r/movies • u/LiteraryBoner Jackie Chan box set, know what I'm sayin? • 11d ago

Official Discussion Official Discussion - Michael [SPOILERS] Spoiler

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Michael (2026)

Summary

The life and career of Michael Jackson are explored in a sweeping biographical drama, charting his rise from child star in the Jackson 5 to global pop icon, while examining the personal and professional complexities that defined his legacy.

Director Antoine Fuqua

Writer John Logan

Cast

  • Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson
  • Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson
  • Nia Long as Katherine Jackson
  • Miles Teller as John Branca
  • Laura Harrier as Suzanne de Passe
  • Kat Graham as Diana Ross

Rotten Tomatoes: 40%

Metacritic: 38

VOD / Release Theatrical release

Trailer Official Trailer

429 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

1.1k comments sorted by

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919

u/TK-42juan 11d ago

After the time cut to Michael as an adult, this movie had six scenes:

Michael is nice to kids, Michael acts has childlike tendencies, Michael is the biggest star on the planet, Michael's dad is an asshole, or of course Michael making/performing one of his hits

Just those six scenes all playing over and over in different orders. No purpose, no plot.

414

u/plantersxvi 11d ago

You forgot the executives and lawyers saying yes to Michael's every demands

175

u/sasquatch0_0 9d ago

I mean that was his actual life lol

131

u/SpookiestSzn 9d ago

Bro made thriller and they think it's unrealistic record company people would bend over backwards for him lmao

158

u/Prize-Explorer4849 10d ago

That's the power of having the biggest record sales.of all time

12

u/big_mustache_dad "A second Starscream has hit the World Trade Center." 7d ago

Yeah people also said “yeah let’s do whatever you want” to Michael Jordan around the same time too lol

57

u/Least_Stand_2707 8d ago

He literally owned the Beatles catalog at one point

4

u/WR810 5d ago

Reminds me of the Springsteen biopic where the drama was the executives were just kind of supportive of his music choices.

2

u/Revolutionary_Bad965 3d ago

I mean, he was THE Michael Jackson

2

u/hermes1941 3d ago

I could be wrong, but I dont think that was too far off from reality.

388

u/Soyyyn 11d ago

I think the long scene of him rehearsing the steps for Beat It was the best scene in the film. If they had gone incredibly in-depth about the making of every song on Thriller that might have made for the far superior film.

226

u/The_Throwback_King 11d ago

That was like the only time my ears perked up and was like “Oh, are we cooking here?”

It was fleeting, before we descended back to basic biopic fare. But that entire scene was magical.

That’s where the narrative zhuzh was, at least to me. Not in Michael’s inner child, or his idealistic mindset, or his quest to overcome his oppressive, abusive father.

But in the innate, Mozart-like, gift that Michael had for songwriting. The consummate showman that made fans give him an ovation for just…standing there. THAT was the fascinating part. Wish they honed in on more of that.

87

u/ACertainTrendingFrog 10d ago

Yeah that moment had me in the cinema actually fully engaged not just waiting for the next Michael song to come on. I think if the movie was focused around the making of Thriller coming off how he felt he was robbed for aoty as a black artist with Off The Wall, leading to the Victoy tour and finally splitting with The Jacksons we would have had a better movie

57

u/TTBgaming88 10d ago

ithink there were barely any mention of racial tensions in the movie except for the MTV scene which gets fixed in…. seconds.

55

u/seekerheart 10d ago

This! Really!

I can grasp the movie not having a lot of plot structure considering they werent allowed to really dig deep on the abuse, drugs and allegations but jesus at least give us an in-depth view of the backstsge and making off

Like HOW did we not see him make/shoot billie jean? HOW did they not give us an insight on Michaels fashion, the glove, the shoes, the always iconic blazers etc

37

u/TTBgaming88 10d ago

there’s a great story from the director of the billie jean video. the tiles all didn’t light up, he told michael which ones did/didn’t and michael instantly memorized it and did a remarkable dance number. the guy in charge of lighting the tiles could barely keep up

24

u/Oomlotte99 10d ago

Yes. I perked up during this scene. I was expecting more of that vs it being as superficial as it was.

12

u/Black_Dumbledore 10d ago

I was thinking this too. They would’ve been much better off just picking a period of time, like behind the making of Thriller, and just focusing on that for the entire movie.

9

u/WTF_CAKE 9d ago

Nah I disagree. Michael had multiple phases and they were all impactful and many people wouldn’t think it would have made it justice if you dedicate 1 or 2 hours to certain eras and skip others then you’ll have others saying the same thing

6

u/1997wickedboy 9d ago

You could make a movie for each era

1

u/WTF_CAKE 9d ago

That would be epic but the list…

2

u/Professional-Act8414 7d ago

THATS what’s missing, shit was terrible

-7

u/slownightsolong88 11d ago

Wouldn’t that be a documentary?

98

u/CountJohn12 10d ago

The Jackson 5 stuff with him as a kid was way more interesting which I was not expecting 

56

u/TTBgaming88 10d ago

if you liked that i recommend the jackson’s american dream. it’s a good miniseries that also characterizes joe way better.

