One of the most anticipated movies, “Michael” released in theaters on April 24. The biopic recounts the life of Michael Jackson, known as the “King of Pop,” along with iconic songs and dances that the whole world remembers. This movie focuses on the early stages of Michael’s career with his family starting with The Jackson 5 and then his take off into his solo career.
His own nephew, Jafaar Jackson, takes center stage to play Michael. After seeing his acting, the casting crew made a wonderful decision. Jafaar did an excellent job of embodying his uncle through every gesture and movement in his dance, to the cadence of his speech, which was delightful to watch. Resemblance to the king of pop was easy to see. That same shy smile, most noticeable in the last scene of the London tour, was what fans were missing.
Fans appreciated the good selection in the music played, like “Billie Jean, “ABC,” and the construction of “Thriller,” giving an in-depth look into how Michael directs, a part of Michael that not a lot of people knew. Personally, the dance/music scene that I enjoyed the most was “Beat It” due to the message of bringing peace between warring gang communities in Los Angeles at the height of their rivalry in the 80s.
Despite all the great things this movie has to offer, some scenes fell flat and somewhat hollow, especially pertaining to Michael’s relationships with the rest of his family. It is well known that the Jacksons had complex relationships and did not always get along. The fact that the movie was made by his siblings further painted the biopic through rose-colored hindsight. In many ways, the movie glossed over many iconic moments of his career, like his Grammy Award, his philanthropy work of visiting sick children, and even his burgeoning rivalry with other musicians like Prince.
While the lighting did a tremendous job of highlighting Jafaar’s family resemblance, the costume and makeup department did not hold up to the standards of scrutinizing fans. Sometimes the makeup was not convincing; certain wigs didn’t match, or an eyebrow, or little details that die hard fans would definitely notice, which would occasionally ruin the immersion of the film.
Overall, it’s a good movie. It’s difficult to tell the whole story of his life when he was a big influence. Regardless, the acting was amazing, and I felt that even non-fans could grasp the essence of Michael’s character. Personally, I could watch it more than once, and that says a lot. In the post credits it is confirmed that there will be a second part coming in 2028 to illustrate the complicated second part of Michael’s life.