A formulaic biopic elevated by Jafaar Jackson’s uncanny transformation and electrifying musical moments.
The critical reception to Michael feels a tad overblown and disconnected from my actual viewing experience. It is without a doubt a very sanitised and safe biopic, feeling more like a celebration of the King of Pop, instead of an exploration of Michael Jackson.
Thing is, it still works for the most part because of the fantastic performances and spectacle. If you’re a Michael Jackson fan, you’re going to have a great time watching this.
A Familiar Rise to Greatness
Antoine Fuqua’s Michael follows the traditional biopic formula, documenting Michael’s child star beginnings and that transition to global superstardom. We experience key milestones from the icon’s life; beginning in the 1960s, featuring the early days of the Jackson 5 all the way to 1988 with the Bad tour.
There’s a clear focus on the fame, pressure, and legacy but it lacks any sort of depth and nuance in its storytelling. It’s nothing Michel Jackson fans didn’t know before but it’s a pleasant reminder of just how insanely transcendent this man was.
Jafaar Jackson Becomes Michael Jackson
Jafaar Jackson’s debut performance as his uncle is the real standout. What starts as a strong impersonation gradually becomes something much more convincing. There’s a key turning point where the performance stops feeling like an imitation and he fully embodies Michael. It was truly wild to see: the voice, mannerisms, and physicality were all there.
It’s a shame he didn’t get a lot more to chew on because he is definitely capable. He’s the central reason this film works and it would’ve been great to see him tackle some more challenging moments in Michael’s life.
“…the film succeeds most when it leans into performance over narrative”
Colman Domingo is also great as Joseph Jackson. Positioned as the film’s primary “villain”, he delivers a strong, grounded performance that’s required to truly show off the controlling father-son dynamic. This is the film’s main conflict and it’s a strong hook providing the most compelling and emotional beats in Michael’s life.
We get to see the pressure, control, and trauma behind the fame but once again, whilst the conflict works, it could’ve been explored with more depth.
Scratching the Surface of Something Deeper
The musical sequences are a major standout too, really highlighting just how much of a star Michael Jackson really was. This felt like the closest approximation to seeing him live – the energy and scale were truly felt, especially in the IMAX. These grand spectacles really captured the star power and presence this man had, again elevated by Jafaar. It’s proof the film succeeds most when it leans into performance over narrative.
This is the central issue with Michael then. Everything feels touched on but never fully explored in any meaningful way. There are interesting themes introduced but they’re all mostly underdeveloped. Michael’s insecurities, loss of childhood, and the psychological impact of fame are all present but that’s it.
A prime example being the infamous Pepsi incident. This is a pivotal moment in the star’s life, this is where he is first introduced to pain medication which ultimately changes his life. It’s a big moment that is quickly moved past, lacking any interesting exploration of the long-term consequences.
Everything tends to come back to the dynamic between him and his father, and that control he had. It’s captivating enough but there was more to Michael than this.
Entertaining, but Never Anything More
Michael works best as a performance-driven spectacle rather than a deep character study. For most fans that will be enough but for those looking for something more, it’s not here.
Jafaar Jackson is the film’s defining strength, fully embodying Michael and elevating otherwise standard material into something a little more engaging. However, the film is held back by its safe and by-the-numbers structure. It fails to explore the emotional and psychological impact of many major themes Michael experienced. It felt more like a checklist of defining moments rather than a fully realised portrait.
Entertaining? Absolutely. Definitive? Not even close.
A fun yet formulaic biopic that barely scratches the surface of a once-in-a-generation icon.
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