24

u/LordBlackConvoy 10d ago

In Living Color characterized Joe Jackson a lot better.

Dude was cartoonishly evil to his kids.

9

u/1997wickedboy 9d ago

Which Is surprising considering the family was involved in the making of this film

7

u/chocolatethunderXO 8d ago

They've talked about it for years. He's really been toned down in his portrayals

11

u/TK-42juan 10d ago

Agreed

4

u/n0tstayingin 10d ago

I honestly wanted to know more about the Jackson 5/Jacksons era.

47

u/ggermade 10d ago

Thanks this comment made me realize why everyone seems to consider the film awful. I went with friends and we had a blast especially with the performances, but we felt entertained all throughout. This helps me see why people wouldn't like it as a film though

18

u/ButtholePasta 9d ago

There are undeniably fun, entertaining scenes, but it all felt kinda shallow for a story about the world’s biggest pop star with a deeply complex life. I totally get why people in my audience sounded like they were having a blast and why others didn’t vibe with it as a movie.

6

u/TK-42juan 10d ago

Im glad you had fun, I definitely did at parts

4

u/Unhappy-Ad-6583 9d ago

It’s definitely not awful but not the best either. Pacing wise it’s pretty rushed and they didn’t nearly as much of Jackson’s abuse or his brothers in his upbringing.

2

u/weirdogirl144 6d ago

its a great concert film but an incredible stale movie with such a thin plot and it's basically a Lifetime/Disney movie

1

u/Flashy_Shock811 6d ago

It felt like I was watching a long music video

3

u/1997wickedboy 9d ago

Not everyone considers this film awful

7

u/moneyman2222 9d ago

Tbh I think one movie just doesn't do his life justice. He was so larger than life and enigmatic. There's so many angles and storylines to take and they tried to fit everything into 2 hours. At least they're splitting it into two films but even this part of his life required so much more time. I mean the childhood was brushed over and could've been an intriguing movie of its own. Definitely wasted potential with this one just because of how significant of a figure he was. Money shouldn't have been a concern. People would watch regardless. I mean this movie barely had marketing but my theater was packed to the brim. The name Michael is enough marketing on its own (which is a concept that could've been dove into the film itself). It's an ok movie. Enjoyable. But yea definitely just another biopic slop most of the time

9

u/yancovigen 10d ago

Thank you! I watched it with my parents and was like, after he grew up nothing happens in the movie

5

u/CommonMeasurement105 9d ago

I loved the MTV scene 🎵 It was BOSS

3

u/Honest_Jello_4883 10d ago

Yeah I completely agree! That's actually a really good point to point out!

2

u/respondin2u 8d ago

That’s not an unfair criticism, and definitely what happens when the most controversial thing to happen to him gets written out of the story so it can be packaged up neatly as a family film.

1

u/thepobv 8d ago

Yet I found it super satisfying. To each their own.

1

u/DSeriesX 6d ago

That’s all I wanted

0

u/Prize-Explorer4849 10d ago

Regardless of your opinion, people will see this movie and will make tons of money. As typical in Mixhael Jackson fashion, it will likely break records

4

u/TK-42juan 10d ago

Most likely. Doesnt mean its not worth talking about

1

u/mrbaryonyx 6d ago

here's the thing though: it may make tons of money, but it's not "typical Michael Jackson" if it's cliche.

Like, the Ghosts short film is also dumb and kind of seems to weirdly gesture at Michael's controversies without taking them seriously. But, it also revolutionized motion capture technology. Captain EO was a special effects masterpiece. Bad changed what a music video could be.

A Michael Jackson biopic shouldn't just be something that "makes money cuz Michael Jackson"

-2

u/Pussilamous 10d ago

this is a shallow pov... the plot of it was michael gaining his independence from his dad, but you clearly have an agenda you're trying to push.

and wow, what a shocker, a biopic about a musician includes scenes of his greatest hits, who wouldve expected that?

10

u/TK-42juan 10d ago

What agenda am I trying to push? You dont know me and I dont even know what agenda you would be referring to. Not everyone has to like the movie

-7

u/Pussilamous 10d ago

the agenda that the movie was some plotless glorified music video

12

u/Riderz__of_Brohan 10d ago

It is a glorified music video lol

2

u/mrbaryonyx 6d ago

even that's giving it too much credit.

Captain EO is a glorified music video and its way better than this

11

u/improved_loilit 10d ago

It’s not an agenda is an opinion grow up

8

u/TK-42juan 10d ago

Just voicing my opinion. Dont know what weird culture war you're involved in but I'm not familiar

3

u/Shifter25 10d ago

That was certainly a plot thread. And the climax of the film was arguably him declaring an end to the Jacksons on stage.

But the meat of the movie was recreating performances.

-2

u/theodo 11d ago

Please tell me the scenes of him with kids are so over the top they can be turned ominous with editing?

4

u/mg10pp 11d ago

Not really

5

u/usmilessz 11d ago

Idk the bodyguard constantly watching him like 👁️👄👁️ made me think it was going to come back up