Along with the recent uptick in remakes and sequels, the movie industry has been suffering from an unfortunate increase in musical biopics.
This is not to say that all biopics are created equal- because they aren’t. Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman cannot be overstated in the face of more recent biopics such as Bob Marley: One Love or the most newly released, Michael.
When considering the merit of a worthwhile biopic, it’s rather important to consider the opinion of the audience for which that movie is being made. In the case of Antoine Fuqua’s Michael, its audience has proved rather divided. Considering the reviews posted on Rotten Tomatoes, critics provided the film with a disparaging 38% while the “Popcornmeter” – provided by ratings from average consumers – sits at a whopping 97%.
To summarize, the people who went to see Michael as an insightful biography of the most famous pop star in the world were nearly three times more disappointed than those who experienced the movie as a “Top Hits” album with an entertaining story about a classic musician.
Considering the +25,000 reviews praising the film for its performances and entertainment value, it’s wise to suspect that many more “entertaining” biopics are just around the corner, including a continuation of Jackson’s life in the form of a television series.
Netflix will be dropping another biographical dive into the pop star’s career, but this time, from the perspective of his worst moments. Michael Jackson: The Verdict will “show what the movie skipped over” (Denis Kimathi). This reflects a trend in Netflix’s rather odd affinity for giving true crime cases – often those still open with the involved people still alive – the dramatic documentary treatment.
Shows such as Ryan Murphy’s Monster series are rather infamous for portraying a dramatized version of real events, often to the point of disservice to the living victims and their families.
While a valid fear, the idea that Jackson’s specific case will be twisted for entertainment value could be a touch exaggerated when compared to Monster. The Verdict will most likely be entirely documentary focused as opposed to Murphy’s typical hyperbolic violence. Nick Green, the director of this new series, portrays a career very dissimilar to Murphy’s American Horror Story-dominated list of films. This bodes incredibly well for the series’ credibility.
To further juxtapose the two docu-series, The Verdict will review Jackson’s case through a more “historical” lens, focusing on the experiences of people actually present and involved. Despite Jaafar Jackson’s revered portrayal of his famous uncle in Michael, Fuqua favors a more cinematic approach in detailing Michael Jackson’s life while skipping over the less savory parts. Green seems to have created this series with the goal of informing the public’s general opinion on the case.
In conjunction with the recent receival of Fuqua’s Michael, it’s imperative to view this new show with a healthy dose of cynicism. Yes, entertainment is a large part of his public image, but why these films are still being made should be considered before a definitive opinion is made.
Why are people still making films about Michael Jackson? Hypothetically, to honor his memory. In reality, a lot of this new media comes off as more of a cash grab than anything else. This could be seen as an obvious statement, yet these projects are still receiving a lot of fanfare.
Perhaps it’s not that big of a deal, comparatively. Perhaps these films are truly made only to inform and entertain – the audience certainly seems to think so.
Michael Jackson’s devoted fan base will just have to wait until June 6th for The Verdict, or until the rumored sequel to Michael comes to theaters for a second go-around.
