REVIEW | The boy who became the King of Pop

Michael

Rating: 3.5

From the very beginning, Michael doesn’t shy away from the complexity of Michael Jackson’s upbringing. We’re immediately introduced to patriarch Joseph Jackson (played by Colman Domingo), a central force in Michael’s rise to fame (for better or worse). Domingo brings a commanding, almost intimidating presence to the role, capturing the discipline and the darker edges of Joseph’s influence.

Those early scenes are heavy, but they offer important context. You start to understand Michael’s famously childlike behaviour, his deep attachment to fantasy and his constant references to Peter Pan. It doesn’t come across as eccentricity for the sake of it, but rather as someone trying to reclaim a childhood he never really had.

A stellar performance comes from Jaafar Jackson, who takes on the role of Michael. At only six years old, Michael is already positioned as the standout star of The Jackson 5 and the film captures how quickly that fame escalated.

There’s a strong emphasis on the patriarchal structure of the family, with Joseph controlling not only the group but the household itself. In one of the more telling moments, it is Michael who says, “There’s no stopping Joseph”, and his mother (played by Nia Long) quietly affirms this reality.

The tension builds around Joseph’s relentless ambition, especially when he pushes for a major tour (the Victory Tour) that ultimately becomes a turning point. One of the film’s most striking scenes is during rehearsals when a stage malfunction leaves Michael seriously injured. It’s a pivotal moment, not only physically, but symbolically, showing the cost of perfection and pressure.

After recovering, Michael returns to the stage, but something has shifted. In a powerful live moment, he announces this will be the final performance by the Jackson 5. It’s quiet, but significant. That’s the moment the film frames as the true birth of the solo artist: the King of Pop stepping out on his own.

Yet, that’s also where the film becomes slightly frustrating.

Nearly 90 minutes in, it feels like the story is only getting started. The film focuses almost entirely on Michael’s early life and rise, but leaves out the more complicated, controversial and defining chapters many viewers might be expecting. It ends as his solo career is beginning to take shape, which raises an obvious question: is this part one? Because it feels like it has to be.

As a standalone, Michael is compelling, emotional and visually strong. It does a great job of humanising a global icon and grounding his story in something real and at times a bit uncomfortable. But it also feels incomplete, like a setup for a much bigger story that hasn’t been fully told yet.

If there is a sequel, this film works as a solid foundation. If not, it risks feeling like a story that stopped right before its most important chapters.

Either way, it’s a powerful reminder that before the legend, there was a child, and maybe that story alone is worth telling.