[Jung Tae-yoon's Star Shines] "Heal the 마이클, Not the 스릴러" (마이클 ★★★)

[Dispatch=Reporter Jung Tae-yoon] The 1983 Motown 25th Anniversary concert. The moment the moonwalk was first revealed to the world unfolded again. Gasps erupted from the audience, and some viewers wiped away tears. For those who missed him, this film was enough. However, critical reception differed. Rotten Tomatoes critics gave it 40% positive reviews, Metacritic scored it 38 points. Meanwhile, audiences gave it a 96% positive rating. The critics and the public showed starkly different temperatures toward the same film. The film 'Michael' (directed by Antoine Fuqua) chose from the start to redeem Michael Jackson. It stripped away controversy, mystery, a turbulent life, and everything that could have been a thriller. And it returned him in his most radiant form to fans. The reason audiences were enthusiastic and critics were harsh was ironically the same. This film healed Michael, and there was no thriller. The producers of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' this time selected the King of Pop. 'Michael' is a biographical film chronicling Michael Jackson's trajectory. It depicts his journey from the Jackson 5 era through his prime in 1988. Box office success has already been proven. Within 10 days of its North American release, it surpassed worldwide box office revenue of $423.92 million. This is the best opening record in music biographical film history. It holds the top spot at the box office, including North America. The film shows how he became Michael Jackson. Scenes of him singing with uncontrollable joy as a child in the recording studio, tapping his feet, the moment he first showed the moonwalk to dancers in the practice room, and more. His performances from that era were also recreated. Just as 'Bohemian Rhapsody' revived the Wembley Live Aid stage. The Motown 25th Anniversary concert, the Jackson 5's Victory Tour, and the British tour (1988) were vividly recreated. When the music played, it felt as though he existed there. The problem lies in between those moments. What made 'Bohemian Rhapsody' good wasn't just the live scenes. It faithfully followed basic dramatic grammar in showing Freddie Mercury's success and solitude, crisis and climax. 'Michael' falls short at that point. Within the limitation of only covering until 1988, the film's dramatic axis focuses on conflict with his father Joe Jackson—the process of becoming a complete Michael Jackson, no longer a five-year-old. The conflict itself was real and was the force that made Michael. However, compared to the reputation of the King of Pop, its weight feels light. In fact, there were complications in the production process. Originally it was planned to cover events through the 1993 child abuse allegations. However, legal settlement clauses were discovered, requiring the entire scene to be deleted. After 22 days of reshooting, it concluded with the current ending. With the film's box office success, the possibility of a sequel has been ignited. How the deleted scenes will be used and whether the film will address the controversies surrounding him remain uncertain. Michael Jackson's real thriller is waiting in Part 2. Filling the void of the untold story is Jaafar Jackson. It became a topic of discussion that Michael's nephew would play his uncle. Jaafar Jackson accomplished more than that. He started without formal dance training or acting experience. Jaafar Jackson said, "It wasn't something I could just copy. The training was so grueling that there were times I wondered whether to quit," adding, "At those moments, I thought 'What would Michael have done?'" He repeated single moves for tens of hours until his feet bled and lost sensation. He stayed in his uncle's room at the Jackson family's mansion, reading diaries and absorbing his mannerisms and gestures through hundreds of interviews and home videos. In the performance scenes, he layered his own voice live over Michael's original track. His two years of preparation burst onto the screen as is. It was a stage completed with authenticity, not imitation. The drama is certainly lacking. However, that is not a reason to skip this film. If you missed Michael and want to feel that stage again, you're welcome to sit in front of the screen. However, if you're an audience that values completeness, you should prepare yourself for disappointment. The critics' cold gaze didn't emerge for nothing. 'Michael' opens domestically on the 13th. Runtime is 127 minutes. "Heal the Michael, Not the Thriller" (★★★)

Who Wins? You Decide on MURAPOP

by. TaeYun Jeong