot, has previously said that he wishes more queer content could have been incorporated into the film.
“It was something I pushed for, to be quite honest, as much as possible and repeatedly brought to the attention of producers and directors and everyone who would listen,” Malek said.
He added: “I hope people do not feel that the film does a disservice to the community, and if it were me, I would’ve loved to have incorporated more.”
