Michael Review: The $170M Biopic Lives Up To The Legend

Añadido: 2026-05-05

[00:00:00]Neither adaptations of Michael Jackson's Life nor biopics of famous singers are anything new. Elvis and Whitney Houston I Want to Dance with Somebody both hit the big screen in 2022 and Bob Marley One Love wasn't far behind in 2024.

[00:00:16]Jackson's life has also been the focus of many adaptations, including the Broadway show MJ the Musical, which depicts Michael's early life and rise to stardom. The odds are therefore stacked against Michael when it came to making a real impression. However, several factors were in its favor. For one, Michael Jackson's real life nephew, Jafar Jackson, stars in the lead role, and the resemblance he bears to his uncle in the film is striking. Lionsgate also seems to have spared no expense with an estimated $170 million budget thrown behind the movie. Those numbers actually make this one of Lionsgate's most expensive movies to date. The finished product has more than justified the cost. From the casting to the costumes to the full-fledged concert performances, Michael lives up to the legendary status of its namesake.

[00:01:08]Unquestionably, the standout element of Michael is the stellar cast. Jafar Jackson is as close to resurrecting the King of Pop as a movie can get. This is true during the film's concert scenes, many of which feel like they could be taken directly from Jackson's actual tours, but Jafar captures Michael Jackson's smaller mannerisms as well, right down to his dead ringer voice and smile. He also pulls off many of his uncle's signature moves, including his iconic moonwalk. Yet, Jafar Jackson isn't the only one to play his uncle in this movie. The first third or so depicts Michael Jackson's early years with Juliano Valdi portraying him. Valdi is likewise brilliant in the role, capturing the once- in a generation talent that Michael Jackson showcased even as a child, while also bringing his painful home life and deep feelings of loneliness to life. The supporting cast members are similarly solid. Coleman Domingo's Joseph Jackson is appropriately detestable, and Nia Long's portrayal of Michael's mother, Catherine, delivers some of the movies most emotional scenes. Music biopics also face the uphill battle of balancing a cohesive and compelling narrative arc with the songs audiences head to theaters wanting to hear. Michael doesn't suffer from that affliction.

[00:02:23]Unlike the at times cartoonish depiction of Elvis Presley in Elvis, for example, Michael offers viewers a deeper look at Michael Jackson's complex inner world in a narrative that could stand on its own, separate from the music. However, it doesn't have to. Interspersed throughout those dramatic scenes are musical sequences that reflect the movie's production value. In fact, if certain numbers go on for a bit too long, the film can surely be forgiven for reveling in Jafar Jackson's uncanny performances, the stunning costumes, and the concert movie level quality of the staging. At certain points, the experience became so immersive that it was difficult to discern whether the sounds of cheering fans were coming from the fictional concertgoers or from the real theater audience. If Michael has flaws, they are few and far between. Some of Michael Jackson's relatives have expressed displeasure with the content of the movie. Paris Jackson's criticisms have included the suggestion that Michael is a sanitized, untrue, and even fantastical version of her father's life. Whether that's true is difficult to say, but even so, it wouldn't make Michael any less entertaining. A less serious grievance is the inclusion of Michael Jackson's pet chimpanzee, Bubbles. One of the few elements of Michael that fully takes audiences out of the story is Bubble's CGI design, which looks distractingly out of place in a movie that is otherwise so visually stunning.