Michael comes in a long line of musical biopics, from A Complete Unknown, to Elvis, to Bohemian Rhapsody. This is one of the defining subgenres of our generation. Perhaps one of the reasons for that is that these films can be described using three words: easy lay-up.
It is not hard to make a musical biopic that pleases audiences and draws a profit. Michael is no exception. The music? Excellent, but of course, it’s Michael Jackson. The visuals? Dazzling in the big spectacle scenes while appropriately damp in the more dramatic scenes. But of course, it’s Michael Jackson. Is the protagonist likable? Absolutely, but of course, it’s Michael Jackson (brought to us by the Jackson estate). If there is an antagonist, is he easy to cheer against? Absolutely, but of course, it’s Joe Jackson. It would be easy to continue listing aspects of the film that are predictably effective.
But, does it matter that the film was easier to get right than some massive risk? Does it matter that this film doesn’t reach the heights of A Complete Unknown or The Smashing Machine in terms of what a biopic is capable of? Maybe to each individual, but probably not to the general fan consensus of the film, and certainly not to the profitability of the film.
The easiest lay-up that this film had was representing racial diversity. Michael Jackson was and is a black icon in pop-culture and beyond. With the film’s focus on his family, especially his relationship with his father, black representation is everywhere in this film, and there are at least some scenes where Michael Jackson’s role as a visible black pop-icon in an evolving country is discussed. There aren’t a lot of other types of diversity on display in this film, and avoiding the subject of Michael Jackson bleaching his skin feels like a missed opportunity, but in terms of what this film needed to get right, it succeeded.
Where this film possibly misses an easy lay-up the most is representing some of the many diverse aspects of Michael Jackson’s life. This film oscillates between a heavy focus on the relationship between Michael and his father, and on the other hand, basically being a greatest hits music video. Most of the rest of the film is composed of the parts of his life that will make the audience feel warm and fuzzy inside. That will be enough for most people, but some will certainly be asking, “what about his creative process? What about how he grew up as a Jehovah’s Witness? What about the allegations later in his life?”
It has been reported that some of these more controversial aspects were originally filmed for this movie, but were later abandoned due to legal reasons. This probably lends itself to the absolute worst aspect of the film, which is the ending. The film ends in 1988. That is not a joke. It’s also not a spoiler, as there’s barely anything to spoil. The film just ends in the middle of the story and on-screen text reads: “HIS STORY CONTINUES.” (In what? Avengers: Doomsday?)
But despite these flaws, the prospect of a sequel sounds exciting, if it happens. It would be satisfying to witness the rest of Michael’s story told in cinematic fashion such as is presented here.
Overall, Michael is a fun, entertaining biopic that doesn’t deliver enough for hardcore Michael Jackson fans, nor does it deliver enough for hardcore film fans, but will deliver plenty for people who want a compelling story about possibly the most successful musical artist in modern history. As inoffensive as it is bombastic, it will probably charm, but do little else than that. Paying twenty dollars for a movie ticket is a bit of a commitment in proportion to what is offered, but certainly, you could do much worse.
