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| Jaafar Jackson as MICHAEL |
Antoine Fuqua certainly had his work cut out for him when he chose to make a biopic about the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. A compelling biopic is one of the hardest film genres to get right, and when it comes to Michael Jackson, viewers may want different things out of a film about his life. Some may want to experience what it was like to see a live performance (those people are in luck). Others may want to learn his creative process or what it was like to be in a studio with him. Still others may want a deep dive into the Jackson's personal life. For me, I just didn't want to be bored, and MICHAEL is entertaining.
After a cold open where we see only the feet and back of Michael before he goes on stage, the movie jumps back to 1966. In Gary, Indiana, Joseph Jackson (Colman Domingo) forces his sons to endure long rehearsals. Jermaine, Marlon, Tito, and Jackie are all talented, but youngest son Michael (Played by Juliano Valdi) is singled out for his star quality and vocal agility. The story progresses from 1966 to 1988, like a tour through the greatest hits of Michael's life. One could say it's Michael Jackson's Era's Tour. On-screen titles announce the year and location. Viewers receive a short pit stop into that moment in time – what Michael (Jaafar Jackson as an adult) was wearing and dealing with as a person and musical artist. Those looking for an in-depth exploration into Michael's life will be bitterly disappointed. Partway through the film, Michael tells his manager, John Branca (Miles Teller) that he wants to be mysterious. The MICHAEL movie protects that legacy and leaves much of the unpleasant junk on the cutting room floor.
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| Colman Domingo as JOSEPH JACKSON |
There's an energy to this film that matches the feeling of a concert. In a sense, the film is one big concert with the finale being an actual concert. The story bounces from one scene to the next, like a highlight reel. Unpleasant events are glossed over quickly. We never spend time seeing Michael suffer. Joseph beats Michael with a belt, but after the first time, it's treated as a blip, accompanied by an upbeat tune. Likewise, we see Michael survive a traumatic event in 1984 when his hair was set on fire during a Pepsi commercial. Michael's trip to the ER is handled quickly, spending little time on what must have been a harrowing and painful recovery. This treatment incubates the viewer from feeling too much discomfort, placing the focus square on Michael's musical talents and performances, which are the highlight of the film.
Filmed in spacious IMAX, this might be the closest thing to seeing Michael perform live for those born after his time. While you can find recordings of his concerts on YouTube, the camera in most cases stays firmly on Michael. Here, Fuqua's experience as a music video director shines, he knows exactly how to capture kinetic shots that fit the mood demanded. The camera frequently cuts over the crowd, focusing on fans that are swooning, screaming, or passing out to be in Michael's presence. Smartly-cut edits to the beat of the song add to the energy on display. Seeing this on an enlarged, vibrant IMAX screen immerses you in the moment. Even I – someone who has never been a devotee of Michael Jackson – felt enraptured. The theatrical audience was dancing in their seats as if they were at a live show.
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| Judah Edwards as YOUNG TITO, Jaylen Hunter as YOUNG MARLON, Juliano Valdi as YOUNG MJ, Nathaniel McIntyre as YOUNG JACKIE, and Jayden Harville as YOUNG JERMAINE |
Jaafar Jackson succeeds in creating a carbon copy of the Michael that starstruck fans imagine. He's warm, charismatic, empathetic, and seems to have no flaws except an inability to stand up to his father. His desire to meticulously master the dance moves, mannerisms, and presence of his uncle is without fault. After Jaafar, the main three performances that matter are Colman Domingo as his father Joseph, Nia Long as mother Katherine, and KeiLyn Durrel Jones as Bill Bray, Michael's devoted bodyguard. All three fill parental roles in Michael's and shed light into the shaky support system he receives. Joseph and Katherine serve as foils to one another. Joseph is a harsh, controlling father, while Katherine is a loving yet passive mother who does little to protect her son from his father's whims. At times her failure to intervene on Michael's behalf stretches credulity since she's portrayed as a strong woman who adores her son. Only Bill Bray serves as a constant source of stability. He's a mostly silent presence that puts Michael first, even though Joseph is paying his salary.
With two decades of a music career to cover in only two hours, the screenwriter chooses to highlight the most important moments in Michael's career and only stop to linger on events that emphasize how Michael broke barriers as a Black artist. Aided by his lawyer, Michael fights to become the first Black man to have his videos shown on MTV. Concerned about gang violence, Michael brings warring gangs together to help him film the "Beat It" video, brokering a tentative peace. And the "Thriller" video revolutionized music videos and pivoted from mere performance to a type of short-form storytelling. Each of these events cements Michael's reputation as a cultural icon. We also glean what stars and TV shows he watched that would inspire his choreography and future endeavors.
Viewers that hoped to see something more realistic and heartbreaking maybe disappointed. We do receive hints at some of the sadness in his life. The movie paints his relationship with his father as difficult and abusive, which may have created the part of him that wished to remain in eternal childhood. He's drawn to the stories of Peter Pan and Neverland, the boy who never grew up. He wants to take care of animals who seem innocent and who give affection freely. Perhaps most troubling of all, the movie portrays Michael as constantly dissatisfied with his appearance, chasing some elusive ideal of a symmetrical face. He may also have felt a survivalist's instinct to keep his voice childlike to ensure he could hit those high notes. These challenges are woven into the narrative without becoming the focus.
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| Nia Long as KATHERINE JACKSON |
Complaints that this film doesn't cover the sexual abuse allegations seem unwarranted since the movie ends in 1988, and the allegations didn't occur until 1993. Perhaps they will be covered in part two. But perhaps a biopic that celebrate Michael's legacy isn't the right platform to deal with a case that might open old wounds and do more harm than good. Any attempt to portray these events even in the future second part might come across as trying to re-litigate something that has been resolved.
While MICHAEL doesn't reveal new information or help to solve the mystery of who Michael really was, the film has reinvigorate the public's love of one of the most talented and enterprising musicians of all time and reminded us of his legacy. Biopics don't always tells fans or critics what they want to know about someone – sometimes they simply help you understand how the subject of interest might have seen themselves.
Release info: In theaters April 24, 2026
Final score: 3 out of 5
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