There’s no denying that Michael Jackson was one of the most mythicised modern musicians of our time. Naturally, when a movie about his storied life was announced, expectations were high. And with recent biopics like Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman earning applause from critics and regular moviegoers, another one about THE King of Pop was set to be a hit.
The hype rose when the film’s trailers dropped. It teased an epic scope of Jackson’s life from his debut as a kid with the Jackson 5 to his rise to fame with Thriller. It showcased a strong direction from Antoine Fuqua (director of the Oscar-winning Training Day) and a leading performance by Jackson’s own nephew Jaafar Jackson, recreating his uncle’s voice and dance moves perfectly
However, when it was finally released, it was not received well by critics. With a 41% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes and generally mediocre and unfavourable reviews, I was nervous going into my screening. Growing up with Jackson’s timeless songs, I was hoping for a film befitting of the legendary artist, and any reviews less than amazing had me tempering my expectations.
Despite what everyone has been saying, I came out enjoying this film a lot more than I thought. So, do the negative reviews hold any weight? Or will Jackson’s first cinematic biopic be a forgotten B-side? Read on to find out!
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Cast: Jaafar Jackson, Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Miles Teller, Juliano Valdi, and KeiLyn Durrel Jones
Release Date: 22 April 2026 (Malaysia)
Most of the lead performances are what carried my enjoyment of the film. Firstly, Jaafar Jackson is Michael Jackson. From his speech, mannerisms, and dance moves, Jaafar goes beyond an impersonation and embodies the spirit of his uncle. Not only is it impressive that he got to hold his own dance moves, with the prosthetics of Bill Corso, he really almost looks like Jackson. Young actor Juliano Valdi and Jaafar manage to create a seamless transition of Jackson from his childhood all the way up to his solo career, and that is no easy feat.
Colman Domingo was also outstanding as Joseph Jackson, Michael’s father and first manager. The biopic doesn’t shy away from the beatings Joseph gave young Jackson and the psychological effects of them lasting into adulthood. By all accounts, Joseph was a perfectionist and an opportunist, and Domingo’s performance bathes in greed and menace. Somehow, even when playing a despicable character, Domingo still got me to chuckle when Joseph had to deal with Michael’s eccentric shenanigans.
I enjoyed the moments when Jackson is in his own headspace, clicking and writing fragments of demos that would go on to be his greatest hits. Seeing him craft ideas from his own home studio and transforming it into a song was really satisfying. But the film truly peaks when he is on stage performing his heart out. The rhythm and vibe of his first performance of Billie Jean on Motown 25 and his iconic music video for Thriller are perfectly recreated. If you’re looking to see the highlight reel of Jackson’s career from the 1970’s to the 1990’s, you will be satisfied.
But that leads me into the criticisms many other viewers and I have. Michael only shows the best moments of his career, only touching briefly on the complexities of his upbringing in the spotlight. Jackson is portrayed here as a ‘golden child’, a prodigy with immeasurable talent on a destiny to change the world. While all of that is true with Jackson, we’ve seen a story like this a million times. He is portrayed as a musical saint who has a miraculous talent that enables him to know exactly what to say at a boardroom meeting, after many visits with sick children.
The drama and intrigue are quite shallow, and what makes up for it is its musical sequences. I felt like I was watching a ‘sanitised’ musical of Jackson’s life rather than what it actually was. And with its breakneck two-hour runtime, there wasn’t enough time onscreen dedicated to important relationships in Michael’s life, like with his siblings or his collaborators.
Part of the reason why the film is this way is because of its troubled production. The original script was supposed to cover a longer period of his life, including his 1993 sexual abuse allegations. The final script of the film omitted this portion of the story, causing major reshoots after filming ended. As a result, the film does feel like the first half of the full story, which may leave fans unfulfilled. Personally, I was not too bothered by the ending, as this film will likely get a sequel that will cover the later years of Michael’s life.
I think the reason why critics have not liked Michael is that it is an average film of a man whose life was anything but average. But to me, I came into Michael looking for a good time with great performances and music, and I did get that in spades. However, those looking to dive into the darker parts of Jackson’s life, including his controversies, will leave sorely disappointed. While I agree with most criticisms of Michael, considering its troubled production, this is the best film it could’ve been, and I’m perfectly fine with that.
Our final thoughts on Michael
Cast: 8/10
Plot: 5/10
Visuals: 8/10
Writing: 5/10
Music: 10/10
Overall rating: 7 Hee-hees /10
All images by Lionsgate
Note : The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.