The film begins with a cacophony of lights and sounds as we see Michael Jackson (Jaafar Jackson) walking backstage before performing to a crowd. Before Michael hits the stage, we flashback to Gary, Indiana, and see a young Michael (Juliano Valdi) practicing in the living room with his brothers. From this scene alone, we can already see the strict structure that Joe Jackson (Colman Domingo) has on the boys. 

Young Michael performs with grace but has trouble looking at Joe while performing. As the boys perform, Joe keeps asking Michael to look at him while singing. This scene alone shows that Joe was a strict father and that Michael feared him. Without saying much, Michael’s look gives the audience all the subtext. 

Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’

Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua, tells the story of Michael Jackson from the 60’s up to the release of his Bad album. While the movie has some amazing performances by the leads, some key events seem to be glossed over in this timeframe. Before we get into those moments, let’s focus on some of the great things about this biopic.

Jaafar Jackson IS Michael in this movie. There are plenty of moments where he disappears from the screen. Jaafar’s portrayal of Michael is so good that you forget that you are watching a portrayal. There are a few moments when the prosthetics are noticeable, but it does not take away from the performance. 

Joe Jackson’s reputation as a strict father is well known, and Coleman Domingo does a fantastic job of portraying that evil on the screen. His look is cold and menacing, which explains why Michael wanted to get away from him. Those who did not know much about the Jackson family, seeing how Joe mentally and physically abuses the kids, might be shocking. 

Tell Them That It’s Human Nature

Michael feels more like a bio-by-the-numbers film. The movie is filled with montages and performances that move the story forward. We get frantic moments of Joe coming down on the kids for their performances.

We also get quiet moments of Michael, holding on to his youth, and scenes of him caring for kids in the hospitals. The audience sees how Michael cared for others, even though he feared his father; he was brave enough to go out and work on solo albums.

One of the great moments that I would have liked to see more of is his songwriting process. Seeing from his perspective how the many notes around him lead to the creation of “Beat It” is magical. We also get another glimpse of this when the “Thriller” video is being filmed.

As stated earlier, the movie ends when he is on tour for the Bad album. In the time period before the album, we do not see any mention of “We Are the World” or him moving out to Neverland. These moments are big in Michael’s life, and I am not sure why they were not included. As a fan of Michael Jackson, I enjoyed watching this movie and know that things got dark later in his life. Hopefully, there will be talk about these events in the upcoming sequel.

Final Thoughts: Michael gives us the story of Michael Jackson from the beginning of the Jackson 5 to the release of his “Bad” album. The movie does a great job of depicting Michael’s life and their road to stardom. While there is no question that he is a once-in-a-lifetime talent, the movie lacks insight into the person. The performances from Juliano Valdi, Jaafar Jackson, and Coleman Domingo are fantastic, but do little for the play-by-play of the movie’s storytelling. The musical performances are incredible, and Jaafar exudes Michael’s persona in those moments.

Violence: There are a few scenes of Joe Jackson punishing Michael with a belt, which may be troubling for some viewers.

Kid-Friendly: The story of working hard to obtain your goals is a good one for kids. Other than the abusive moments from his father, the movie is good for all ages. 

MICHAEL is the cinematic portrayal of the life and legacy of one of the most influential artists the world has ever known. The film tells the story of Michael Jackson’s life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world. Highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never before. This is where his story begins.