“Michael” Biopic Will Have Fans Moonwalking to the Theater

“Michael” is the cinematic portrayal of the life and legacy of one of the most influential artists the world has ever known. The film tells the story of Michael Jackson’s life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world.

Highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front row seat to Michael Jackson like never before.

The Michael Jackson biopic has been in development since it was formally announced in November 2019 and now fans of the entertainer and his music can finally see his story (or at least part of it) on the big screen! “Michael” created a really massive divide between audiences and critics when it was released. Now, while critics really panned the film (mainly due to skipping the controversies), audiences really embraced the film and thoroughly enjoyed it (just like myself).

The Michael Jackson film is a nostalgic celebration of Jackson’s music, Jaafar Jackson’s uncannily accurate portrayal of his uncle, and its overall focus on emotional character-driven moments rather than controversial headlines - which could be tackled in a rumored follow-up film.

All of the performances in the film are really great, especially Jaafar Jackson’s portrayal of his uncle. Jaafar Jackson has the uncanny ability to capture Jackson’s voice, his infamous dance moves, and mannerisms. Actually his performance in the film ended up being one of the things that critics and audiences agreed with. Throughout the film, you would really think you are watching a “deep fake” younger version of Michael Jackson since Jaafar really resembles his famous uncle and his ability to replicate Michael’s soft-spoken voice is completely spot-on.

Michael’s nephew did a fantastic job disappearing into the role and he also did an incredible job replicating Michael’s dance moves, which is no small feat. Actor Colman Domingo also did a great job portraying Michael’s father, Joe Jackson. His intense,

complex and captivating portrayal of a challenging antagonistic figure provides crucial dramatic tension, making him one of the highlights of the film.

“Michael” also does a decent job giving us a somewhat softer look at Jackson’s personal life, including his struggles with loneliness and his very complex relationship with his father. The film does dive into Michael and Joe’s very complex relationship, I’m sure there are more scenes that ended up being cut that go deeper into their relationship that we may possibly see once the film is available on home media. 

The filmmakers behind the film faithfully recreated the iconic performances and choreography, treating these moments as a celebratory, nostalgic “greatest hits” experience. We also get to see recreations of the iconic performances of “Billie Jean” and “Thriller” that will easily appease Michael Jackson fans everywhere.

One thing I really like is that for the “Thriller” recreation, the filmmakers actually filmed this recreation at the exact original location of the iconic music video instead of recreating it on a set. The film’s climax at the 1984 Victory Tour was definitely a well-liked moment at a showing that I attended as this was when Michael announces onstage that the Victory Tour is his final tour with his brothers - a really shocking moment for his father.

Despite the critical reactions, “Michael” significantly exceeded expectations, grossing $97 million domestically and over $200 million worldwide on its opening weekend alone. Fans, overall, enjoyed the entertaining and nostalgic celebration of his life, particularly the focus on his music. Many viewers actively dismissed the negative reviews, noting that they preferred a focus on the music rather than a deep dive into the controversies that critics felt were overlooked.

Cast: Jaafar Jackson (Michael); Juliano Valdi (Young Michael); Nia Long (Katherine Jackson); Colman Domingo (Joe Jackson); Liv Symone (Gladys Knight); Laura Herrier (Suzanne de Passe); Larenz Tate (Berry Gordy); Kendrick Sampson (Quincy Jones); Miles Teller (John Branca); Mike Myers (Walter Yetnikoff).

Writer/director: John Logan (writer) (Alien: Covenant; Spectre; Skyfall); Antoine Fuqua (director) (The Equalizer trilogy)

MPA: Rated PG-13 for some thematic material, language and smoking   (runtime 127 minutes)

Make sure to follow my Wyoming County Press Examiner reviews page on Facebook to see what else I plan on checking out for future editions, along with some entertaining trivia bits about the movie’s I check out! And, if you don’t have access to Facebook, here is what I have planned for the May 13th edition: “The Devil Wears Prada 2” (new release); “The Devil Wears Prada” (20th anniversary; Rewind Series); “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (10th anniversary; Rewind Series); “Mortal Kombat” (2021) (revisit to get ready for the upcoming sequel) and a Halfway to Halloween review of the “Blair Witch” trilogy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-YAcjaLuSI

• Michael Jackson is played by his real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson. This film is also Jaafar's feature film acting debut.

• The original ending of the film was very different from the final cut that went to theaters. The final act initially focused on how the 1993 child abuse allegations impacted Jackson's life. Lionsgate scrapped that ending after attorneys for the Jackson estate pointed to a settlement clause with accuser Jordan Chandler that barred his depiction in the film. The movie was delayed and $15 million was spent on re-shoots as the production learned it could not include any scenes about the legal charges for child abuse brought against the singer. The additional cost was covered by the Jackson estate.

• For the recreation of Michael Jackson: Thriller (1983), the cast and crew filmed on Union Pacific Ave, California, 90023, the same street where Michael performed his iconic Thriller Dance in 1983.

• As per her own wish, Michael Jackson's youngest sibling Janet Jackson was not portrayed in this film. Jackson's eldest sibling Rebbie Jackson and youngest brother Randy Jackson reportedly made similar requests, and are therefore not featured in the movie.

• To recreate the release of the album "Off The Wall" by Michael Jackson, the exterior of the iconic "Tower Records" was restored to resemble the store as it was during the album's original release. This restoration recreated the layout, displays, and decor to reflect the era and capture the essence of the music scene at that time.

• Michael Jackson was known for going on massive shop sprees at the Toys 'R' Us store. While the stores declared bankruptcy in Sept 2017 and closed in June 2018, a "Toys R Us" store has been rebuilt for the film.