Logged · 2026-04-24
Michael
Michael is a safe made biographical film about Michael Jackson—the American singer, songwriter, and dancer who redefined global pop culture. Before getting into the details, I went in to cheer “Michael! Michael! Michael!”—but also found myself lowkey rooting for “Jaafar! Jaafar! Jaafar!” Jaafar Jackson delivers an outstanding performance, truly channeling Michael Jackson’s aura, and physicality with great precision. It doesn’t feel like imitation—it feels like embodiment. Ever since the teaser, his performance has felt awards-worthy, and the film only strengthens that impression. Now, coming to the narrative. It’s hard to judge how closely the film sticks to real events or how much has been shaped for cinematic appeal (likely with family approval), but purely as a film, it ends up being a mixed experience. The first half moves at a slow pace and heavily focuses on the Jackson 5 era. While it showcases their rise, it doesn’t dive deep into the emotional dynamics between the brothers. In