This is probably a known fact, but let’s be real, Michael Jackson is ‘The King of Pop.’ No matter where you are or who you’re with, everyone knows Michael Jackson. From his iconic album, Thriller, to his iconic dance, the moonwalk. So, naturally, my excitement was through the roof when I heard that they were making a biopic about Jackson. My siblings and I would always play the Wii game Michael Jackson: The Experience and fight over who gets to play who. Besides that, I was very curious to see how they would discuss his music career throughout the film. I’m happy to say that this film did not disappoint and was the best film to start the generational run for moviegoers.
This film was one of the most talked about, from the first look pictures to the final trailers and all. Not only because it’s a biopic of one of the most famous artists in the world, but also, this movie is the kickstart for blockbusters throughout the rest of the year.
Beyond the plot, the acting throughout the film was definitely one of its best aspects. With Colman Domingo, who is best known for his role in Euphoria, playing Joe Jackson, Michael’s father. Side note: When I attended the early-access screening, Domingo actually showed up at my theater and praised the audience for enjoying the film, which I went insane about. Back on track, the actor playing Michael is Jaafar Jackson. Who, actually, in real life, is Michael Jackson’s nephew. It’s insane to think about how the nephew of Michael Jackson is taking on one of the biggest roles ever. Let me tell you, he didn’t just act as Michael; he studied Michael. He took his studies so seriously, I almost thought Michael Jackson had come back to life on screen. Jaafar Jackson really understood not only his iconic moments, but also Michael Jackson’s mannerisms, which I think is very important when taking on the role of a known artist. Another major aspect of the film I really loved was the music, obviously. As I said before, we all know Michael’s music, but I was very curious to see which songs they would choose for this film. Easy to say, the songs they chose were good, but I personally would have loved it if they included “Man in the Mirror.”
While I did talk about the best aspects, I will say there were some things in the film that held it back. For instance, there were reports that the director actually had a four-hour cut of the film, which I think would have worked with the topic of Michael Jackson. Although due to legal differences within the Jackson estate and the film’s creatives, they had to cut it down, so the film’s runtime is now two hours and 10 minutes. Which also doesn’t seem too bad, but I feel as though there were definitely some moments within the film that felt unfinished. In my opinion, some things felt a bit too rushed; for example, the Jackson 5 scenes felt like we didn’t have enough time with them, and I wanted to stay in the moment a bit longer. But, as luck would have it, the creatives have announced that if Michael succeeds (which it will), they will announce the sequel covering the other aspects they’ve filmed. Hopefully, that news will be confirmed sooner so that we can get a “part 2” soon.
Overall, this film has been on my watchlist for so long, and I’m happy to say that it did not disappoint at all. Besides my small complaints, I believe the critics were being so harsh on this film for no reason at all. Normally, when it comes to films, I don’t listen to critics because it’s my opinion on the film that matters most to me, and again, this film did not disappoint. This film is a deserving 4½ out of 5 stars on Letterboxd.