[Review: Minor Rock Fist Up]
Michael Jackson was arguably the biggest pop sensation in the entire world at multiple points in history. Even today through a complicated and often controversial legacy, his popularity seems to grow more and more, 17 years after his death.
I suppose after all this time it was only right his life story would get the Hollywood treatment, and one too that is very much positioned to favor Jackson, instead of reinventing the wheel to criticize many of his pitfalls. Michael (directed by Antonie Fuqua) tells the first half the megastars career, packing lots of plot detail in a short amount of time, and stellar sound that brings the singer back to life.
It’s not hard to really detail the life of Jackson in this film. Young Michael (Juliano Krue Valdi), grows up with his family in Gary, Indiana. His mother Katherine (Nia Long) is the loving type, wanting her children to have normal childhoods. However, father Joseph Jackson (Colman Domingo) wants his kids, in particular Michael, to have great success with their band, The Jackson 5. We know that the group achieved great success, and would lead an older Michael (Jaafar Jackson – Jackson’s actual nephew) to a solo career that would be one for the history books.
Once Jaafar Jackson is introduced, his impressive turn as his uncle makes the rest of this movie fairly by the book. We see the rise of his solo career, the battle with his father to actually keep his solo career and moments in his life of struggle. Audiences get to have this moment of getting to know Jackson, without really pressing too many hard button topics, yet. We get to know Jackson’s dreams, and really get to feeling sorry for a man who, because of the abuse of a show-business father, didn’t have the childhood he so wanted.
Soon, however, Jackson rises to great stardom. He gives the world Off the Wall and Thriller, catapulting him to absolute superstardom. However, with his own private struggles about his image, Jackson also faces a health crisis during an infamous Pepsi commercial situation. There, Jackson really sets out on what will be his legacy of wanting to give back to the world through his music.
On paper, Jackson is a pretty by-the-books biopic. As a final product, it remains the same. I didn’t feel it personally invented anything new, or even presented plot points unknown to most fans of Jackson. The making of the songs and albums was fun, but didn’t overexcite me, as I’ve seen this before in things like Rocketman and Bohemian Rhapsody.
Jaafar Jackson is really fantastic in this. He commits to the role and looks like he’s having fun. I would like to see more of Jackson’s life, particularly the second half with more of his scandals (provided the family allows that portion), and untimely death, because I think Jaafar Jackson is ready and ready to keep his family legacy of musical talent alive and well.
Christian Ramos is a classic film fan, having had the dream to host Turner Classic Movies for years now. He also has a large amount of Oscar trivia in his head, remembers dressing as Groucho Marx one Halloween, and cherishes the moment Julianne Moore liked his tweet.
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