After a series of reshoots and lawsuits, the long-awaited “Michael” is finally in theaters. Grossing $217 million globally on opening weekend, reviews from critics and audiences are almost polar opposites. Does the movie about the “King of Pop” do justice to his legacy? Well, sort of.
“Michael” evidently follows the rise of Michael Jackson, one of the most prominent figures in pop culture, played by his actual nephew, Jaafar Jackson. The film portrays his career from his earliest days with the Jackson 5 up until 1988, when he left his childhood behind and granted himself complete creative freedom. Joseph Jackson, Michael’s father, played by Colman Domingo, serves as the antagonist who wants success to be shared within the family. As Michael thrives with his solo projects, the father and son clash over ideas of adulthood and family. Conflicts such as this one are nothing new to the biopic, bringing out certain over-the-top expositional dialogue that seems to hold the viewer’s hand as the movie progresses. However, the rather generic plot was supposed to delve deeper into the troubles that Michael faced later in his career regarding his sexual misconduct. Due to legal issues, scenes involving a certain accuser were unfortunately cut, which resulted in reshoots almost two years after filming wrapped. These significant filmmaking hurdles do not go unnoticed in the final cut. Many elements of the story are left unaddressed, and the characters lack any emotional depth, resulting in further cliché lines and poorly executed tension between rival figures. Issues regarding the movie’s excised subject matter highlight what this film could have been for fans and critics alike.
From the first five minutes, this film shows signs of an average cookie-cutter biopic, with frequent time cuts and conflicts reminiscent of 2000s Disney movies. When Michael first appears, however, the film strays away from the average biopic. Despite the shallowness of it all, Jackson shines through it all from the moment he appears on screen. His portrayal was put to great use by director Antoine Fuqua. Every mannerism of Michael’s was adapted perfectly, making for exceedingly enjoyable sequences of song and dance, backed by the amazing sound of a few of his all-time hits. The pairing of an amazing performance with some of the greatest music of all time will certainly scratch the itch for many of Jackson’s fans. With the spectacular sound of “Michael,” the visuals are also better than average. From the flashy lights of a stage to the choppy grain of a retrograde music video, cinematographer Dion Beebe captures Jackson’s performance through multiple lenses, immersing the viewer in the world Fuqua recreates.
On the surface level, watching modern stage performances of “I Want You Back” and “Bad” will always be a good time. Upon further analysis, the story that drives “Michael” ends up being overly simplistic for a complex figure such as Michael Jackson. As the chaotic process of making “Michael” projects onto the screen, the viewer is left with conflicting emotions that compare the spectacular show put on by Jackson and the fractured, seemingly unfinished story.
