Film Length: 2 Hours and 7 Minutes

Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) and produced by Graham King (Bohemian Rhapsody), the film stars Jaafar Jackson, Nia Long, Colman Domingo and Juliano Valdi. The biopic traces Michael Jackson’s journey from a young boy with a voice to fame. It shows how the lead singer of The Jackson 5 steps out of his shell and gains worldwide recognition through his music.

For those who never had the chance to see Michael live, the film transforms the movie theatre into front-row seats at one of his legendary concerts.

1966

We start in Gary, Indiana, and the film takes us back to the beginning of the Jackson 5 and their family’s story.

Being discovered by Suzanne De Passe, Creative Assistant at Motown, was a huge turning point in their lives. That’s when we see the Jackson 5’s fame start to sink in, with their hits “ABC” and “I Want You Back” making them a household name.

The scenes from this part of the film really captured what life was like for the Jacksons before the money and fame. We got to see some nice family moments with them all, even though 3 of the Jackson siblings were absent from the movie, as they did not want to take part for personal reasons.

Not much to say about this part of the film, as I felt it was a nice refresher, reminding people of where Michael got his start before he became who he is for many of us today. 

1978

A pivotal year in which we began to see Michael grow more as his own person and delve deeper into his music. “Off the Wall” is a brilliantly crafted album that perfectly captures the disco sound of the late 70s and early 80s.

Unfortunately, this vibrant era was cut short by ‘Disco Demolition Night’ in 1979, when baseball fans brought disco records to be blown up on the field during a Chicago White Sox game.

However, the creativity of this period shines through in the colourful, upbeat visuals of the “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” music video, which showcases the album’s energetic spirit.

1981

My favourite year in the movie! We see Michael’s fame reach new heights like never before.

We see behind the scenes of the making of Thriller, the best-selling album of all time, and the “Beat It” music video, where Michael brings two rival gangs together with his song and breaks racial barriers by having MTV finally showcase black artists on its music channel.

This opened the door for future black artists to have their work shown on the channel, helping them reach new audiences.

The breakdown of Thriller’s music video, which terrified me as a child so much that I used to cry and cover my ears whenever it played. I can now watch it without fear, in total amazement at every detail, from the choreography to the close-up of zombies dancing and trying to scare us.

Each scene from this year captured the rollercoaster Michael was on as he soared while creating Thriller, breaking records and topping the charts, and then, sadly, it went downhill for him when the Pepsi incident almost cost him his life.

It was definitely a teary moment for viewers. But seeing him interact with patients in the hospital as he recovered was heartwarming, and we saw him donate a lot of money to charity, showing how kind-hearted he was.

When he sang “Human Nature,” I went through an emotional rollercoaster and couldn’t listen to it the same way after seeing the movie. It is one song that the biopic has given new life to, but for me, it is an emotional one.

1988

Before the biopic ends with the Bad tour in London, the adrenaline rush from that scene was intense because it cut off before we could see more of him performing.

There was more to say about his life, such as his relationship with Quincy Jones after Bad, the name changes from Jackson 5 to Jacksons, Jermaine staying with Motown, discussions about his vitiligo, and “We Are the World” not being featured.

But that would have made the film much longer. Part 2, still to come in a few years, will tell more of his story, which I want now!!!

So far, the first part of the biopic does an amazing job of telling the story of Michael’s early life up to 1988, with the Bad tour in London.

Each scene showcased his artistry in a striking manner, emphasising his perfectionism in his craft and appearance, and presenting everything as the final product of his blood, sweat and tears.

Release Date: 23 April 2026