The long awaited biopic about Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, has finally hit the big screen. From getting his start in the Jackson 5 with his brothers, Michael (Juliano Valdi and Jaafar Jackson) was always talented. Enduring abuse from his father Joseph (Colman Domingo), he eventually broke out from under his reign. Releasing hits such as Thriller, Beat It and Billie Jean, he was catapulted to stardom and beloved by many.
It was never going to be easy to make a film about such a prominent person, but Antoine Fuqua wanted to toss his hat into the ring anyway. Having to choose which parts of Michael’s life to incorporate seemed almost impossible, especially when the latter was filled with controversy. Focusing on the height of his career instead of the darker parts was certainly a choice that will divide audiences, but with the Jackson estate being heavily involved in production, it didn’t come as much of a surprise. As this was just a snippet of time in the musician’s life, his greatest hits if you will, it did deliver what it set out to do, but it could have been better.
Both casting choices for the titular Michael were spot on. Little Juliano captured my heart from the very beginning; his performance was a combination of innocence and earnestness and he had the voice to boot. Jaafar Jackson completely embodied his uncle in every way. There were some moments where I could swear I was watching the real Michael, it was uncanny. From his speaking voice, to the mannerisms and the costumes, he had it down to a T. The rest of the cast did a good job too. Domingo gave a convincing performance as the patriarch of the Jackson family. He was an awful man and I’m glad he got what was coming to him. Nia Long was formidable as Katherine, Michael’s mother while Miles Teller starred as John Branca, an entertainment lawyer and manager who ends up working with Michael during his career.
The highlight of the film was without a doubt the musical sequences. Fans of the superstar are in for a treat as they will get to experience their favorite songs on the big screen. As a casual fan, I enjoyed seeing how the Thriller music video was made and I loved the full length performance of Bad that took place at Wembley Stadium. They pulled out all the stops to deliver performances that matched the original. I was tapping my feet and mouthing along to the words. Unfortunately the rest of it kind of fell flat. As far as biopics go, it played it safe which is fine. However, we as the audience were missing a huge chunk of the story that would have elevated it to another level. I know the plan is to potentially do a sequel, but even then one would wonder how far they are willing to go with it.
Michael was one of my most anticipated films of the year. Not for the story which I knew wouldn’t be anything to write home about, but for the high production of each musical performance. The singing and dancing were so good. People in my audience, including me and my husband, were clapping and whooping throughout. It was like attending our very own concert! While other aspects could have been better, I enjoyed it for what it was.
Rating: ♥️♥️♥️
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