Michael Jackson is a household name. It carries the language-deifying significance of Coca-Cola or a simple nod. Everyone knows Michael Jackson. And so, with that weight comes expectation and when you hear that a biographical film (informally known as a biopic) is coming out about his life, you know that this cannot be a “flop.”
The biopic genre is controversial. It tends to either be a phenomenal film, honestly highlighting the figure’s raw, complex life, or it is surface level, failing to tell the story as it is motivated only by the opportunity to make money.
Michael (2026) follows Michael Jackson during the rise of the Jackson 5 to the peak of his career. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film went into depth about his abusive relationship with his father and his close relationship with his mother. The audience watched performance after performance, and we sat in on conversations with stars like Quicy Jones or his label. We understood his love for animals and the reasons behind his many plastic surgeries. While it was heavy in material, the movie itself received mixed reviews.
While I believe Michael was not a movie of substance, it was saved by the star of the film Jaafar Jackson. Jaafar, nephew to the King of Pop, was incredible. His moves were on point and his voice, both singing and speaking, was unmatched. He simply was Michael. The ending scene of ‘Bad’ at Wembley Stadium, 1988, was a highlight of the film and ended it favorably, leaving audience members both excited and wanting more. While I did not grow up with Michael Jackson, Jaafar truly gave a generational performance. It is worth noting that this is his first acting role.
One actor worth mentioning is Coleman Domingo, who played Joe Jackson, the father. He brought both comedic and dramatic elements to the film. Their toxic and abusive relationship was the one-story line that was repetitive and focused. Domingo was strong and haunting. As an audience member, it was natural to feel angry towards him as he was influential in Michael’s lack of normalcy. He was restrictive in his social life and abusive toward him. While playing a darker character is familiar to Domingo’s variety of performance, he was unfamiliar and like Jaafar, he really stepped into his character’s shoes.
Outside of the performances, the film itself was simple. I believe it lacked substance. The movie taught the audience very minimal about the mysterious “King of Pop.” Personally, I was unaware of the toxic relationship between Michael and his father. I also didn’t know about the Pepsi incident. Other than those two things, I didn’t gain a deeper understanding of the decisions Michael made or who he was. We understand he was socially innocent and motivated to give back through philanthropic endeavors, but the movie failed to step into uncomfortable moments that are inevitably dominant in the Jackson legacy. While good in nature and entertaining, I believe the downfall of this film is the lack of honesty.
I attribute this criticism to the Jackson family’s involvement in the production of the film. Prince Jackson, Michael’s eldest son, served as executive producer. Naturally, they want to make a film that positively reflects the good that Michael Jackson was and make sure people understand that he was an intrinsically good person in a corrupt industry. But it is not all cupcakes and rainbows and there seems to be an honesty gap. This movie failed to tell a complex story about a complex man, and I believe that is what the audiences want and need.
To conclude, it is necessary to separate the performances from the movie. Jaafar Jackson and Coleman Domingo devoured the screen and supported the vivaciousness of the film. As someone who consumes music videos as content I cannot complain about the film being majority performances. It was fun and had great energy.
There have been rumors that there will be a sequel to the film. I am eager to see how they handle the complicated end of Michael Jackson’s life. This would be a challenge seeing the lack of transparency in the first part. But as a critic, movie-lover, and fan of Michael Jackson, I will be sitting in that theater come release day.
