The first reviews for the Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, starring his real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson, are in, and critics are not thrilled with the big-screen story of the King of Pop.
The Rotten Tomatoes review embargo for Michael lifted on Tuesday, and at time of publication, Michael has a has a 32% critics score. A score of around 60% is generally considered to be a good rating.
The Hollywood Reporter is among the favourable reviews: “If you’re even remotely nostalgic for the time when his songs were ubiquitous on pop charts, at parties and on dance floors worldwide, the movie will be a warm rush of transporting pleasure,” it gushed.
Also complimentary is USA Today, sharing that, “Jaafar may share his late uncle’s megawatt smile, lithe frame and Bambi eyelashes. But his liquid dance moves – highlighted as he teaches gang members the footwork in the Beat It video – and soft-spoken cadence are studied to perfection.”
The UK critics have not been quite so kind.
The BBC called the film “a bland and barely competent daytime TV movie” and gave it one star.
The Guardian proclaimed that the “cliched Jackson biopic is bland, bowdlerised and bad”, while the Independent dubbed it a “risible biopic” that turns Jacko into a 20th-century Jesus”.
Empire addressed the elephant in the room with its summary: “Hugely impressive musical and dance performances from the two young men playing Michael Jackson cannot shake off the uncomfortable fact that there is an entire other side to the pop star’s story which is entirely conspicuous by its absence here.”
Also starring Juliano Krue Valdi as the young Michael Jackson, Michael traces the singer’s career as a child artist with his brothers in The Jackson 5 through his solo career as an adult on his way to becoming one of the most influential voices in pop music worldwide.
Michael also stars Colman Domingo as Jackson family patriarch Joe Jackson, Nia Long as Joe’s wife and Michael’s mother, Katherine, and Miles Teller as Michael’s lawyer, John Branca.
The film opens in cinemas on Friday.
