23 April,2026 01:31 PM IST | Mumbai | Nandini Shah
Still from Michael
Antoine Fuqua's biopic of Michael Jackson, the most transcendent pop star ever, is too reverential and has nothing original to say. Produced by his family and close associates, the film could have been a chance to look at the star up close in a different way, but instead is too sanitised, bland and flat.
The film begins in 1966, with a young Michael (Juliano Krue Valdi) rehearsing with his brothers at home under the rigid supervision of their father Joseph (Colman Domingo). A timid Michael cannot even meet his father's gaze while singing, while his mother, Katherine (Juliano Krue Valdi), just watches regretfully but is too scared to intervene.
Rather than exploring the complexity of Michael's inner life, the film narrows down all of his troubles to his father's oppressive and hard-bitten ways, sidestepping the messier aspects of his psychology. Joe is the tormentor of the family, exploiting his sons because he believes they can lift the family from their middle-class existence. He's the harshest on Michael, hitting him with a belt several times when he dares to argue with him. This dysfunctional family dynamic is positioned as the biggest impediment in Michael's artistic career, yet the film does not dig beneath the surface.
Michael jumps abruptly from milestone to milestone, from the singer's humble beginnings in Gary, Indiana, to his emancipation and global fame. In doing so, it completely overlooks his relationships with his brothers Jermaine, Jackie, Tito, and Marlon. They're nothing more than a background detail, which is surprising, since some of them are the executive producers of the film.
Important people in Michael's life barely register. Whether it's his saintly lawyer, John Branca (Miles Teller), who liberates him from his father, or producer Quincy Jones (Kendrick Sampson), they're all reduced to being one-dimensional characters. The film is the least interested in exploring the singer's relationships or saying anything original about him.
Michael's 29-year-old nephew, Jaafar Jackson, son of Jermaine Jackson, plays the adult Michael. He does an exceptional job when it comes to capturing the singer's high voice, electrostatic dance moves and magnetic stage presence.
The highlight of the film is the King of Pop's music, which is generously punctuated across montages to please fans. We get to see him in all his glory as he comes up with the choreography of Beat It and Thriller, navigating his style and aesthetic. The scenes where Jaafar performs on stage have such spark and energy you can't help but be fully engrossed, grinning widely and swaying to the beats.
But when it comes to Michael off-stage, Jaafar has nothing to do but smile saccharinely, constantly. The hagiographic script does not allow for much depth.
The film ends abruptly with his performance of Bad at Wembley Stadium in 1988, after which the film leaves us with the words "His story continues," hinting at a sequel. Will we finally get a true look into the darker, messier, controversy-ridden years of his life? If the distillation of Michael's personality in part 1 is anything to go by, I wouldn't be hopeful.
