The story of the famous musician Michael Jackson, known as the King of Pop.
| (C) Universal/Lionsgate |
To get it out of the way, this film will be enjoyed by both loyal and casual fans. Playing these iconic songs is a cheat code that even I couldn’t escape—think Thriller and Beat It, or when he does his signature moonwalk. Jaafar Jackson and Juliano Krue Valdi are spectacular in portraying the music legend. It genuinely feels like Michael Jackson is on screen.
Despite this, however, the film occasionally feels flat. This is supposed to be a film that allows for more creativity, but what they’ve built around the performances doesn’t match the energy of the titular character.
Even in the story department, it leaves you wanting more—not necessarily for a sequel, but from what they’ve already established here. It starts off compelling, but the conflict between him and his father suddenly becomes uninteresting, making the payoff less rewarding. Honestly, stronger direction and a slight increase in overall energy could have solved all of this.
Michael will make you add Bad or Human Nature back onto your playlists. It will make you rewatch his music videos. It will send you on a Google deep dive into his life—everything except help you remember what actually happened in the film. 2.5/5 ⭐️