There are artists. There are superstars. And then there is Michael Jackson.
I remember a birthday party in our house when I was a kid. My grandfather, Filomeno, a humble tailor with gifted hands, made me a glittery orange Michael Jackson costume complete with a white glove. Like countless kids around the world, I stood before a crowd attempting to replicate the moonwalk and the signature dance moves of the King of Pop. I may not have fully understood his music back then, but even as a child, I already knew Michael Jackson was someone magical.
That memory came rushing back recently when my eldest son told me about the movie trailer of Michael. He said it was something I would surely like. To be honest, I was not immediately blown away after seeing the trailer. Over the years, I had already watched a few documentaries and dramatized features about Michael Jackson, and many of them felt merely okay. Good enough for nostalgia, perhaps, but never close enough to capturing the electricity of the man himself.
I also did not know much about Jaafar Jackson before the film. When I first Googled him, I honestly could not immediately see Michael in his face. But he was Michael's nephew, after all. The DNA was there. Still, I wondered: could anybody truly portray a once-in-a-lifetime artist?
Then came movie night. I went with my three boys to the last full show at the cinema. By the time the credits rolled, I realized this was not just another celebrity biopic. It was an experience.
It has been a week since we saw the film, yet my kids still sing Michael Jackson songs while taking a shower and while riding in the car. That alone says something powerful about the movie. It somehow imprinted upon them the genius of Michael Jackson — how he captivated audiences, transcended cultures, and connected generations through music and performance. That is what true icons do. They endure.
For younger viewers who never witnessed Michael Jackson during his peak, the film serves as an introduction to why the world stood still whenever he performed. For older generations, it is a reminder of the enormous mark he left on this earthly world.
Here in the Philippines, Michael Jackson was never just an international artist. He became part of Filipino pop culture itself. The classic sitcom John En Marsha famously used one of his songs as its theme. Legendary comedian Rene Requiestas and Manilyn Reynes even starred in the comedy films Michael and Madonna. And in 1996, around 100,000 Filipinos witnessed him live in Parañaque during his HIStory World Tour.
If Muhammad Ali gave the world the Thrilla in Manila, Michael Jackson delivered a jam-packed Thriller in Manila. That is the scale of his influence.
Michael Jackson was not merely a pop star. He was a generational icon deserving a place in music's Mount Rushmore beside The Beatles and Elvis Presley. His music crossed borders, languages, races, and generations. There may never be another performer who could command the world's attention the way he did.
And that is why Jaafar Jackson deserves tremendous praise. His performance was nothing short of astonishing. It felt as though he allowed the spirit, mannerisms, rhythm, and soul of Michael Jackson to temporarily take over his body. It was not imitation for the sake of imitation. It was embodiment. He carried the impossible burden of portraying a one-of-one, God-given phenomenon — and somehow made audiences believe again.
As close as it gets? Perhaps that is the highest compliment this biopic can receive. Because nobody can truly become Michael Jackson. But for two hours inside a cinema, it felt like he never left.
