Normally, the hotly anticipated installment in a cherished movie franchise coming in well under 40% on Rotten Tomatoes’ imperfect but useful survey of critical responses would be cause for alarm. Not necessarily panic – several Transformers movies have made a billion dollars or so with absolutely withering reviews – but certainly surprise, given how most blockbusters these days receive some degree of critical acceptance. Ah, but Michael is and is not a normal blockbuster. Some would probably even hesitate to call it a franchise. But this Michael Jackson biopic does feel like the latest chapter in Hollywood’s favorite non-superhero franchise – and that’s even before it ends with a genuine sequel tease about Jackson’s further, ah, adventures.
Yes, despite repeated critical complaints and a few outright box office bombs, the musician biopic is a crucial part of the Hollywood economy. At a time when it seems increasingly difficult to prod
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