The Michael Jackson biopic Michael has become a massive box office success, defying dreadful reviews from film critics. The film is projected to earn around $150 million globally in its opening weekend, making investors happy. However, more significant is the audience response: US cinema screenings have given it an overall A- grade. On Rotten Tomatoes, professional reviews rate it 40% 'rotten', while user scores stand at 96% 'fresh', highlighting a stark divide between critics and the public.
A Referendum on Jackson's Reputation
The film has been framed as a referendum on Michael Jackson's public image, which has been damaged over the years by child sex abuse allegations. Michael is deliberately squeaky clean, focusing on Jackson's childhood in Gary, Indiana, his difficult relationship with his father Joe, and his rise to superstardom. It includes moments like meeting his pet chimpanzee Bubbles, buying board games, comforting sick children, making the 'Thriller' video, and performing at Wembley. Jackson is portrayed as saintly and lonely, with the film ending in 1988 at the peak of his career. This avoids all later controversies, from the 1993 allegations to his marriages to Lisa Marie Presley and Debbie Rowe, and his changing appearance. A sequel has been threatened, but its approach remains unclear.
Uncancelable Status
The film's success suggests that Jackson remains uncancelable. Documentary filmmaker Dan Reed, director of Leaving Neverland (2019), which featured allegations from Wade Robson and James Safechuck, stated: 'People don't care that he was a child molester. Literally, people just don't care.' He argued that short of video evidence, nothing would change minds. Leaving Neverland caused shockwaves but did not permanently damage Jackson's image. The series is now unavailable for legal viewing in the US due to a non-disparagement clause between Jackson's estate and HBO.
Why Jackson Endures
Jackson's music and performances are so influential that they overpower the negative aspects of his private life. Time has also helped: younger generations may not remember the headlines about dangling his baby over a balcony or the 2003 Martin Bashir interview where he admitted sharing his bed with young boys. Jackson's nephew Taj used a Trump-like strategy, claiming the media no longer controls the narrative and that the public can decide for themselves after watching the film.
Context vs. Crude Absolutes
The appropriate response to questionable artists should be to place them in context, celebrating the art while acknowledging the alleged horrors. For example, the Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft exhibited works by Eric Gill, who sexually abused his daughters, curated by survivors. The curators believed the art should be seen alongside the story of his actions. However, Michael leans into crude absolutes, portraying Jackson as a virtuous angel and his accusers as frauds. Director Antoine Fuqua told The New Yorker that a segment dramatizing the 1993 allegations by Jordan Chandler was cut at the behest of lawyers, though he intended it to exonerate Jackson, adding: 'Sometimes people do some nasty things for some money.'
