Michael Serves as a Fun Celebration of the Legendary Icon’s Legacy
Image Courtesy of Lionsgate
By Luis Zonenberg
As the Halfway-to-Halloween horror-thon nears its end, I wanted to take some time to celebrate a true icon of the Halloween season: Michael Jackson. From the artist lending his vocals to Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me” to his amazing music video, “Thriller,” dominating pop culture for decades, Jackson has certainly become a true staple of the season. With the release of the film, Michael, covering the star’s rise to fame, it only made sense to include it as a sweet dessert in this horror buffet.
The film focuses on the rise of Michael Jackson (Juliano Krue Valdi and Jaafar Jackson) from his time singing with the Jackson 5 to performing on stage for the Bad tour at Wembley Stadium. Throughout this time, he is constantly at odds with his father, Joseph (Colman Domingo), who also serves as the manager for the Jackson 5. He keeps everyone on a tight leash, constantly overworking Michael and his brothers, much to the dismay of his wife, Katherine (Nia Long).
Despite achieving success with his first solo album, titled Off the Wall, Michael still finds himself held back by Joseph, who believes he should be responsible for managing his children’s expenses. After having a heartfelt conversation with his security guard, Bill Bray (KeiLyn Durrell Jones), Michael decides to forge his own path and hires attorney John Branca (Miles Teller) to help fire Joseph from his managerial position. Will Michael finally be free of Joseph’s grasp, or will he find himself falling under his clutches once more?
The film focuses mostly on the relationship between Michael and Joseph, establishing quite bluntly how domineering and cunning his father is from the get-go. While Joseph’s character borders on cartoon villainy, the writers were smart to lean into his background as a steelworker and show he yearns to escape their simple yet rustic lifestyle in the small town of Gary, Indiana. While I feel they definitely should have expanded on this more, what ultimately saves this is the power dynamic between Joseph and Michael.
The movie centers around themes of power play within family dynamics, creating a sanitized but still fun underdog story centered around the King of Pop himself. With Michael and Joseph constantly fighting for control, it demonstrates a harsh reality in which opposition comes in all directions and the need to break free from a cyclical nature. These themes are executed incredibly well, making for a fun story that should cater to children of all ages.
The cast did an excellent job of bringing these people to life, with Jaafar Jackson being the absolute standout as the “Smooth Criminal” himself. Jackson absolutely nails the mannerisms and high-pitched vocals of his uncle, with some minor makeup making him look all the more uncanny. Colam Domingo also does a great job portraying Joseph, nailing the proper balance of camp and drama in just about every scene he’s in. Other supporting actors like KeiLyn Durrel Jones, Miles Teller, Nia Long, and Mike Myers also helped anchor the film with their entertaining performances.
The cinematography proved to be a mixed bag, though, with about half of the film shot as if it were a straight-to-video TV movie. From the odd close-ups to the intimate dance shots, it felt rather bland and generic, which is not what Michael Jackson was. With that said, though, the other half of the film does feature some excellent photography that captures the high-manic intensity of the star’s dancing and popularity, incorporating some brilliant visual shots that make you feel you’re watching an all-new Michael Jackson concert, on the big screen no less!
The makeup and costume design were stellar, effortlessly recreating the fashion sense of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. From the hair styling to the trendy clothes, the costume and makeup department did an incredible job replicating not only the time period but also various music videos Jackson produced. The makeup used on Jaafar was especially a real standout, with the eyeliners and nose jobs making him look like the spitting image of his uncle; it’s simply amazing how well they replicated his look.
The film proved to be quite polarizing upon release, receiving disdain from critics, though audiences absolutely loved it. It’s easy to see why some critics might not have enjoyed it conserving how sanitized the story is, rarely taking the time to dissect and deeply analyze Michael Jackson. That was clearly not the film’s intention, though, and should definitely be treated more as a fun tribute to an iconic singer. While Michael might not offer a deep dive into the star’s complex life, it stands as a fun celebration of what the King of Pop was and still is today.
Michael is now playing in theaters.
Rating: ★★★★☆
