DVD Corner

Michael 4K UHD Review

Not even Jafaar Jackson can save “Michael.” 

Written by John Logan, 2026’s “Michael” is the long awaited biopic of the late pop superstar Michael Jackson. The film takes place from 1966 with the rise of the Jackson 5 to Michael Jackson’s first solo tour in 1988. In between that period, the film explores Michael’s uneasy relationship with his father Joe Jackson, Michael branching out to do solo work, his eccentricities, his triumphant hits, the infamous Pepsi commercial tragedy/disaster, etc.

“Michael” is essentially a greatest hits package in movie form. In standard biopic fashion, the Antoine Fuqua directed film races from one point to the next to cover this span of Michael Jackson’s life. It’s an entirely safe, watered down, crowd pleasing biopic that side steps several controversies. Given the film’s global billion dollar box office, it seems inevitable that we’ll see a sequel tackle his post 1988 life and career. For some, this may be the film they have always wanted to see as it navigates Michael’s childhood, career, and his choice to forge his own music career path. For those that tire of the formulaic music biopics, “Michael” feels all too familiar. The best biopics are the ones that break the mold and take risks. “Michael” never does that and it never digs deeper into who Michael was. It’s a shame because Fuqua is a talented director who is known for gritty thrillers and action films like “Training Day.” This never feels like a Fuqua film. It feels like anybody could have directed it.

The lone saving grace here is Jafaar Jackson. Jafaar (whose uncle was the real Michael Jackson) is the real deal. You would have never know he hasn’t acted or danced prior to this film. Not only is his performance energetic, but he channels Michael Jackson in virtually every regard from his voice to his moves. This could have easily been a case of stunt casting, but it worked like a charm. Colman Domingo (who is seemingly everywhere these days) also classes up the movie as Joe Jackson. Any scene with Joe or Joe and Michael is easily the best part of the film.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.85:1 2160p. How does it look? A prectably nice glossy 4K print.

Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. How does it sound? Given that this is an audio intensive film, it’s no surprise that this Atmos track delivers and then some. The performances are especially dynamic here.

Extras:
* Blu-ray copy
* Digital copy
* 3 “Michael” trailers
* “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough: The Making Of Michael”- An in-depth hour long making of that explores how the project came about, how Jafaar Jackson was cast and prepared for the role, and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film and more. Interviews, set footage, and film clips are included.
* “Home Is Where His Heart Is: Behind The Gates Of Hayvenhurst”- A look at Jafaar Jackson preparing for the role at Hayvenhurst.
* “Becoming Michael”- Another extra that covers Jafaar Jackson becoming Michael Jackson.
* “First Look”- A 2 minute general featurette on the film with interviews, film clips, and set footage.
* “In The Mirror: Becoming Michael And Joe Time-Lapses”- 4 make-up time lapses.
* “Before The Big Screen”- Another short featurette.
* “On The Set Of Michael” extra.

July 15, 2026 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | Biopic, Michael 4K UHD Review, Jafaar Jackson, Michael Jackson, Michael (2026)