First Review: 'MICHAEL' Branded 'Bland and Barely Competent Daytime TV Movie' as Much-Hyped Biopic is Trashed For Sanitized Version of King of Pop's Life
Michael Jackson's biopic is being trashed by critics.
April 21 2026, Published 7:00 p.m. ET
Critics aren't thrilled with the new Michael Jackson biopic, RadarOnline.com can confirm.
The big-budget telling of the King of Pop's early years has moviegoers moonwalking away in disappointment for failing to paint a true portrait of its subject.
'One of the Worst Films of 2026'
The movie follows the early years of success for the singer.
The heavily hyped new movie, simply titled Michael, is being bashed for shying away from addressing the troubled singer's pop culture downfall.
Instead, the film starts with Jackson's time in the Jackson 5, followed by his solo success. It ends in the mid-1980s, safely before needing to dramatize the singer's child abuse allegations and bizarre idiosyncrasies.
That caused many critics to beat it down.
"Michael is produced by several of his relatives and close associates, so no one expected it to be a searing portrait of the controversial star. But it's still surprising that they've made such a bland and barely competent daytime TV movie," said the BBC's Nicholas Barber.
He then went in for the kill, laying out his opinion in black or white: "This saccharine, reverential biopic about controversial music legend Michael Jackson is set to be one of the worst films of 2026 – removing everything that might be deemed dramatic."
Jackson's own nephew, Jaafar Jackson, plays the icon.
But Barber wasn't the only one to find the biopic bad.
"Michael is fact-free and devoid of depth," railed Showbiz 411's Roger Friedman.
Tina Kakadelis of Beyond the Cinerama Dome said, "Michael is another entry in the genre of biopics that doesn’t want to handle the reality of the person they’re shining the spotlight on."
While WBUR's Sean Burns equated, "The movie ends in 1988 with Jackson's triumphant solo 'Bad' tour, which is kind of like ending an O.J. Simpson biopic with him winning the Heisman Trophy."
The Film Avoids Michael Jackson's Controversies
The movie is being criticized for leaving out Jackson's controversial later years.
During Jackson's life in the spotlight – which was cut short at age 50 by an accidental 2009 overdose of doctor-administered anesthetic – the Man in the Mirror singer was accused of molesting multiple minors.
Jackson denied ever abusing kids and was acquitted of sex crimes against children in a sensational 2005 trial, yet his estate is still fending off several civil lawsuits filed by multiple accusers.
However, even Jackson's family members have blasted the Billy Jean singer's biopic, and its failure to address the allegations.
Paris Jackson: 'I Don't Really Like Dishonesty'
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Jackson's daughter, Paris, called the movie full of 'lies.'
Jackson's oldest child, daughter Paris, allegedly blindsided her relatives by calling the film a "fantasy" that "panders to a very specific section of my dad's fandom" – with sources saying her comments are raising questions about what moviemakers may be burying.
"It's fantasy land – it's not real," the sassy scion posted on Instagram. "But it's sold to you as real and a lot of sugarcoated ... the narrative is being controlled. There's a lot of inaccuracies, and there's a lot of full-blown lies.
"At the end of the day, that doesn't really fly with me. I don't really like dishonesty."
Still, turnout is expected to be high for the beloved singer's movie, with some predicting the musical flick could earn up to a billion dollars at the box office – if audiences aren't dissuaded by Paris and her dissing opinion.
"This movie could be a financial game-changer for (the family)!" an insider shared. "The last thing they want is for Paris to take away their payday."
