Michael
There are few lives in entertainment history as fascinating and complicated as Michael Jackson’s. No single film could ever fully capture the King of Pop’s story, but Michael takes an ambitious swing at charting his rise from child prodigy to global superstar.
Leading the film is Jaafar Jackson, the singer’s real-life nephew. The 29-year-old underwent months of vocal, dance, and performance training before filming. His recreation of some of Jackson’s most iconic moments — from the moonwalk’s debut on Motown 25 to the record-breaking Bad Tour concerts at Wembley Stadium — captures the charisma and star power that made Jackson a once-in-a-generation performer.
The biopic explores the forces that shaped Jackson’s extraordinary career, from the relentless demands of his father Joe Jackson (Colman Domingo) to the groundbreaking creative partnership he forged with legendary producer Quincy Jones (Kendrick Sampson).
At times, the film feels overly sanitised, particularly in its decision to sidestep the controversies that later came to define public perceptions of Jackson. Yet even when it stumbles as a definitive portrait, Michael succeeds as a crowd-pleasing musical spectacle. The energy is infectious, the performances are electrifying, and you’ll likely find yourself humming a familiar tune long after the credits roll.