It's not bad; it's just sad
Fans will love this. Critics might not.
Michael Jackson is still the greatest entertainer on the planet.
That's exactly what Antoine Fuqua's movie proved. Years after his death, MJ remains firmly embedded in public consciousness. His enduring legacy has sprang forth legions of fans and inspired dozens of artists whose music, in many ways, pay homage to his greatness.
And that, I think, is what this movie is trying to do: commemorate Michael Jackson's contributions to music and his immense cultural impact while providing a peek into the man behind the music.
It is very likely that the movie will be torn apart by many critics because of how the end product turned out. But it's definitely going to be embraced by fans.
Michael is impressive when looked at in a technical perspective. The set pieces are engrossing. The attention to detail is noteworthy especially when recreating the music videos—the framing, choreography, make-up and costume, and camera work giving life to the iconic musical scenes that helped keep MJ firmly embedded into the pop culture zeitgeist even decades after his death.
Much thanks go to Jaafar Jackson, Michael's real-life nephew, who played the King of Pop. Music biopics can be a bit tricky when it comes to casting because part of the appeal will depend on whether or not the actors look similar to the music icons they are playing. Before an actor can disappear into a role, they need to resemble the characters first. Because if not, it would be distracting for the viewers.
This would allow audiences to focus on the movie. Taron Egerton and Rami Malek are perfect examples as Elton John and Freddie Mercury, respectively. Austin Butler, wasn't too distracting as Elvis because he was able to embody the physicality of the King of Rock and Roll. Which is why casting the right Michael is critical because no matter how strong the performance is, an actor who doesn't resemble the character may fail to get past the first hurdle: convincing audiences that he has truly embodied the role.
Naomie Ackie was great as Whitney in I Wanna Dance with Somebody but I can't get past the lack of resemblance which made the entire viewing experience a bit distracting even though she sounded flawless.
Jackson was phenomenal. Not only did he inhabit the character with remarkable physical accuracy, he sounded and felt like his uncle. If you close your eyes on certain moments and just listened, it's impeccable. The transformation of his facial features was seamless. And during certain shots during performances, he looks exactly like Michael Jackson.
However, these may not be enough to save the movie from critics. Quite understandably so. Much of the flak the movie is getting comes from its unsettling reverence to the late singer's brand by focusing only on his rise to fame up until his peak during the late 80s and concluding with the 'Bad' World Tour in London in 1988. For some, the movie felt too hagiographic. Based on how the entire movie played out, one might surmise exactly just that.
That's not the entire case, however. The movie had to undergo major cuts due to some legalities. Despite that, the movie still came out pretty solid. It felt like the movie was deliberately made that way. It's just a tad disappointing that the pay-offs for some of the events during Michael's early career didn't see the light of day. But it was good to have some glimpse into his childhood trauma which basically is the source of everything unpleasant that haunted his final years. And when you think about it, it's sad. Unfortunate even, for a young kid to be so repressed and traumatized he spent most of his life trying to recapture the lost years and then trying his best to hold on to them.
Cast: Jaafar Jackson, Miles Teller, Colman Domingo, Juliano Valdi, Nia Long, Laura Harrier, Kendrick Sampson, Larenz Tate, KeiLyn Durrel
Directed by Antoine Fuqua
Written by John Logan
Run time: 130 minutes
Distributor: Universal Pictures
MTRCB rating: PG
