Analysis of the Movie 'Michael' and Its Commercial Success

May 4, 2026, 07:56
GlobalEntertainment

Introduction

The biopic 'Michael', directed by Antoine Fuqua, has started its run in cinemas. While the film is making a lot of money, it has also caused a debate among critics regarding the time period it covers.

Main Body

The movie was funded and approved by Michael Jackson's estate and focuses on his life from the start of the Jackson 5 until the 1988 'Bad' tour. Because of this timeline, the film does not include the allegations of child sexual abuse, which has led to different opinions from industry experts. For example, filmmaker Spike Lee argued that these allegations would not fit the film's timeline. Furthermore, Director Antoine Fuqua emphasized that this movie is meant to be an introduction to Jackson's personality, suggesting that later events could be shown in a sequel. However, reports suggest that legal issues influenced the final version of the film. It appears that an earlier version included the 1993 allegations, but legal agreements required the scenes to be changed. Consequently, the estate paid between $10 million and $15 million for reshoots. Some critics have described this as an attempt to clean up Jackson's image for profit. Despite these complaints, the film earned $217 million in its global opening weekend and received high scores from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, which is very different from the critics' views.

Conclusion

The film is still in theaters, showing a clear gap between its huge financial success and the criticism over the facts it left out.

Learning

🚀 Moving Beyond 'But' and 'And'

At the A2 level, we usually connect ideas with simple words like but, so, or and. To reach B2, you need Connecting Words (Linkers) that show a more professional relationship between ideas.

Look at these three patterns from the text that change a simple sentence into a sophisticated one:

1. The "Contrast" Shift

Instead of saying: "Critics hate it, BUT it made money," The text uses: "Despite these complaints, the film earned $217 million."

B2 Secret: Use Despite + [Noun/Phrase] to show that something happened even though there was a problem. It makes you sound more decisive and fluent.

2. The "Result" Chain

Instead of saying: "There were legal issues, SO they changed the scenes," The text uses: "Consequently, the estate paid... for reshoots."

B2 Secret: Consequently is the 'academic' cousin of so. Use it at the start of a sentence to show a logical result of a previous action.

3. Adding Extra Information

Instead of saying: "And Spike Lee said this," The text uses: "Furthermore, Director Antoine Fuqua emphasized..."

B2 Secret: When you want to add a second, stronger point to your argument, use Furthermore. It tells the listener: "Wait, there is more important information coming!"

Quick Comparison Table for your Transition:

A2 Logic (Simple)B2 Logic (Fluent)Example from Text
But →\rightarrowDespiteDespite these complaints...
So →\rightarrowConsequentlyConsequently, the estate paid...
And →\rightarrowFurthermoreFurthermore, Director Antoine Fuqua...

Vocabulary Learning

biopic (n.)
A film that tells the true story of a real person.
Example:The biopic of Michael Jackson showed his rise to fame.
estate (n.)
The property and assets owned by a person, especially after they die.
Example:The estate of Michael Jackson approved the film.
timeline (n.)
A record of events in the order they occurred.
Example:The movie follows the timeline from the Jackson 5 to the Bad tour.
allegations (n.)
Claims that someone has done something wrong, often without proof.
Example:The film omitted the allegations of child sexual abuse.
filmmaker (n.)
A person who makes movies.
Example:Filmmaker Spike Lee criticized the film's choices.
sequel (n.)
A second or later film that continues the story of an earlier film.
Example:The director said a sequel could show later events.
legal issues (n.)
Problems or disputes that involve the law.
Example:Legal issues affected the final version of the film.
reshoots (n.)
The process of filming new scenes after the original shoot.
Example:The estate paid for reshoots to change controversial scenes.
Rotten Tomatoes (n.)
A website that aggregates movie reviews and provides an overall rating.
Example:The film received high scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
financial success (n.)
Achieving a lot of money from a business or activity.
Example:The movie's financial success surprised many critics.