Out of nowhere, the world seemed to come to a stop. Check your phone. Breaking news. The King of Pop was no longer among us. It was far from the only time I remember Jackson being in the news, but swiftly the narrative shifted. There was no more talk of allegations or wrongdoing. At the end of it all, the only thing people talked about was the music, his presence on stage, and the fact that the world was a poorer place without him in it.

I have no doubt that the new film Michael seeks to establish that final narrative as the one and only. 

The film starts at the beginning, with a young Michael Jackson played phenomenally by Juliano Valdi. Valdi commands the stage in one frame, and then cowers in fear of his abusive father, while at the same time maintaining a quiet defiance. The child actor’s performance sets the stage for Jafaar Jackson, who catches the baton seamlessly. The journey from boy to billboard record breaker is impressively handled, immersing the audience through the years of ups and downs.

The anchor to everything is Colman Domingo as Joseph Jackson, who is as dastardly as you might expect. Yet even as the villain of the piece, Domingo can’t help but evoke a modicum of sympathy. Joseph seems a man hell-bent on a particular delusion, regardless of the reality of his situation. As his son grows beyond whipping age, and the forces of the music industry corral around him, he still believes a draw of his belt will maintain order. Jafaar’s performance plays into this delusion, as he commands the stage from left to right moonwalking with grace, but then stands frozen as his father speaks at him. 

The whole time its nothing but sympathy for Michael. When the movie shows what he’s able to do, you’re frustrated at the life he lived to get there. The most iconic moments are played with great fanfare and make for a stunning cinematic experience. These instances are exhilarating and Michael succeeds in making you feel like you have a coveted ticket to a concert that can never be.

Where the film falters is in getting to the man behind the legend. It’s not that the film doesn’t take a peek behind the curtain, but it only pulls it back so far. Michael is not so much a character but moreso a vessel for a sadness that can only be pittied, and a defiant joyfulness that must be rallied behind. 

Presenting the musician as oh so saintly makes him difficult to connect to. Especially as the film careens through one milestone achievement after the next with little to no development. Some of the greatest songs of all time deserve more than a montage, and Michael is missing the substance required to do them justice.

Quincy Jones appears, but in a manner not befitting his contribution to the phenomenon of Michael Jackson. That’s okay since it isn’t Quincy’s movie, but when the movie has so little to go on, my mind kept going back to ways it could’ve been more compelling. 

Michael feels like a surface-level display of one of the most influential figures in music history. The old songs still hit and the production in recreating some well-documented performances is impressive, but therein lies the problem. Watching Jafaar and Coleman share a scene is transfixing, but borders on repetitive by their third or fourth bout. It’s a standard fare biopic that doesn’t say much about its subject except what a gift he was to humanity. Oh well. At least we get to hear Billie Jean in surround sound and see the sparkly glove on the big screen.

Rating: Half Price