Editor vs. Writer: Does Michael Hit the High Note?
- 14 hours ago
- 3 min read
The biopic landscape is currently dominated by legends, and none loom larger than the King of Pop. In this head-to-head review, we break down Michael from two distinct perspectives. While one of us found the spectacle quite great, the other felt the narrative got lost in the limelight.
We caught this screening in last weekend and here below our thought:
The Staff Writer’s Verdict: A Costly Concert
Rating: 4/10
There is no denying the technical prowess on display, but as a film, Michael feels less like a storied biography and more like a high-budget concert film with dialogue breaks. The "unique experience" of the cinematography makes you feel like you’re standing centre stage, part of the performance itself, yet the script feels stuck on a loop.
Throughout the runtime, the character of Michael seems trapped in two recurring themes: Reminding the audience that he is the greatest and an obsessive, singular drive to be "perfect." Also, where is Janet Jackson?
While these traits are historically accurate, the film leans on them so heavily that the actual humanity of the man gets overshadowed by the myth. If you’re looking for a front-row seat to a flawless recreation of his iconic choreography, the IMAX experience delivers. In my opinion, every single film should be watched in IMAX for a truly unique experience. The immersive feeling is always astonishing and although I've not been a fan of the film, watching in IMAX made me feel like I was there - the screen is "larger than life". But if you’re looking for a deep dive into the "why" behind the man, you might find the "what" a bit repetitive.
The Editor’s Verdict
Rating: 8/10
It is important to bear in mind is that your view of this film will depend on whether Michael Jackson's music was part of your daily life growing up. If it was, this film will be the best thing since sliced bread.
Now having grown up listening to Michael Jackson because my older brother owned several of his albums, I was really looking forward to seeing how actor Jaafar Jackson, the son of Michael's brother, Jermaine would handle playing the lead role as his uncle Michael.
The latest Michael film has undeniably divided opinion; however, we must remember it tells the story of the global music icon during his formative years. The film really looks deeply into life within the Jackson household when Michael was a child, and while there were moments of joy with music taking being a core aspect of their routine, beyond the surface it was far from smiles and rainbows, especially due to the often toxic and controlling behaviour of Joseph Jackson, who only saw dollar signs in his eyes and thus taking advantage of Michael's talents for his own personal greed and ego.
Considering the vulnerable story line, Jafaar Jackson approaches the topic with tenderness, yet performs it powerfully, drawing out Michael's character as a person and his sometimes eccentric personality. If you think this film will deliver song after song of hits to sing along to, you will be disappointed. The film focuses on familiarising yourself with the psyche of the person or to put it a better way, the man in the mirror.
As for Jafaar Jackson as a actor, this was always going to be a brave choice for anyone to take on, but it is one that Jafaar has really embraced to give such a memorable and wholesome performance which he should be incredibly proud of.
'Michael' is out now.
Article by Sal Fasone and Thushara Chandrasiri
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