Michael Jackson biopic review: 'Michael' is definitely for the fans

Don't go into the "Michael," the biopic of Michael Jackson, with expectations of cinematic greatness or hoping for insightful storytelling of one of the greatest and most contentious celebrities of all time.

It's not that kind of a movie.

The family-sanctioned biopic, starring Jaafar Jackson, Michael's nephew in the titular role, delivers on entertainment — lots of singing, lots of dancing, lots of music — and that's basically it. 

"Michael" starts in the '60s, when the Jackson 5 was just starting. Here, audiences are served what most already know: The merciless training of their father Joseph, loneliness and unhappiness of a young Michael at the rigorous schedule and lack normalcy, their extreme talent that landed them in Motown Records.

And then it ends, abruptly but correctly, in 1988 at the start of the Bad World Tour and before his legacy would be tarnished with child abuse accusations.

In between, we see Michael's creativity-bordering-on-genius, his painful struggle for independence from his terror of a father, and his meteoric rise to solo stardom.

There are also hints and snippets of his eccentricity, his vanity, his early interest in "Peter Pan" and the makings of "Neverland," his soft spot of children and animals.

"Michael" is decidedly for the fans. Seen on iMAX, the nearness of the superstar and the loudness of the crowds will make you feel as though you were right there in the middle of action. 

But it is also for the casual Gen-X listeners, who will definitely enjoy the throwback music, and be reminded of the good ol' days when there were such things as platinum record sales and MTV.

The movie particularly zeroed in on "Off the Wall," and "Thriller," during which you will have been pointed out the obvious: The 1982 Quincy Jones-produced record is 'walang tapon,' as we say in Filipino. Hit upon hit, you'll see how and why Michael became the biggest and the greatest.

What is it not for are the critics. "Michael" doesn't contain any of the controversies that shadowed the superstar in his latter years. Instead, it's almost like a glossy magazine fluff piece you take out when you wanna be entertained.

On that front, critics will have to agree: Jaafar Jackson did a great job playing his uncle. His soft-spoken manner, his super suave moves, his professionalism have been nailed down pat indeed. — LA, GMA News