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🎟️ A Personal Note Before the Review

I recently went to see Michael—the long-awaited biopic about Michael Jackson—in theaters on April 24, 2026.

What made the experience especially meaningful was that my oldest son (turning 25 this June) invited me to go with him and his fiancée. I’ll admit, I was a little surprised—but pleasantly so. It’s not every day your kid asks you to go see a biopic about one of the most iconic musical talents of all time. It made the experience feel like more than just a movie.

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🌟 Jaafar Jackson Steals the Show

Let’s start with the standout performance: Jaafar Jackson.

At 29 years old, Michael Jackson’s nephew takes on one of the most difficult roles imaginable—and absolutely delivers.

• He performs many of the dance routines himself
• He contributes vocally in several scenes
• He reportedly pushed himself physically during filming

Jaafar Jackson underwent extensive preparation and performance training for the role, as widely reported in industry coverage ¹.

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👨‍👦 The Jackson Family Dynamic: No Sugarcoating Joe

The film doesn’t shy away from portraying Joe Jackson as a harsh and abusive father.

Michael himself spoke openly about the physical and emotional abuse he endured growing up ².

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🐒 Bubbles, Neverland, and Blurred Lines

The movie includes Michael’s famous chimpanzee, Bubbles, while blending timelines of his residences and the eventual Neverland Ranch.

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🎤 Missed Opportunity: Where Was Eddie Van Halen?

One of the most puzzling omissions involves Eddie Van Halen. It’s like they “laid” it up for him, but left him out, just enough to piss of those that know the truth.

For context:

• Eddie Van Halen performed the iconic guitar solo on Beat It ³
• He significantly contributed to the song’s arrangement

The scene in the movie has Quincy Jones and Michael listening to the final cut of Beat It, and during the solo Quincy even says “…that’s some Van Halen shit.” WTF? You had an awesome opportunity to give the guy some thanks and provide a topic of conversation for people who really didn’t know that! That solo helped the song cross into rock audiences and become a massive cultural success.

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💙 The Humanitarian Side of Michael Jackson

• Michael Jackson supported dozens of charities ⁴
• His work included children’s causes and humanitarian aid ⁵
• He donated significant portions of his earnings to charity ⁶

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🧠 A Deeper Realization: A Childhood Never Lived

The film portrays a man of immense talent who never experienced a normal childhood.

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⚖️ The Elephant in the Room: What the Movie Leaves Out

• Michael faced intense media scrutiny
• He was involved in multiple legal cases and allegations ⁷

I think they purposely made the cutoff for the movie around the year 1986. It was about 1988 that he purchased the land for Neverland, and later accusations started about the kids’ stuff.

There was ABSOLUTELY nothing negative about Michael in the movie, but the positive things they did show were real and not exaggerated.

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⏳ Why the Timeline Matters

• Neverland Ranch was acquired in the late 1980s ⁸
• The film ends before later career controversies

I don’t bring this up just to point out that there are bad associations with the man. I think it misses an opportunity to talk about it and show things from Michael’s perspective. I seriously don’t think the man purposely did things to kids. That’s just my opinion, and we will never know. My belief is that he was a grown man with child-like boundary associations. Where most us can see things as inappropriate or not “normal”, I really don’t think he had the mentality to even understand some of that. I’M NOT SAYING IF HE DID SOMETHING BAD TO CHILDREN THAT IT WAS OK. DON’T MAKE UP SHIT THAT I AM SAYING THAT OR THINK THAT.

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🤔 Final Thoughts: Safe, Strong, but Incomplete

Ultimately, Michael is a strong and engaging film—but a selective one.

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⭐ Final Rating: 7.5 / 10

A must-watch for fans—but don’t expect the full story.