Dir: Antoine Fuqua | Cast: Jaafar Jackson, Colman Domingo, Juliano Valdi, Nia Long, Jayden Harville | US biopic 127′
Fans who ‘grew up’ with Michael Jackson and his music and want to believe in the singer’s star quality and altruism will appreciate the film’s focus on Michael’s rise to fame, leaving out the rather unfortunate final years.
Antoine Fuqua and writer John Logan start with Michael’s childhood, shaped by a draconian upbringing under his father, Joseph who has brought the family from relative poverty in Gary Louisiana to California. Portrayed as both disciplinarian and opportunist, Joe (a money-driven pain in the arse who beats his youngest boy) looms over the narrative as a persistent thorn in Michael’s side — his ambition leaving a lasting impact on the young performer’s psyche.
The film strips away any modern myths that fame can come easily. Instead, it presents a portrait of a lonely, sensitive child who feels fundamentally different from his peers. Struggling with isolation and anxiety, he seeks comfort in animals—ranging from humble pets to the now-infamous chimpanzee, Bubbles. Yet the film makes clear that the most intimidating presence in Michael’s life is not exotic, but domestic: his father. This emotional strain feeds into Michael’s obsessive pursuit of perfection, hinted to manifest later in his physical transformations and retreat into a carefully constructed fantasy world surrounded by – not humans – but a menagerie of animals.
The film’s marketing, suggesting a ritzy “all singing, all dancing concert block-buster”, has been misleading. ‘ Defying expectations Fuqua and Logan deliver a restrained, intimate family drama, musical moments are rather spare and fleeting, until the finale. The focus instead lies on Michael’s formative years in Encino, California, where Logan attempts to understand Michael from his troubled upbringing. Jaafar Jackson’s performance as adult Michael is a highlight—his vocal and physical resemblance capturing Michael’s softness, quiet charisma and fluid dance movements with striking authenticity.
However the film’s tight focus on domestic life restricts the musical impetus, preventing the story from fully expanding into the cultural phenomenon Michael would become. While the emotional core is compelling, the pacing occasionally feels constrained, as though the film is hesitant to step beyond its introspective framework.
Michael’s desire for independence soon emerges as the key focus. His break from the Jackson 5s and pursuit of a solo career signal both artistic ambition and personal realisation. But this newfound autonomy is tinged with solitude. The film paints the singer as a figure caught between worlds—yearning for enigma and childlike wonder (“I want to be like Garbo, mysterious” he opines to his managers), while simultaneously shouldering immense public expectation. Scenes of him creating music – often at night – in his private recording studio underscore his visionary drive, presenting him as an idealist determined to inspire and uplift everyone he comes into contact with. This may all sound cheesy but you really feel for him in Jaafar Jackson’s thoughtful performance.
The narrative also touches on key cultural milestones—Michael’s groundbreaking music videos, industry barriers such as MTV’s initial resistance to Black artists, and landmark performances that cemented his global status. Yet even when he attains mega succes, the shadow of his father remains, culminating in moments of personal and physical hardship that test his resilience. The episode when Michael is nearly killed when a falling object sets fire to his hair during a concert, sees the singer reflecting philosophical on his injury and his fame. Apparently he donated all the insurance money to those in the burns unit less fortunate than himself.
Ultimately, the film offers an affectionate but incomplete portrait. It humanises Michael Jackson, emphasising his generosity, creativity, and vulnerability, but stops short of fully interrogating the complexities of his legacy. The result is an endearing yet somewhat restrained character study—one that resonates emotionally, even if it never quite escapes the boundaries it sets for itself. MT
https://michael.movie/video/michael-2026-final-trailer-jaafar-jackson