MICHAEL. My Review.

Hello one and all.

I just watched the Antoine Fuqua musical biopic of Michael Jackson last night at the CINEPOLIS Theater in West Hartford which starred Jaafar Jackson (the late icon's nephew and son to Jermaine), Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Miles Teller, and Mike Myers and here's my official review.

So, since this a merging of two studios: Lionsgate and Universal/Comcast as well as Optimum Productions which gave us all that snazzy glitter-socks-MJ-doing-the-moonwalk logo. From that point - I already knew what was ahead.

We go straight to 1966 Gary Indiana to meet the young Jackson brood looking out at a calm snowstorm and we zoom in on a very young Michael (a terrific Juliano Valdi), smiling with a deep longing to be out there - until his father and "dadd-ager", Joseph Jackson (Colman Domingo who deserves better than this and I hope he still gets more work, and yeah, "Disclosure Day", the latest from Steven Spielberg, is still proof he's got a long career ahead of him) demands the brothers all get in line and begin rehearsing and so much as one false step or limp note and it's the belt for them, but most especially, Michael - the most talented one of them all.

We cut and fast forward to years with the Jackson 5, managed by the ruthless Joseph until a talent scout from Motown Records with a very keen eye on Michael, helps to loosen his grip a little. We meet founder and CEO Berry Gordy (well-played by Larenz Tate), and we get a funny scene of how he directs Michael to keep still as he sings despite the need to move along to the music - and it's also equally uncomfortable OCD-like behavior of Joseph Jackson as he's ready to intervene. Scenes like this are potent and work, but regrettably are too few and far in between.

Fast forward to the CBS/Epic Records years where a very weary Michael (now Jaafar Jackson) is all set to branch out on his own and gets close to that when he meets super music producer, Quincy Jones (Kendrick Sampson) and the Off the Wall album is all set to materialize - but, to no surprise, Joseph Jackson stipulates that contractual obligations as the lead singer/face of the Jacksons are non-negotiable regardless of his youngest son's mental health and his need to creatively spread his wings.

It's here I will stop. "Michael" is basically a Cliffs Notes film about the late King of Pop's short and controversial life and who's death in 2009 at age 50 brought out all of his fans and also those who were upset about unanswered questions about the abuse allegations that plagued him into the 1990s. The 1980s remains the main focus of his life and career and that's fine by me. I was young in the 1980s and despite being forbidden from listening to secular pop/top 40 radio - Michael Jackson Mania was inescapable. His Thriller years were cherished by me as well as the controversial "Victory" tour with his brothers and the one that'd be the last time they would tour together.

The Pepsi commercial (of course, the one that caused him to be hospitalized for third degree burns on his scalp due to a faulty pyrotechnic mishap), is dutifully recreated and yes, despite its very jarring imagery - still doesn't shed very much light on the icon's legacy; merely just recount another checklist of events in his life, but laced with the tropes we expect from all musical biopics like "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "RocketMan", but oddly enough, both those films gave us an equal balance of its subjects: Freddie Mercury and Elton John as well as their music talents and controversies.

And yet, I liked "Michael". I liked its energy; it's sense of humor and despite John Logan's very treacly and even deifying of the icon (hospital visits, childlike wonder, Peter Pan obsession, need for a zoo menagerie etc. etc.) screenplay with dialogue that could easily be best described as... Chat GPT meets Wikipedia, Antoine Fuqua, of "Training Day" and the "Equalizer" movies, keeps us glued to our seats and even toe-tapping when Michael Jackson's musicography hits the screen. We get great recreations of the Motown 25 anniversary show where he debuts The Moonwalk, a very charming recreation of the "Thriller" video set with a very brief, yet funny glance at director John Landis (kudos on the casting) taking directions from Michael himself. Comic actor, Mike Myers (almost a funny callback to the "Bohemian Rhapsody" hating producer - and yes, that movie's producer, Graham King produced this one as well) playing then-CBS producer, Walter Yetnikoff, gets a big laugh as to how Michael Jackson was able to break the color barrier over on MTV (RIP the one-time "music" channel).

Jaafar Jackson is almost uncanny in his mannerisms where we can almost see his uncle physically possessing him and channeling him musically. His performance is flawless to a fault and this, I blame Logan and even Fuqua. Moments like the studio sessions, Michael losing sleep, but awash in inspiration, his brief interactions with his brothers, his sister (where is Rebbie and we know Janet's absence was accounted for), LaToya, his surgeries and even the anti-climactic climax are cut off or all too brief. As to how much footage was cut or even condensed will be a forever mystery, but a deeper look at Jackson's life must've made its way to the cutting room floor.

But Jackson (Jaafar) acquits himself nicely as does the criminally underused Nia Long as his mother, Katherine, who proves that a mother's love is just as necessary as a stiff disciplinarian method. KeiLyn Durrel Jones, a mostly unknown actor, shines as Bill Bray, Michael's bodyguard who all but substitutes Joseph Jackson as the surrogate father figure. His scenes along with (Jaafar) Jackson are touching and keep us interested - at least for a while.

"Michael" is a good film - that deserves better for both the late King of Pop and his fans, and his audience that are eager to learn more about him.

"Michael" is rated PG-13 for thematic elements, language and smoking. Also, for those who are photosensitive and suffer from epilepsy, there are strong scenes of flashing lights.

AUTHOR'S NOTE - A Follow-up Essay on the Life of Michael Jackson and His Influence on Me Will Be Posted Soon. Thank You.