Michael

MICHAEL 🪩 (2026)

There are stars, there are superstars, and then there was MICHAEL Jackson.

There was no one then, and there’s no one now, who could command a stage with the soul, magic, and electricity of MJ. And somehow, nearly 17 years after his passing, it feels like he’s been resurrected through his nephew, Jaafar Jackson, who doesn’t just play him—he IS him.

The body language. The voice. The movement. It’s not just resemblance, it’s unreal. Jaafar doesn’t imitate; he disappears into the role. And because of that, the film’s concert and music video recreations don’t just work, they hit. Hard. The immersion is real, and for stretches, it feels like you’re watching MICHAEL alive and in living color.

The theater turns into a vibe. You’re in your seat, but mentally? You’re front row, ready to dance.

And then…the lights come down. The second the film steps off the stage and into Michael’s personal life, the momentum stalls. What was electric suddenly feels muted.

MICHAEL isn’t a great movie—but let’s be real, it’s not trying to be. And saying it isn’t entertaining? That feels disingenuous. This isn’t “so bad it’s good.” This is “I just fell down a rabbit hole of MJ performances on YouTube and lost track of time” good. Because that’s what the film is: a highlight reel. A greatest-hits showcase. A love letter from family, less concerned with peeling back the man than preserving the myth.

As someone who grew up with a mom blasting MJ while cleaning, and me trying to moonwalk across the slipperiest floor in the house—this thing works. I was locked in. The concert scenes and the recreation of Thriller are pure movie magic, easily some of my favorite cinematic moments of the year.

Will some people roll their eyes at the nostalgia overload, the Easter eggs, the needle drops, the fan service? Sure. Same energy people (myself included) had with Super Mario Galaxy comparisons, style over substance, spectacle over depth. But honestly? That criticism misses the point. This movie knows exactly what it is. It’s not here to interrogate the legacy, it’s here to celebrate it.

And yeah, the conversation around what the film doesn’t cover is unavoidable. But expecting a Jackson family-backed film to dive headfirst into controversy was always wishful thinking. If you walked in wanting a hard-hitting exposé, this was never going to land for you.

That doesn’t mean the flaws aren’t there.

Whenever the film shifts into Michael’s life offstage, it struggles. The emotional beats feel repetitive, surface-level circling familiar territory without adding new weight. The focus on his father, in particular, starts to feel like it’s spinning its wheels instead of digging deeper. Still, the cast shows up. Colman Domingo brings a grounded intensity, and Nia Long adds warmth where the script sometimes doesn’t. Across the board, the performances do a lot of heavy lifting.

This is one of those movies where both takes are valid. If the shallow storytelling lost you, I get it. If the spectacle won you over, I get that too. Because when this film is on—it’s on.

“Billie Jean” at Motown? That moment hits like history happening in real time. The moonwalk lands, and you feel the cultural shift. The Thriller sequence is so meticulously recreated it borders on surreal. For a second, you’re not watching a movie—you’re witnessing something iconic. It makes you wish you could’ve been there, and part of you still wants to see even more of that era brought to life. Like that Super Bowl performance? The one where he stands on stage and lets the anticipation build? That’s going to absolutely kill on the big screen.

The casting is spot-on, and the director clearly understands how to capture Michael’s larger-than-life presence in a way that feels impactful.
So yeah, bring on part two. Because even with its flaws, even knowing exactly what this is and what it isn’t…I’ll be seated. 

Enjoy!

6.6/10 🍿 🎥

Runtime: 2hrs07mins

Where: In Theatres

The Richmond Reviewer Michael Review - April 23rd, 2026.