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‘REALLY, REALLY BAD’: MICHAEL JACKSON BIOPIC CRASHES WITH DISMAL 35% CRITICS RATING
HOLLYWOOD – The moonwalk toward the big screen has hit a staggering roadblock. Michael, the high-budget biopic documenting the life of the “King of Pop” Michael Jackson, has been decimated by film critics, debuting with a dismal 35% “Rotten” rating on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.
Despite the massive hype surrounding the casting of Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, in the lead role, the film is being described by top reviewers as a “sanitized” and “clunky” attempt to rewrite a complicated legacy.
‘A Dangerous Hagiography’
The primary grievance among critics is the film’s perceived lack of objectivity. With the Michael Jackson Estate serving as producers, reviewers have accused director Antoine Fuqua of delivering a “hagiography”—a biography that treats its subject as a saint while glossing over or ignoring the serious allegations that defined Jackson’s later years.
“It isn’t just bad filmmaking; it feels like an expensive PR exercise,” wrote one prominent critic. Another summarized the experience simply as, “Really, really bad,” a stinging play on Jackson’s 1987 hit single.
The Performance vs. The Plot
While the film as a whole is being panned, Jaafar Jackson’s performance has received a mix of pity and mild praise. Critics generally agree that the young actor captured his uncle’s physicality and vocal nuances with haunting accuracy. However, many noted that even a standout performance couldn’t save a script that felt “burdened by its own length” and “robotic in its execution.”
Key criticisms include:
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Pacing Issues: Clocking in at nearly three hours, many found the film’s structure to be a “bloated” slog through Jackson’s childhood and the Jackson 5 era.
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Dialogue: Scriptwriter John Logan, previously known for Gladiator, was criticized for “wooden” and “on-the-nose” dialogue that failed to capture the true complexity of the singer.
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The ‘Elephant in the Room’: Critics argue the film handles the child sexual abuse allegations with “insulting brevity,” failing to provide the nuanced perspective audiences expected from a definitive biopic.
The Critic-Fan Divide
As is often the case with musical biopics like Bohemian Rhapsody or Elvis, a massive divide is expected between professional critics and die-hard fans. While critics have “crushed” the film for its technical and ethical failings, early audience reactions from test screenings suggest that fans may still flock to theaters for the spectacle, the music, and the dance sequences.
Box Office Implications
With a production budget reportedly exceeding $150 million, the 35% rating is a nightmare scenario for Lionsgate and Universal Pictures. The studios were banking on the film being a major awards-season contender. Now, they must rely solely on the “MJ” brand name to recover their investment at the global box office.
As the film prepares for its worldwide rollout, the message from the critics is clear: for those looking for a deep, honest look into the life of Michael Jackson, this film is far from a “Thriller.” It is, quite simply, “Bad.”
