In the last ten years, movie fans have witnessed a slew of biopics covering the life of Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, and Freddie Mercury. The latest, directed by Anton Fuqua and released in U.S. theaters on April 24, recounts the time that the titular Michael Jackson spent as part of the Jackson 5 before pursuing a solo career. While Michael was an enjoyable movie and had plenty of momentum leading up to its release, its lackluster examination of its star made it come to a halt in the middle of the road.
Admittedly, Michael can be given some grace for having lasting production delays. Michael was given the greenlight back in 2019 under the production of Graham King. After determining distribution rights, Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer) was announced as the director in 2023. It was at this point that Michael hit several road blocks. A few of these took the form of the 2023-2024 SAG-AFTRA strikes as well as an unearthed clause in one of the Jackson estate’s settlements regarding his child abuse allegations. Up to this point, the Michael script by John Logan was supposed to center around the pop-star’s struggle with the latter topic, but since the clause prevented several key persons from being mentioned in the film, the writer was forced to take a 180 and revolve the film around Jackson’s rise to stardom.
After completing the soundtrack (13 of Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five’s biggest hits), casting (Michael’s nephew Jaafar Jackson played his uncle in his film debut), and reshooting (27 extra days were needed in 2025, bringing the total budget to $200-$250 million), Michael smashed the box office with a $217 million opening weekend.
Although it reigns over musical biopics as the most instantaneously successful, it could not make its way beyond entertaining. Jafaar Jackson fantastically brought the larger-than-life persona of Michael Jackson on to the screen. His fluidity, charm, and his ability to capture every mannerism was an easy highlight of Michael. He augmented the already energetic film to a worthy depiction of the King of Pop. But as a story, Michael is trapped in limbo. The soundtrack packs the movie’s runtime with boisterous performances that, while being a good tribute, do not comment on Michael Jackson. Past biopics have attracted viewers with the promise of a fun movie-going experience. Michael does the same, but unlike the others, it declines to show the sinew of its singer past the makeup-plastered skin. Elvis commented on Presley’s drug addiction, Rocket Man on Elton John’s sexuality, and all biopics including the aforementioned two showed the struggle of rising to fame. This is what makes musical biopics memorable, the thought of ‘man – that’s what he was like?’. In spite of Colman Domingo giving a good performance as the controlling Jackson patriarch, Michael Jackson’s victimization is downplayed by his reach for stardom to the tune of multiple dance numbers. Consequently, Michael is a fantastic recount of the superstar’s stage journey and greatest works that falters when it comes to explore him as a person. But taken as a whole, it is still a clear recommendation that puts both the precedent hits of Jackson 5 and those of the famous Thriller right on the playlist.
Michael looks to continue raking in millions and dividing critics as it enters its second week. Brookfield Central students can watch it any weekend at the Movie Tavern in Brookfield Square, AMC in Mayfair, or the surrounding Marcus Theater locations.
