The new biopic ‘Michael’ based on the life of Michael Jackson is facing strong reaction after its release.
It has reportedly been accused of presenting an overly sanitized version of Jackson’s life.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jafar Jackson, the biopic tells the story of the pop icon from child stardom to early solo success with the Jackson 5.
However, the Daily Mail awarded the film 2 stars, writing, “The storytelling is simple, the omissions serious, but $200 million certainly buys a great karaoke act.”
Meanwhile an industry outlet said, “This seems to be a deliberate attempt to sidestep the most difficult chapters – audiences are left with spectacle rather than substance.”
He said, “Regardless of what the denials are, the belief is that Jackson was guilty of pedophilia on a massive scale, and not one ounce of that is reflected here. What we’re talking about here is a whitewash of his highly controversial life and times.”
On the other hand, Michael Jackson’s daughter Paris Jackson has also publicly distanced herself from the biopic and termed it a “bad production”.
Additionally, Paris’s sister declined to participate in the film, while her other sister LaToya Jackson wanted “everyone to be in the movie,” adding that Janet was asked “and she politely declined, so you have to respect her wishes.”
Despite the controversy, Fuqua defended the project, saying, “You’re telling about someone’s life, you want to make sure they’re happy.”
Noting that his intention was “just to tell the facts as we know them, about the artist, about the man, about the human being – the good, the bad, and the ugly.”
For those unaware, Michael Jackson passed away in 2009 at the age of 50 due to cardiac arrest.
