‘Michael’ Biopic Early Reviews Are In
The early screening reviews for the Michael Jackson biopic are finally out after the Berlin premiere, and the buzz is massive. Most people are calling it a transformational music biopic, even if there is some debate about how it handles his complicated legacy.
The big story is Jaafar Jackson. Since he’s Michael’s nephew, people expected him to look the part, but reviewers are saying his performance is actually electric and grounded. He isn’t just doing an imitation; he apparently captures that specific vulnerability and loneliness Michael had behind the scenes. His dancing and vocals are being described as uncanny.
Colman Domingo is also getting a ton of praise for playing Joe Jackson. Critics are calling his performance monstrous but spectacular, and there is already some early Oscar talk for him. He seems to bring a lot of the emotional weight to the family scenes.
Visually, the movie sounds like a huge spectacle. The recreations of the Thriller and Beat It eras are supposedly perfect, and with a $200 million budget, the concert scenes feel like a spiritual awakening for fans.
It’s not all perfect, though. Some reviews mentioned the movie has some pacing issues and that the ending feels a little abrupt. There is also the inevitable conversation about whether the film sugarcoats the controversies. While director Antoine Fuqua said he wanted to humanize the story without sanitizing it, some critics feel it might lean a little too much into the “fan service” side of things.
The movie hits theaters here on April 24. Given the hype, it’s looking like it could have one of the biggest opening weekends for a biopic ever.
You can win tickets by listening this week to Cheryl Jackson in the Midday! Don’t miss it!
