(SPOLIERS AHEAD)
On April 24, 2026, Lionsgate Films released “Michael,” a biopic about the late king of pop starring Jaffar Jackson. In the short time of its release, it has shattered global box office records, achieving the biggest opening weekend ever for a biopic.
Despite the film’s ongoing fame, students at PHS believe there is room for improvement in making a movie about someone as iconic as Michael Jackson.
“I do think that could’ve made it better,” sophomore Harley Spinden said. “Not everything was accurate as well. So I think it definitely had its flaws.”
However, senior Kyra Morrow enjoyed this movie and thought it paid justice to the artist.
“I thought it was really good and fun,” Morrow said. “I love Michael Jackson’s music, so that was the main reason I went. I also thought it was interesting seeing his story and the way that they portrayed it.”
Junior Ben Smith agreed with Morrow’s statement, adding that Jaffar Jackson stole the show with his performance.
“Overall, I thought it was pretty solid,” Smith said. “Like every movie, there are always some complaints, like little things that you could change. Overall, I thought the acting was really good. I thought Jaffar Jackson did a really good job at bringing the same energy to the movie as the real-life Michael Jackson.”
Despite the mixed feelings about this biopic, moviegoers have found moments from the film that stood out to them and became their favorite moments.
“I loved when he was teaching the guys the choreography to ‘Beat it,’” Mororow said. “When he brought together the two gangs, I thought that was super cool.”
Spinden also had a moment that stood out to her.
“I liked the part when it flashed back to his childhood,” Spinden said. “I also liked the scene where Michael and the bodyguard had their little heart-to-heart moment. I thought that was a pretty good scene as well.”
Iconic scenes and music aside, Smith was fascinated by the way Jaffar portrayed the King of Pop.
“Michael Jackson is a very unique person,” Smith said. “The way he talks, the way he moves, the way he carries himself. And I’d say overall, they probably did close to the best they could have done to portray Michael. It’s obviously never going to be perfect because it’s Michael Jackson, but they did a good job with how they portrayed him.”
Lionsgate Films has confirmed that there will be a sequel to this biopic. This will pick up from Jackson’s “Bad” tour in 1988 and will cover the rest of the pop star’s life. During filming, PHS students hope this one is better than the last and that it improves its style and pacing.
“They need to work on accuracy, especially when it comes to the family,” Spinden said. “They also need to add more parts of his life that they didn’t add because they missed key moments, and they left out a lot of stuff from his life that they should’ve put in.”
All in all, this biopic was a success. MJ fans have found the joy in bringing the late pop star to the big screen; they enjoyed the film and thrilling soundtrack that came with it. Even if it wasn’t as accurate or superb as expected, this is a movie that will bring new and old fans together for everyone to witness and enjoy for years to come.
