Michael

Jaafar Jackson is Michael.

The first time we see Jaafar, he turns away from the window, faces the camera and delivers his first line … the entire theater at the Las Vegas IMAX audibly gasps at how perfectly he captures his uncle’s essence. What you’re seeing feels not like a film performance but like a hologram of the King of Pop. Jaafar embodies his uncle like no other, from the iconic voice to the generation-defining dance moves to the demeanor of the biggest pop star ever. Considering this is Jaafar’s first acting credit, he blew expectations off the wall, delivering one of the best performances seen in a music biopic.

It’s not just Jaafar who delivers incredible work in and as Michael, however. Juliano Krue Valdi is an absolute ray of light as young MJ. Just like Jaafar, Valdi has the vocal chops and electric dance moves, commanding the screen at just 9 years old during filming. There’s been a lot of divisive opinion on Colman Domingo for his spin on Joe Jackson, some even clamoring for a Razzie for the two-time Oscar nominee, but … he nails what the role of Joe Jackson should be. This is a role that demands someone to ham it up, someone over the top and someone almost immediately unsettling. Domingo leans all the way in. These three elevate the entirety of the movie, one that is already sure to top box office charts.

Another chart-topping aspect of Michael is its pace. The movie moonwalks by, moving at 100 mph. This honestly feels necessary for the kind of biopic it is. Sure, I can admit the story structure checks the ABCs of the genre: youth, rise to fame, personal struggles, then success. But for me, what really works is how Michael frames his journey — breaking free from his father’s shackles and becoming his own man. That’s what Michael is all about: someone learning to stand up for themselves, redefining who they are and doing it in a glowing fashion. As an audience, we just want to enjoy our time with the King of Pop, and at my sold-out screening, the theater was rockin’ like Robin. People were literally shaking their bodies down to the ground during the credits and couldn’t stop loving what Michael was giving them. Audiences want the recreations, the smash hits, the lifelike performances, and Michael absolutely delivers.

Michael tells the rise to fame of the world’s biggest pop star — Michael Jackson. From his early days performing with his brothers in the Jackson 5, managed by his father and pushed to his limits, all the way to becoming arguably the best performer of all time, the film spans the first half of his exhilarating career. It includes his solo breakout Off the Wall, the instantly genre-defining Thriller, and concludes after Jackson cements himself as a solo artist, moving away from the Jackson clan with the release of Bad. Knowing the absolute production hell Michael went through on its journey to the big screen — constant delays, massive reshoots and the challenge of capturing one of the most prolific public personas of the modern era — the creative team had a tall task. The fact that Michael is this enjoyable is a testament to the team for banding together and delivering something this electric. Watching it with a crowd of superfans dressed head to toe in merch and costumes was a truly special experience.

If I had to dish out some criticism — because, let’s be honest, many are calling this movie bad — my biggest issue comes down to the direction. I don’t really have a major problem with Antoine Fuqua as a creative. When he was announced, a lot of people were let down because of his track record, but he’s got some heaters. Obviously, Training Day helped propel Denzel Washington to his first best actor Oscar, and Fuqua has made some solid action flicks. But has he ever brought a real sense of style behind the lens? Not really, and that’s where Michael falls a bit flat.

While I personally raved about how James Mangold captured the essence of live performance in A Complete Unknown or how Baz Luhrmann brought that bombastic flair that perfectly matched Elvis, Fuqua doesn’t quite bring a unique perspective to the biopic genre. The concert scenes are great because the music is timeless and Jaafar is killing it, but the camera itself doesn’t feel like a character. It just kind of … does random stuff. If we’re watching “Billie Jean,” let me watch Jaafar perform “Billie Jean.” I don’t need constant cutaways to the crowd or extra glitz behind the lens.

Despite wanting to go into Michael blind, I had read some of the negative reviews and buzz circling the film. But that’s not how the cards were dealt. Despite what fears I had going in, Michael is a blast. I found it to be so fun, especially because of an incredible lead performance by Jaafar, head-bopping bangers from MJ’s catalog and genuinely impressive craftsmanship on all fronts. The recreation of iconic Michael Jackson costumes, the makeup and prosthetics used to create Michael’s various nose jobs, the period hairstyles from the entire ensemble and especially the recreated stages — it’s all really strong work. At times, you forget you’re watching a Michael Jackson biopic and believe you’re just watching clips of Michael Jackson.

That’s a major reason why I enjoyed Michael so much and why I think there’s such a disconnect between general audiences and those more critical. Critics wanted one film, but Michael delivers what it knows audiences desire. It gives them what they want, and it does it well. Whether it’s Jaafar essentially reviving his uncle, the technical elements transporting you back or the film moving at a smooth, digestible pace. Yes, I can agree with some of the criticism and say I would’ve liked it to go deeper. I’m not going to ding Michael for what it’s not trying to do — I’m going to praise it for what it does accomplish.

For example, one can go into a Fast & Furious movie wanting precisely edited car chases, one-of-a-kind stunts and a story with deeper meaning, but the Fast family isn’t trying to make a Tom Cruise-level spectacle. They’re giving their core audience what they expect going in. Some of the negativity surrounding Michael can be chalked up to general fatigue with the music biopic genre, but recent box office numbers have shown that audiences still want these films. They’re fun, they connect emotionally by letting their icons be rejuvenated onscreen and they hit audiences with exactly what they came for.

Michael is one of my favorites from 2026 so far, backed by a truly incredible lead performance from Jaafar Jackson. Even those who have major issues with the film can agree that Jaafar is a one-of-a-kind talent in this production. Michael does a wonderful job of making you feel like you’re part of the moment. It’s the definition of a crowd-pleaser if you allow yourself to get sucked in. Go see Michael with an open mind. Go in ready to feel something and let Michael heal your world.

9/10