Review: You're Gonna Love "Michael" Despite What I Say About It
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at 2:33PM By Ben Miller
As I left my screening of Antoine Fuqua's Michael, I heard a woman exclaim, "That was exactly what I wanted!" This is the overall goal of this film. You will learn absolutely nothing about Michael Jackson the man, but you will get every hit song with loud and vibrant performances.
Frankly, Michael is critic-proof. No matter how much I go on about my multitude of problems, you just won't care. It looks like Michael Jackson on screen, using his actual music, inspired by his performances, and completely glosses over any issues that might make anyone uncomfortable. It's the most kid-gloves film I can remember seeing in some time. No chances are taken, nothing is learned... and it's going to make a lot of money.
You can make all the excuses you want, but the problems with the film are right in your face, you just don't want to admit they are there. The film doesn't want to upset any member of its audience, so it isn't about to start asking the tough questions. Why is Michael so infantalized? Why does he connect more with animals over people? Why is he so close with his mother over any other member of his family? There are morsels of intrigue that actually might tell you something about the man behind the artist, but why would you explore that when you can recreate the making of the Thriller video?
The recreation of "Thriller" with Jaafar Jackson as MJIt doesn't help when the film is very obviously made with at least a dozen music rights-holders actively involved in the production. Between lawyer John Branca, all four Jackson brothers, and sister LaToya, you can very obviously tell how careful the filmmakers had to be with all the cooks in the kitchen. None of those characters get the slightest bit of criticism, nor does longtime Jackson bodyguard Bill Bray. Outside of father Joe, no character is anything other than absolutely perfect. Janet, the second-most famous Jackson sibling who Michael was closest to for many years, is never even mentioned in passing.
When it comes to musical biopics, I ask myself the question: if you take away the music, is this story in any way worth telling? In this case, unequivocally not. The film never gives you a chance to think of anything but the music. Michael is wholly and completely defined by his talent and his musical genius, that it never occurs to anyone to give him the slightest bit of characterization apart from his music. Michael's entire life is playing games and playing music. That's not a person, and it certainly isn't explained why he is like this. The filmmakers have also gone out of their way to show how unsexual Michael was. There isn't even a hint of a romantic interest. It's an odd choice.
The entire film is a mix of the classic musical biopic of "that definitely didn't happen," and near omnipresent music from Jackson's catalog. At one point, near the film's 90-minute mark, a vital scene was occurring between Nia Long and Colman Domingo, but the silence was so deafening, I actively noticed how long the movie had gone without music. It was probably only three minutes. It's an obvious crutch the film has zero confidence in ever dispensing.
Plot-wise, it's "exactly what you want." Young Michael (played by Juliano Krue Valdi), is forced to perform by his father Joe (Domingo) with his four brothers. Joe's strict regiment of practice and perfection eventually leads the Jackson 5 out of Gary, Indiana into a record contract and stardom. The monumental success of the group eventually moves the family to a large estate in Encino, California.
An older Michael (Jaafar Jackson) longs to break free of his father's control and makes his first solo album, which is a great success. Joe's influence continues to dominate Michael, despite the pleas of Michael's mother Katherine (Long). Michael's success leads him to take charge of his career with the help of lawyer John Branca (Miles Teller), leading him to become the most successful artist in the world.
Like I said, it doesn't matter what I say. If you like Michael Jackson, you'll most likely like this film. It's heavy on performances and doesn't attempt to say anything controversial. Yes, there are nods to Michael's obsession with plastic surgery, painkillers, and skin conditions, but these are only slightly alluded to at best. The things the film goes out of its way to not say are the things that stand out the clearest. I don't believe I have to elaborate for you to understand what I am saying.
I don't want to come across as rude about Jaafar Jackson, but he's the equivalent of an expert cruise ship performer; You see him on stage and marvel at the impression. He looks a lot like Michael and dances just like him. Unfortunately, he eventually has to come off stage. When he opens his mouth off-stage his acting leaves plenty to be desired. This is certainly a situation where the family had a say in the casting. He looks the part and gets the job done in the musical performances. That's what the film wanted, and that's what it got.
Domingo has the most acting to do and mostly goes big and brash as a pushy power-hungry bully. He's still Colman Domingo, so he is extremely watchable. The only reason Teller is there is because Branca is a producer. Teller has extremely little to do. Same for Long, who does absolutely nothing for 90% of the film. No one else makes much of an impact.
