On April 24, the Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” was released to the U.S. after a year of controversy and criticism from the family. 

The movie follows the upbringing of Michael Jackson, played by his nephew Jaafer Jackson, his rise to fame and his struggle to be perfect in his dad’s eyes. Rather than the biopic telling his entire life story, the movie ends with Michael touring with his brothers in 1984, at the age of 25 and announcing his solo career before ending with a solo performance of “Bad.”

The movie was beautifully produced and had great choreography from him and the Jackson 5’s performance, helping capture Michael’s style, emotion, and personality.  

The movie also went into Michael’s battle with the fear of being lonely and isolated, which led him into his solo career. The biopic also incorporates the heavy abuse that Michael and his brothers went through growing up in the Jackson home. 

While the movie was emotional, it left out a lot of key details of the pop star’s story. The film was supposed to be released Oct 2025, but the family didn’t agree to many things about the production such as it was sugar- coated and full of lies. Additionally the biopic was supposed to end in 1993 but due to the criticism from the family it was push back.  

Omitted from the film were sexual abuse by his father Joe Jackson, Joe’s numerous affairs and Michael’s own sexual abuse allegations. These conscious decisions that made the family hold back the release date. 

Some people may think that leaving out his allegations is a way to make him seem more like a lovable person, but it’s important to tell the full story of his life though many of his fans were skeptical of his allegations. 

Besides those inconsistencies, the movie was very detailed and put together. It shows the way Michael struggled to become the person he was with a lot of backlash from his own family and fans.

The soundtrack on the movie helped guide the fans through different moods with each scene. The soundtrack featured Michael’s and the Jackson 5’s iconic songs such as, I’ll be there, Who’s loving you, Beat It, Thriller, Human Nature, and Billie Jean, creating a connection between the viewer and Michael. 

The movie also went into Michael’s battle with the fear of being lonely and isolated, which led him into his solo career. 

Overall, the film “Michael” painted a picture of the pop star’s life who strove for peace and fairness in divided times. Additionally, the film left fans wanting more, however the next addition to the biopic will not be released” until 2028. The careful construction and fantastic casting worked to create a biopic that would leave fans feeling the emotion of Michael’s personal story.