‘Michael’, from director Antoine Fuqua, and its attempt to deify the ‘King of Pop’ makes for uncomfortable viewing.

Fuqua has, with the assistance of the Jackson estate, established a world in an almost parallel universe that attempts to tell the origin story of Jackson.

Here, he’s portrayed by his nephew Jaafar Jackson as family-oriented, loving, kind and flawless.

In this universe, Michael doesn’t get angry, stressed or burnt out from the relentless bombardment of not just his father Joe, played with pantomime menace by Colman Domingo, but also the gruelling rehearsal and performance schedule he goes through.

The supporting cast also features Nia Long, Juliano Valdi, KeiLyn Durrel Jones, Laura Harrier, Jessica Sula, Mike Myers and Miles Teller.

It’s a snapshot of a point in time, early 1960s to the late 1980s, that allows several sneaky narratives to be painted. There are so many.

Glaring and presented without subtlety is the omission of Janet Jackson, arguably his most famous sibling and a sister who had a profound effect on his life.

It is understood, based on La Toya Jackson’s account, that Janet was invited to be included in the film but “kindly” declined.

Michael’s need to lighten his skin and whiten his features is danced around as deftly as when he is seen moonwalking on stage.

However, by far the most jarring element is the muted telling of his relationship with children and how problematic that became for him.

Instead, we see an almost comical, scene-by-scene addition of a menagerie of animals that take residence at the Jackson household, with whom he bonds.

All the hits are played mercilessly, leaving you feeling a little shell-shocked, almost as though you are racing through a patchwork quilt of his works with a smattering of behind-the-scenes moments.

A reimagining of curated, often palatable, moments of what the family would like you to see.

What they really want you to see, you get in abundance. The villain of the piece, Joe Jackson, is only half believable, though.

For such a pivotal figure, the performance harked back to a pastiche of the role played by Laurence Fishburne as Ike Turner in the biopic of Tina Turner’s life, ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It’.

The movie starts as it finishes, leaving more questions than it answers. You get no closeness to the man, the myth, the legend. It’s incredibly disappointing that the film exacerbates this. He remains aloof throughout.

A shame, as this was an opportunity to humanise and come clean about Jackson’s shortcomings as a human being.

Let’s be real, a warts-and-all biopic would never have made for palatable viewing, as it wouldn’t generate the box office success this version of his life will no doubt bring.

It’s also important to point out that Jackson’s family had producer credits for what is essentially a puff piece of controlled narrative.

If I wanted a baggy canter through Michael Jackson’s greatest hits, my music library has extensive tracks for me to choose from.

Since the time I could speak, I’ve been a fan of his music and this is what makes watching a movie so vacuous, as it gives you no additional insight into such a legendary figure. It’s so frustrating.

This film isn’t aimed at those who want to get an inner circle perspective of Jackson. It’s aimed at those who are content to barely scratch the surface of a clearly complex individual and wallow in the nostalgia of bygone years in which he flourished. It’s a medicated, blissful ignorance pacifier; a cinematic blue pill.

It’s fitting that the climax of this whistle-stop tour of hits with no substance ends with ‘Bad’, to rework a phrase that sums up my overall viewing experience of this turgid gothic monstrosity.

This is a film which seeks to actively gaslight and make you misremember aspects of a flawed genius.

It is not a good movie and has no redeemable features. It’s bad; it’s really, really bad.

Michael is out on general release from today (April 24).

Michael Morgan is a pen-for-hire who has previously written for The Voice, Hip Hop Connection, TOUCH magazine, iNews and the Metro. Passionate about the needs of young adults and those living with mental health conditions, he spent several years working as a mentor alongside people excluded from mainstream education. A habitual line-stepper, lover of Hip Hop and film, Michael has previously been a regular film pundit on BBC Radio Essex. He has also presented, produced and directed ‘The Frontrow’, his own programme, which aired on BEN TV.

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It’s 1993 Nigeria and we are in the midst of the country’s tumultuous election process. Unspeakable violence, upheaval and political instability are the order of the day.

Two precocious children, Remi and Aki, long for their father’s return. He is often away from home on business. As they occupy themselves playing with cleverly self-crafted paper WWE toys, he suddenly appears.

Folarin, played with quiet gravitas by Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, is their no-nonsense father who will not be questioned about his decisions. Chief among them is his latest move: to urgently take his two young sons on an odyssey to Lagos, without explanation.

What follows is a journey that allows for rare, hard-won intimacy, as father and sons reconnect and rebuild familiarity. Minibus, motorbike and sometimes sheer determination on foot all come into play. Folarin’s determination to reach Lagos could, in itself, have sustained an entirely separate film.

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The story unfolds over the course of a single day, one infused with a sense of the surreal and touched by quiet mysticism. Along the way, the boys begin to realise that their father is not quite who he appears to be.

As they encounter colleagues, friends and acquaintances who greet him warmly as “Kapo”, they discover a man who is loved, respected and revered. However, in swift succession, closely guarded truths emerge.

