Michael: Jaafar Jackson is excellent in Biopic that unfortunately plays itself too safe

Inspired by the true story of one of the most iconic entertainers in the music business, “Michael” features an incredible lead performance and a fantastic soundtrack that contains Michael Jackson’s greatest hits, but the story doesn’t have enough drama, and a ton of scenes feel rushed, trying to cram as much material as possible. Director Antoine Fuqua plays it too safe because, aside from Michael Jackson’s strained relationship with his father, there isn’t much drama to explore. Granted, given how problematic Michael Jackson’s legacy is, I can see why they didn’t go there, but I felt like I was waiting for something dramatic to happen, but it never did. Jaafar Jackson, who is the nephew of Michael Jackson, delivers an excellent performance as the king of pop himself. Channeling his famous uncle by mimicking his iconic singing and dance style, Jaafar Jackson disappears into the role flawlessly, and it feels like we’re watching Michael Jackson onscreen as opposed to Jaafar Jackson. “Michael” may have an excellent soundtrack and a fantastic performance from Jaafar Jackson. Still, Antoine Fuqua’s direction unfortunately prevents the filmmaker from exploring the dramatic side of Michael Jackson's past, and many scenes are edited together so poorly that the film comes off as forgettable and sloppy.

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