Michael takes no chances and delivers for the largest possible audience.. It is in no way a good film and is barely competent at times. But all that doesn't matter because the filmmakers got Michael Jackson music, which is exactly what you want. D+
Reader Comments (14)
I love Michael Jackson and I don't believe any of that child molestation allegation bullshit no matter what bullshit hit piece of a doc Leaving Neverland said. Still, I have no interest in this film as it just looks very generic. Plus, hearing that Mike Myers has a cameo in the film as a CBS music executive in Walter Tikanoff (or whatever his name is, I don't remember) just makes me feel like "oh no, not again".
WRONG KID DIED!!!!!
Worst film I've seen so far this year and it'll be tough to beat it. Sadly, I didn't even like Domingo whose performance wasn't helped by the piles of transformative makeup and those dead-eyed contact lenses.
Most of all, I'm struck by how poorly shot it was, full of shoddy compositions with no discernible intention and just horrible editing. I mentioned it on Twitter, but it's bizarre that the film has a scene where Michael asks for the Thriller music video to be shot in a wider shot, so the camera can see the dancer's whole body, citing Fred Astaire classics as his reference. And yet, the movie refuses to follow its own advice. If the performance scenes are entertaining, it's because the performers in front of the camera are doing a good job of xeroxing the original, and the original is some of the best pop music and choreography ever done. It has nothing to do with the subpar filmmaking.
Maybe I'm too blinded by affection for TRAINING DAY and some good feelings towards SOUTHPAW, but I expected better from Fuqua behind the camera.
I love (some of) MJ's music, but there's no way I'm going to watch a universally panned movie like this one (which Janet has distanced herself from) with no awards (except Razzies) prospects. Although I'm kinda curious to see how the Image Awards handles this one.
I will watch it because I like MJ's music but I agree with all what thevoid said.
This seems very similar to the Whitney biopic a few years ago which told us nothing about her Wikipedia and the media etc hadn't already told us.
MJ's family are never going to sanction something that deals with the uncomfortable stuff whether you believe that stuff or not.
I would like to know about some of the points Ben picks up on why the bizarre surgeries when he was a handsome man,wht the childlike demeanour,why so close to women and animals,what drove him,what did he think of artists on his level Madonna Prince Whitney.
I still can't believe anyone would want to see this hagiography. If you like the music that much just youtube the videos.
The director of Finding Neverland had some words to say in a Hollywood Reporter interview.
There's no way I'd ever see this. The only part of the story that is compelling is everything that was left out, and that would be too grim to enjoy.
For me, Michael Jackson's music was never enough to overcome the questionable "persona."
Claudio - i am baffled by the makeup choices on Domingo (i haven't seen the movie but I thought it was so clownish looking in the trailer). It's not like people remember or care what Joe Jackson looked like. This obsession with putting everyone in prosthetics for biopics so that "they look like ____!" is ridiculous unless the character in question is super visually recognizable to the general public. But Joe Jackson was not a face everyone knew -- it was his children who were instantly recognizable because they were the famous performers who were in all the music videos and concerts, tv shows, magazines, etcetera
But I also dont think Jafaar Jackson looks all that much like Michael did in the 1980s so I'm a little weirded out by all the reviews claiming he does.
Jeez, Ben. I am a tad offended by your condescending characterization of The Film Experience readers as lacking the discerning sensibility to find fault with a broadly panned film that is expected to be a box office success.
This century there have been MANY controversies along the lines of: “This project is being made against the artist/estate/family’s wishes and/or without their permission/participation!!!!!!” You can thank shit sites like Jezebel, etc. (and people, usually progressive, on Twitter) for that. We are meant to believe that stories “belong” to their principals, that it is invasive and “wrong” and “exploitative” to “tell someone else’s story.” Projects have been shut down and made commercial pariahs by that exact logic.
Let me just say this is what you get from that line of thinking.
It’s great for filmmakers/writers/artists without a dog in the fight to tackle complex material without bias or a propagandistic agenda.
Antoine Fuqua, for those not yet aware, is the nephew of Harvey Fuqua, the R&B singer, songwriter and record producer. Harvey F. was one of the key figures in the development of the Motown label, which introduced the world to Michael Jackson.
Amazing!
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