Antoine Fuqua’s “Michael,” a biopic on the infamous singer, Michael Jackson, provides less substance than a glance at his Wikipedia page. While the casting of his nephew (Jaafar Jackson) to play the singer is intriguing, it does not mask the movie’s overt bias. The movie constantly falls back on its music, but that backing can only go so far. It is a movie without a soul.
The movie begins from early childhood, where Young Michael (Juliano Valdi) is already practicing with his brothers to start touring as the Jackson 5. Quickly, they go from a small-town bar band to topping the Hot 100 with “ABC.” Valdi is charming as the popstar, dancing his way into the hearts of audiences everywhere. Yet his success is never good enough; whenever he is proud of himself, his father, Joseph (Colman Domingo), is always there to shoot him down. The bigger the star Michael becomes, the less he feels connected to other kids his age. That theme of lost innocence and childhood is key throughout the movie, one that audiences are reminded of time and time again. Yet when the sequel eventually comes out (yes, there will most likely be a sequel), the theme will have nowhere to go.
Originally, this biopic was supposed to be three hours and start with the police searching Michael’s house, investigating accusations of child sexual abuse. Rather than ending with a 1980s concert in London, it ended with a full final hour delving into the investigations. All of this, including multiple scenes with Diana Ross (Kat Graham), was shot by the end of May 2024 but failed to make the final cut. While in post-production, lawyers discovered the movie violated a clause in one of the victims’ settlements. The whole ending had to be reshot and many scenes were left on the chopping block. While the initial movie was intended to defend against Michael’s allegations, the final product chooses not to acknowledge them at all.
Eventually, there is a time jump to Michael being an adult. It is time for him to grow up and make a name for himself. Just himself. He strives to have a solo album, leave the Jackson 5 and no longer be under Joseph‘s thumb. Joseph, however, has other plans. Upon seeing just how successful his son was with “Thriller,” he chooses to get in on the action by forcing him to tour with the family. The conflict does not delve any deeper. It is simplified to being about a son wanting independence from his overbearing and controlling father. Luckily, for the little he is given to work with, Domingo is excellent in the movie. He communicates so much with just his face and owns the power his character holds in every scene.
Even more than Domingo, the real standout is Jackson. His portrayal is worth the price of admission. No actor or AI deepfake could have done a better job than Michael’s own nephew, with help from the fantastic makeup department, in portraying his likeness. There are moments where they look almost identical. Jackson’s speaking voice is top-notch as well, making it feel like the audience is watching Michael Jackson rather than a movie depicting him. For some of the songs, both his and Valdi’s voices were blended with recordings of Michael. But the script does Jackson no favors.
There are small pieces from the original version of the movie where Jackson is hyperfixated on toys and children. He gives autographs to many kids, donates to a children’s hospital wing and decorates his bedroom as if he were still a child, implying that he would never harm them. For the most part, his performance is that happy bubbly energy with less complexity than a toothpick. This is most jarring in a scene where he manages to seamlessly unite the Bloods and Crips gangs with dance. There is only ever emotional depth when he shares the screen with Domingo. For the most part, this entire movie paints him as a perfect messianic figure.
All this being said, “Michael” provides an entertaining, albeit surface-level at best, theatrical experience. The visuals are pretty to look at, with fast editing to cut together some blandly choreographed concerts. It features many of his early hits from “Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough” to “Bad,” letting most run for their full durations rather than being cut short. Many audience members are sure to get soaked in and tap their feet along to the beats. Those willing to look past Michael Jackson’s controversies may even have a blast. While the movie is a fun watch, it should be taken with a grain of salt.
