Review: MICHAEL Is An Energetic Prince Of Pop Biopic

Posted on August 18, 2026 by Niall Browne in Reviews

A Michael Jackson biopic was always going to be a tricky proposition. The late pop icon went stratospheric in the 1980s and he still has hordes of dedicated fans, however his personal life was problematic to say the least, as his later years were filled with increasingly erratic behaviour and accusations of child abuse. Telling the whole story that covered the 50 years of his life (especially one sanctioned by his estate) never really felt that like a viable option – so it feels right that with Michael, director Antoine Fuqua and writer John Logan keep things tight and decided to cover the early years of his Motown success with the Jackson 5 to the heights of Thriller and culminating with Jackson taking to Wembley Stadium on the Bad World Tour. At the end of the day, it’s easier to have a Michel Jackson biopic featuring his music than a warts-and-all tale that manages to miss out on what made him so iconic.

There are many trials and tribulations – from physical abuse from father Joe Jackson (a great Colman Domingo) to a horrific pyrotechnic accident while filming a 1984 Pepsi commercial, but this is all wrapped up in a plethora of hit songs that deliver a crowd-pleasing and upbeat cinematic experience. It’s hagiographic myth-making in the extreme, but as John Ford once told us in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, ‘when the legend becomes fact, print the legend’.

Central to the success of Michael is an excellent performance by Jackson’s own nephew, Jaafar Jackson. He captures the essence of his uncle’s boyish enthusiasm and really sells the dramatics and the dance moves. At times you almost forget you’re watching an actor and feel like you’re seeing the real deal on screen. This is even more amazing when you factor in that many of these moments are often near note-perfect recreations of iconic moments. It’s bold to show something like the making of John Landis’ Thriller video – but boy, does Fuqua pull it off.

As good as it all is – and it is very good, Michael ultimately feels a bit superficial. Aside from Michael and his father, we never really get to know any other character in great detail – and just when you think that things might hit some emotional depth, there’s another well selected music number to take your mind off the reality of the moment. There’s a lot of good in the film but it just needed a stronger dramatic core. Over a billion dollars at the box office means that a Michael sequel is all but assured – and so it will be interesting to see how they tell the darker moments in his life. They’ll have to tackle some of that head-on, won’t they?

It’s a flawed film, but Michael manages to win you over with its energy and sheer power of its music – and it simply won’t stop ‘til you’ve had enough.

Special Features

The Blu-ray disc of Michael comes with a plethora of special features – the standout being Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough: The Making of Michael. At nearly an hour long, this goes into a lot more detail than you would expect – covering the project’s origins, the casting of Jaafar Jackson and more. The rest of the material tallies up to around 20 minutes and it offers a breezier look at the making of the film. Like the film, it’s all very entertaining.

Michael is available to buy on 4K UHD, Blu-ray™ and DVD now.