“Michael” Scores Big at Box at Box office to Mixed Reviews

“Michael” Scores Big at Box at Box office to Mixed Reviews

By: Kevin Vickery

On April 22 in the UK and on April 24 in the US, “Michael” was released by Universal Pictures and Lionsgate respectively and has since grossed over $585 million worldwide, making it the second highest grossing music biopic of all time, trailing only to, “Bohemian Rhapsody.

The film directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan follows the early life of “The King of Pop”, Michael Jackson, covering the period from his involvement in The Jackson 5 in the 1960s to the “Bad” tour in the late 1980s. “Michael” stars Jackson’s real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson in the title role and Juliano Krue Valdi, as young Michael, both in their film debuts.

The rest of the Jackson family is portrayed by Nia Long as Michael’s mother, Katherine, Colman Domingo as Michael’s father Joseph, Rhyan Hill as Michael’s brother, Tito, Joseph David-Jones as Michael’s brother, Jackie, Tre Horton as Michael’s brother Marlon, Jamal R. Henderson as Michael’s brother, Jermaine and Jessica Sula as Michael’s sister, La Toya.

Additional supporting cast includes KeiLyn Durrel Jones as body guard, Bill Bray, Laura Harrier as Suzanne de Passe, creative assistant at Motown, Mike Myers as Walter Yetnikoff, president of CBS Records, Miles Teller as, Michael’s attorney John Branca, Kendrick Sampson as producer, Quincy Jones, Larenz Tate as Berry Gordy, president of Motown and Deon Cole as promoter, Don King.

I was as much of a Michael Jackson fan as any other sixth-grade kid when the “Thriller” album was released in November of 1982. That album continued to churn out hits like, “Beat It”, “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”, “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)”, and the title track, “Thriller” throughout my junior high years at Shenandoah Middle School.

Michael Jackson’s, “Thriller” album cover

Whether you call it a pop album, a dance album or an R&B album, it was so popular that even chubby, white kids from the corn fields of Indiana like me were hanging Michael Jackson posters in their bedrooms. I can remember waiting anxiously for the premiere of the full 13 minute version of the iconic video for, “Thriller” and will never forget every kid at school trying to learn to “moon-walk” after Jackson debuted the signature dance move on live TV during the “Motown 25” television special in 1983.

“Thriller” was Jackson’s first number one album standing atop the “Billboard” chart for a record 37 non-consecutive weeks and by early 1984 it became the best-selling album of all time, with sales of over 30 million copies.

Sadly, I could never talk my mom into buying me either of the red jackets that were popularized in the “Beat It” and “Thriller” music videos with her saying, “You’ll just outgrow it in six months and by then you’ll be listening to somebody else anyway”. As usual, she was right.

Michael Jackson jackets from, “Thriller” and, “Beat It” music videos

Even though my personal tastes in music did change, I never stopped appreciating Michael’s music. In my opinion, no better bass groove has ever been recorded on a dance track than Michael’s, “Billie Jean”. From the moment it kicks in, it demands that you move your feet or at least bob your head.

Today, “Thriller” remains the best-selling album of all time, having sold an estimated 70 million copies worldwide, and is certified 34× platinum in the US. With all that in mind, I knew when I heard that the movie, “Michael” would be coming to theaters, I needed to check it out.

I’m glad I did because I thought it was great. First of all, Jaafar Jackson played the part of his uncle Michael so convincingly that I often forgot I wasn’t actually watching Michael himself. Everything from the look, the soft speaking voice, and the dance moves were flawlessly executed. The films music supervisor did apply a vocal blending technique using Michael’s original recordings, mixed with the singing that Jaafar performed on set to create the most authentic and natural sound possible, rather than just lip syncing which I thought was a nice touch.

“Michael” begins by covering the period from his start in Gary Indiana with The Jackson 5 in the 1960s through the end of the “Bad” tour in the late 1980s. Along the way all the plot lines you’d expect are present. Michael’s troubled relationship with his abusive father and manager, his breakout from The Jackson 5 into a solo artist, changing his appearance with cosmetic surgery, his unrelenting drive to produce groundbreaking music videos, his eccentric taste in pets, wearing his iconic single glove to hide early symptoms of vitiligo on his hand, the pyrotechnic malfunction that lead to him suffering third degree burns and how that incident was the turning point that began his problems painkillers and other health struggles are all present in the film. While presented well, they were all featured in what I would call a very, “Jackson family approved” manner.

Images of Michael Jackson with The Jackson 5 over time.

One primary missing component was the absence of sister and fellow pop-star, Janet Jackson. Reports suggest Janet, known for managing her own legacy, did not want her likeness or story included, preferring to maintain a distinct identity separate from the family narrative. Her sister La Toya said that Janet, “politely declined” and Director Antoine Fuqua expressed that Janet remains supportive of her nephew, Jaafar Jackson in the role of Michael.

The other missing element occurred because during the filmmaking, after a clause was discovered in a legal settlement, references to the 1993 child sexual abuse allegations against Michael were removed. Portions of the film’s third act were then revised and reshot.

This missing piece is what has led to some negative reviews of “Michael”. “The Daily Telegraph” critic Robbie Collin said the film “refused to address the elephant in the room” and that it was not credible for a Michael Jackson biography to avoid addressing “the accusations, controversies and sadness that dogged his later life”. “IndieWire” critic Kate Erbland wrote that by omitting the allegations, “The final film has been mostly stripped of any humanity, good and bad” and called it “glossy, sanitised, and surprisingly dull”. WBUR-FM critic Sean Burns likened the film ending with Jackson’s Bad tour to “an O.J. Simpson biopic ending with him winning the Heisman Trophy”.

Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of “A−” and those surveyed by PostTrakgave it a 90% positive score, with 84% saying they would definitely recommend it. The fact that the opinions of audiences was overwhelmingly positive, while critical response was largely negative seems unusual to me or maybe even controversial which proves that I’m probably better at being part of a film audience than I am at being a critic.

I’m inclined to agree with Lawrence Ware of “The Root” who argued that it was unfair to expect a film that covers Jackson’s early life to address the allegations saying, “This film does exactly what it should: celebrate the genius of a man who gave us countless hits. – What’s wrong with giving fans what they want?”