Music biopics always spark conversation among film enthusiasts, but not in a good way. These films have become the most controversial subgenres in recent memory. With Bohemian Rhapsody scoring four Oscar wins despite receiving negative reviews from critics and Rocketman receiving only one nomination despite stellar critical reviews, people cannot make up their minds about the quality of music biopics. Then comes Michael, a biopic about one of the biggest pop stars in the world, while also being one of the most controversial celebrity figures due to his allegations involving pedophilia. If there was one movie bound to divide people in 2026, it was no doubt the Michael Jackson biopic.

Like most biopics, the film follows the life of Michael Jackson, spanning from the start of the Jackson 5 to the debut of his “Bad” album. While the film showcases Michael’s pop star prowess by recreating iconic dances and music videos, it is equally a family drama, focusing on how Michael’s father, Joseph Jackson, played a pivotal role in his life as a movie star and on the abuse he inflicted on Michael and his family. Although focusing on Michael’s personal life added intimacy to the film, it wasn’t enough to make for a worthwhile experience overall.

Casting someone as Michael Jackson had to be the most difficult choice for a casting director. Someone with as prolific a look and style as MJ has makes it nearly impossible to recapture, but they do as good a job as possible with the casting of his nephew, Jaafar Jackson. Jaafar inherits every aspect of Michael, from his high-pitched voice to the iconic dance moves. Although the film mixed Michael Jackson’s singing with Jafaar’s voice in some music sequences, there are some parts where it’s just Jafaar singing, and the vocals are uncanny. If there is any reason to watch Michael, seeing Jafaar recapture his uncle is more than good enough.

Colman Domingo has become one of the more in-demand actors working today, and it was almost guaranteed that he would be offered a high-profile role sooner or later. This came true with his casting as Joseph Jackson. While it’s far from his best work, Domingo brings so much to the role of Joseph, with his physical presence alone bringing tension in every scene. While the make-up work can look fake at times, with his eyebrows never moving throughout the film, Domingo makes the most of the character.

For a movie so dedicated to family, it’s shocking how one-dimensional every family member is. Michael’s brothers are sidelined completely, acting solely as supporters of Michael’s career, with not an ounce of who they are as people. Even Joseph lacks depth, serving only as an abusive, power-hungry father, which we’ve seen countless times in films like The Iron Claw. The film does a good-enough job of tackling Michael’s interests in toys and animals, but it was extremely disappointing to see an aspect as pivotal as his family so underwritten.

It is hard to find another pop artist as vibrant as Michael Jackson. Even his grainy music videos from the 70s had a certain glamour and appeal, which would make one believe that a film adaptation of his life would be stunning to look at. Sadly, that’s not the case with Michael. The film is littered with an ugly gold hue that desaturates any moments where color would pop. The film also lacks visual texture, giving it a fake look that could be compared to AI-generated content. The visuals do get cleaned up in the film’s third act, however, with a slew of gorgeously shot concert sequences and incredible sound design. For a film attempting to recapture what Michael Jackson’s life was like, it’s shocking how little of it was captured in the visuals for most of the movie.

Films like Bohemian Rhapsody and Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere were heavily accused of lacking an introspective dive into their singers, portraying the rise and fall of an artist as any other biopic would. While Michael does a better-than-average job of individualizing the artists, especially in his love for animals, the film does appear conventional for much of its running time. From music producers handing out business cards at the first sight of Michael performing to the rags-to-riches storyline at the film’s beginning, there are times when the film feels like it is copying and pasting the story from other artists, which Michael Jackson was far from. While some may not mind a conventional story, especially for those who didn’t know anything about Michael Jackson before his music, the film should’ve done more to make Michael stand out beyond his incredible discography.

Michael had a horrid production, but not because of any problems on set. Facing a nearly four-hour cut, they were forced to reshoot and remove the entire third act for fear of being sued by the Jackson estate. Sadly, the reshoots and restructuring of the film were detrimental. The film never felt like it was building to anything, coming across as a series of moments rather than a fulfilling story. There was an attempt to showcase Michael’s journey to set himself free from his father, but the lack of a climax made the emotional moments fall completely flat. As well as the film’s final moment saying “His story continues,” Michael does not feel like a complete story whatsoever, making for a lackluster overall experience.

Most fans of Michael Jackson likely won’t care about aspects of filmmaking like the visual language or structure, and if that’s the case, you’ll very likely enjoy what Michael has to offer. As someone who looks into film more critically and was hoping for a deeper dive into Michael as a person, this film did very little to move the needle for me. With a horrid aesthetic and one-dimensional characters, this was not the movie that Michael Jackson deserved.

Michael is now playing in theaters nationwide.

Rating: 4/10

Oscar Prospects:

Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup/Hairstyling, Best Sound, Best Editing