Phenomenal performance by Jaafar Jackson channeling his uncle.

For a movie about the biggest pop star in modern history, this feels like an unfinished demo—packed with some great hits, but missing almost everything else. Jaafar Jackson embodies his uncle with uncanny precision, replicating his dance moves, voice, and even his love for animals, which is no small feat. The film’s glimpse into Michael’s creative process is engaging, and the high-production musical sequences in Dolby Atmos make for a decent theatrical experience. Juliano Valdi is electric as young Michael, and the early scenes charting the Jackson family’s rise are easily the film’s strongest moments. Colman Domingo commands attention as the abusive, self-serving Joe Jackson, while Nia Long brings warmth and grounding as Katherine. However, the brothers are treated more like background figures than fully realized characters, with little effort made to explore their relationships with Michael. The larger issue is how thoroughly the film sanitizes the complexities of Michael’s life. It becomes frustratingly evasive, sidestepping the deeper struggles that defined him. For instance, the film highlights only his positive reactions to rising fame, ignoring the overwhelm he openly spoke about in real life. As Michael himself once said, “People think they know me, but they don’t. Not really.” This film does little to change that.

Its an excellent tribute to michael Jackson and its legacy, but not a great movie. Its a series of music montages, and between them a lot of scenes of his father being a dick, and him talking to someone wanting to be free. Rinse and repeat that formula for 2 hours, w the occasion scene of him buying a random animal, and thats the movie.

When I heard that Janet Jackson doesn’t want involvement with Michael Jackson movie, it was already not a good sign. The entire movies just feels incomplete and it’s apparently because filmmakers wanted to make this two parter. Outside of like leaving out big thing people talk about Jackson later in his life which the film didn’t even talk about since it ended before that would happen. Jaafar Jackson performance as Michael Jackson is really good and captures charm of his uncle, and honestly came here for the songs as there are better documentary films that explains history better. From what people say, it’s Jackson version of the Bohemian Rhapsody and it’s bound to break the box office just like that film.

Genuinely one of the best musical movies.