The late “King of Pop” moonwalks to the big screen as the first ever theatrical Michael Jackson biopic has arrived. The first of a two-part biopic series is filled with dazzling moments, but Lionsgate Studios’ commitment to a second film was the ultimate shot in the foot.
‘Michael’ focuses on global superstar Michael Jackson from the rise of the Jackson’s family band, the Jackson 5, to the “Bad” album era. The film’s overarching emotional anchor was the relationship between Michael (Jafaar Jackson) and his father, Joseph Jackson (Colman Domingo). Joseph’s strict and dominant methodology for parenthood was shown to be the dual catalyst for Michael’s striving for greatness and permanent familial trauma.
This power dynamic wouldn’t have been effective without Jaafar Jackson and Colman Domingo in their respective roles. Being of the Jackson bloodline himself, Jaafar Jackson completely assimilates into the role of his late uncle. In his feature-film debut, Jaafar Jackson precisely portrays his uncle’s electricity as an entertainer and vulnerability as a human. There are several points in the film where it’s easy to forget the real MJ isn’t on the screen. This performance could’ve easily been an impersonation, but instead it was an immersive resurrection of the superstar.
Every time Domingo is on screen, tension fills the air as Joseph tries to steer MJ’s career for his family’s fortune, or rather, his own benefit. The Oscar-nominated actor should be returning to the Academy Awards ceremony after such a transformative portrayal.
While I wouldn’t necessarily say MJ’s characterization is one-note, the lack of a consistent thematic structure for the character is apparent. His inability to make friends, challenges of adjusting to fame and most importantly, his relationship with his brothers, isn’t explored as deeply as it could’ve been. At the same time, the sheer scale of his stardom is well reflected, as it is efficiently shown that MJ transcended pop culture and had a voice that brought together millions.
The film was a super safe, cookie-cutter effort that tried to showcase MJ in an ultra-positive light. Any attempt at going deeper into MJ’s psyche was brushed off and felt too easy. The absence of MJ’s drug use and child sexual abuse allegations paints a glamorized picture of him, rather than telling us who the man in the mirror truly is.
The question remains on if these controversies against the superstar will be explored in the second film, but providing that resistance to the perfect MJ image would’ve created much more food for thought for viewers.
With a $200 million budget, the highest of any musical biopic, this film should be showered with praise from a production standpoint. Domingo looked unrecognizable with facial-structure-altering makeup, while Jaafar Jackson underwent constant nose changes that reflected MJ’s insecurity and desire to be perfect. The production designers certainly made the most of the high budget as the film transports you to the big stages MJ performed on across multiple eras.
Antoine Fuqua, director of “Training Day” and “Southpaw,” was tasked with the nearly impossible feat of crafting a story that would accurately represent the magnitude of MJ’s impact. Fuqua excels in bringing iconic musical sequences to life with sharp cinematography and piercing sound design. The film captures the magnetic energy of MJ’s dynamic stage presence with choreography that effortlessly mirrored the pop legend. With recreations of “Billie Jean” and “Thriller” being the standouts in terms of performance, each musical number should be championed for its accuracy and execution.
Unfortunately, choppy editing and rapid pacing are the biopic’s ultimate downfall. A two-hour and seven-minute runtime is way too short to accurately tell this story and needed more breathing room in between eras to enhance the film’s flow.
The third-act rewrites and the decision to split this story into two separate films derailed any sort of momentum this film had. The abuse allegations were devoted to the original script’s third act, but after a realization of a legal clause with one of the accusers, the idea had to be scrapped and a 22-day reshoot ensued. MJ’s story is convoluted, but one singular film would’ve sent everyone home happy, as it could’ve explored both the rise to power and the scandal.
Early reviews will tell you this is another uninspired entry in the polarizing musical biopic genre, to which I disagree. All in all, this is a film made for fans of the icon. You are bound to be moving in your seat and singing the lyrics to some of MJ’s greatest hits. If you’re looking for a film that will critically dissect the man behind the flashy moves and sparkly gloves, then you’re better off looking elsewhere. I believe one full-length film would’ve been the way to go, but this is still a cinematic experience you’d be a fool to miss out on.
“Michael” hits theaters tomorrow, April 24.
