'Michael' Is A Divisive Take On MJ, Jaafar Shines In His Debut, As Fans Call It 'F***ING AWESOME'

Michael has finally been released, and the film has already left the audience divided. While many are impressed by what the film has done, others have questioned the authenticity and the changes in the storyline. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film features Jaafar Jackson as MJ. The film follows Michael Jackson's life and career from 1966 to 1988, focusing on his early days with The Jackson Five through his Bad tour. So, if you are deciding whether to give the film a try, here's everything you need to know.

What is Michael about?

Michael is based on the life of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. It is produced by several of the singer's relatives and close associates; no one expected it to be an exact portrait of the controversial singer. However, the audience was left surprised by how much it felt like a daytime TV movie. The film's narrative stops in the mid-1980s before the controversies around MJ, including accusations of child abuse, started creating a buzz. While the entire section was removed from the film, leaving the focus on "record-industry bigwigs" telling MJ how amazingly talented he is, and his horrible dad snarling, "Remember your family, Michael!"

Rotten Tomatoes gives Michael a low 27 per cent rating

Michael debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with a rating of 27 per cent. However, over time, it has risen to 32 per cent, with 92 reviews under its name. While Jaafar's performance has been widely praised, critics were not pleased with how the makers handled the story. Criticism ranged from the film's handling to its ending, which hints at a sequel, even though it doesn't fully explore Michael's story. 

What did the critics say about the film?

Early reviews have pointed to familiar patterns often seen in music biopics. A user pointed out how "MICHAEL hits every biopic cliche without ever digging deeper into the man, or pulling back the curtain. Jackson is treated as a messiah, which makes for a pretty dull story. No doubt, the music is as stunning as ever, but the film doesn’t live up to it." The comment highlighted the concern around the maker's attempt to prioritise performance over deeper character exploration. Carla Hay from Culture Mix wrote:

"This overly worshipful celebrity biopic should've been called Saint Michael. The musical performances are electrifying, but the movie portrays Michael Jackson as a perfect martyr, his father as a cartoonish villain, and everyone else as vague."

The Wrap called Michael a "frustrating biopic" and stated, "Whether it’s by design or legal necessity, 'Michael' picks as few battles as possible and backs off almost every time. It’s a film about how great Michael Jackson was and how great you are if you’re still a fan. It can’t be taken seriously, no matter how earnest it looks and sounds. because it’s not really a story." IGN called the film "really, really bad" and was quoted as saying: "Michael, as it exists in its current, largely incomplete form, is a frictionless, flat, paper-thin story that’s so concerned with fidelity to bullet points and recognisable highlights that it robs its characters of soul, not to mention the actors playing them."

Jaafar Jackson wins over the audience with his portrayal of Michael Jackson

While the critics were on edge about the film itself, they were left impressed by Jaafar Jackson's portrayal of his uncle, Michael Jackson. Variety lauded the actor for his performance and said, "Jaafar, the 29-year-old son of Jermaine Jackson, is Michael Jackson’s nephew, and he has never acted in a movie before. But does he ever nail the look, the voice, the electrostatic moves, and, more than that, the mixture of delicacy and steel that made Michael who he was." The Movie Podcast wrote:

"Jaafar Jackson & Juliano Valdi channel Michael’s spirit, but the film itself only skims the surface. The big musical numbers lean heavily on CG crowds, which end up feeling hollow rather than immersive. It feels too safe and tightly controlled."

Michael X review

While critics have been unimpressed by the film so far, online discussions suggest that not all viewers share their view. Taking to their X viewers shared a wide range of opinions, with a user stating, "Me reading all these bad MJ movie reviews knowing I’m still gonna be front and centre singing my a-- off regardless." Another questioned, "Everyone suddenly clutching their pearls and somehow either surprised or mad michael is receiving those reviews? to me, it’s even more surprising that y’all thought this film was going to be good." However, there was no lack of supportive comments either, with a user stating:

"I don’t know what movie y’all saw, but Michael was F---NG AWESOME like we all knew he was famous, but to see it back will really piss you off when you hear those RIDICULOUS comparisons. He’s the most famous human of all time."

What are your thoughts on Michael? Let us know.

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