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April 22, 2026 | 03:12 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The arrival of the Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, was expected to be a moment worth celebrating. However, just days before its theatrical release, early critic reviews have landed with disappointing results.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Michael starred Jaafar Jackson, the late music icon’s nephew and Jermaine Jackson’s son. The movie traces the journey of the Billie Jean singer, from his early rise as part of The Jackson 5 to his dominance as a global solo superstar.
While the film promises a nostalgic trip for longtime fans around the world, early reviews suggest a different reality. On Rotten Tomatoes, Michael earns a 35% rating at the time of writing.
The movie debuted with an even lower score of 26% on Rotten Tomatoes, which Forbes noted with dozens of critics contributing to the disastrous review, making Michael one of the "worst-rated biopics in recent memory."
According to Yahoo!, several critics have weighed in, including Consequence, which gave the film a C-minus rating. The review noted, “This is a movie terrified to explore the interiority of its protagonist, and that approach will work just fine for the fans who just want to watch an uncomplicated ramble of a movie that plays all the hits.”
A similar sentiment was echoed by Associated Press, which awarded the film one and a half stars out of four, writing, “The nostalgia of Michael is for more than Michael Jackson. But blindly believing only in that celebrity, in that fantasy, is repeating a sad history all over again.”
Forbes further highlighted additional criticism, including from Tim Grierson of Screen International, who wrote, “By denying any contradictory views of its subject, Michael seems disconnected from reality—a problem the massively famous and troubled Jackson would himself come to embody.”
Despite the criticism, some positive reactions have emerged. USA Today praised Jaafar Jackson’s performance with a “fresh” score, noting, “Jaafar may share his late uncle’s megawatt smile, lithe frame and Bambi eyelashes. But his liquid dance moves—highlighted as he teaches gang members the footwork in the “Beat It” video—and soft-spoken cadence are studied to perfection.”
Adding to the positive side, Variety also gave a “fresh” rating, writing, “Simply put, this is not a movie about Michael Jackson’s dark side. Yet the surprise of Michael is how well it plays, and what an engrossing middle-of-the-road biopic it is.”
Ultimately, while the Michael Jackson biopic has received mixed reviews, its 35% score on Rotten Tomatoes suggests it leans more toward unimpressive reception. Whether audiences will agree with critics remains to be seen when the film officially hits theaters on April 24, 2026.
Read: Michael Jackson Biopic Targets $150M Box Office, Draws Mixed Reviews
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