Rather than diminishing him in their eyes, these revelations deepen the bond between father and sons. Through his flaws, they seem to love him even more deeply.

The film’s masterstroke is how it turns the audience into questioning children, too. You just don’t realise it until the questions soon begin to stack up!

There is a sense of wonder in watching a devoted father who clearly loves his children yet, by all accounts, spends little time with them.

You’ll find yourself pondering his choices and the motifs that present themselves in the story. Why does a man so apparently devoted to his wife leave her, according to the children, increasingly unhappy? Why the wandering eye? And what is behind the constant nosebleeds?

Superbly shot from the children’s point of view, a crucial choice, the film’s characters, colours and compositions blend to reflect a child’s gaze while maintaining a brisk narrative pace.

The supersaturated palette, frequent close-ups and sumptuous cinematography work in harmony, creating a stunning visual language. These confident, creative decisions underline why this debut from director Akinola Davies Jr has resonated so strongly.

The film has rightly earned a BAFTA nomination for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer and stands as a very strong contender.

Now showing in selected cinemas, His Father’s Shadow is a must-see that rewards repeat viewing.

Rich, vibrant and quietly assured, its deft storytelling offers a masterclass in how to draw an audience in, retain their attention and leave them turning the film over in their minds long after the final reel.

Michael Morgan is a pen-for-hire who has previously written for The Voice, Hip Hop Connection, TOUCH magazine, iNews and the Metro. Passionate about the needs of young adults and those living with mental health conditions, he spent several years working as a mentor alongside people excluded from mainstream education. A habitual line-stepper, lover of Hip Hop and film, Michael has previously been a regular film pundit on BBC Radio Essex. He has also presented, produced and directed ‘The Frontrow’, his own programme, which aired on BEN TV.

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Soon to be paroled, Taylor, played by David Jonsson, in between barbering, working the servery and snorting copious amounts of makeshift drugs, is trying to keep his nose clean. Pun intended.

It’s his reliance on the white powder he snorts that proves to be both a gift and a curse to him as he tries to navigate his last few days on the wing, which will also see him meeting his now young-adult son for the first time.

With the introduction of his new mercurial cellmate, Dee, played with menace by Tom Blyth, we quickly see him leaning into the title of the movie and really bringing it to life as his chance of freedom is put in jeopardy.

Taylor doesn’t want any problems messing up his planned release, so the constant cowering to those supplying him drugs and Dee is hard to watch at times, especially as Dee blows hot and cold about their uneasy friendship, which quickly seems to be forming between the two.

Taylor, after enduring a rapid succession of bully boy tactics from his new neighbour, goes from hating his new neighbour to finding that he is both more supportive and protective than he initially gave him credit for.

Wasteman is definitely created with the TikTok generation in mind as raps are documented using the portrait-style reportage via mobile phones we are used to seeing on the app.

Also in abundance are the beatings given out by those seeking to re-establish the prison’s hierarchy, reminding everyone that not only will their punishment be seen inside the prison, but also served up to a hungry audience on social media platforms outside of it.

The film is a resolute reminder that judging a book by its cover is probably one of the worst mistakes you can make about those detained at His Majesty’s pleasure.

Taylor, at the end of his many years served for manslaughter, is a complex, multilayered character expertly crafted by writers Hunter Andrews and Eoin Doran.

The role, delivered by 2025 BAFTA winner Jonsson, under the impressive debut directorship of Cal McMau, just doubly underlines his talent as an actor.

The film is extremely clever with its sleight of hand and misdirection that wrongfoots you to the extent that you feel you may have thought you were in for yet another by-the-numbers prison drama with prerequisite intimidation, violence and drug use. You aren’t.

It challenges you as a viewer to keep up with the subtle hints and character arcs which evolve over the breezy 90 minutes and culminate in a twist you won’t see coming.

Wasteman has earned a nomination for ‘Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer’ at the 2026 BAFTAs. Rightly so, it is definitely deserving.

Its pace and storytelling are phenomenal and, given the short space of time in which we get to see the nuances of each character, they are incredibly well drawn, especially how well each of them, in particular Jonsson, plays their cards so closely to their chest.

The story unfolds in a claustrophobic, stifling environment, yet still finds room for thrilling elements and subtle humour.

It’s basically like watching 3D chess as the pawns morph into kings and the kings become pawns.

It’s a must-watch, a film which you should definitely check, mate.

• Wasteman is out on 20 February in the UK and Ireland. Free tickets to see the film are currently on offer

Michael Morgan is a pen-for-hire who has previously written for The Voice, Hip Hop Connection, TOUCH magazine, iNews and the Metro. Passionate about the needs of young adults and those living with mental health conditions, he spent several years working as a mentor alongside people excluded from mainstream education. A habitual line-stepper, lover of Hip Hop and film, Michael has previously been a regular film pundit on BBC Radio Essex. He has also presented, produced and directed ‘The Frontrow’, his own programme, which aired on BEN TV.