Dubai turns into a dance floor at Michael's premiere: 'I literally felt like I was at a concert'

Dubai: Before the credits even rolled, Dubai had already made up its mind about Michael.

The King of Pop descended on Vox Cinemas at Mall of the Emirates on Monday night, as residents turned out in full force for a special premiere and early IMAX screening of the much-anticipated biopic. Cowboy hats, fedoras, sequin gloves and glittering jackets filled the venue and when the DJ dropped Beat It, the dance floor practically organised itself.

Moonwalkers emerged from the crowd. An impromptu flash mob took shape, unrehearsed but surprisingly smooth. It was the kind of night that reminded you why Michael Jackson's music has never really gone away.

"I literally felt like I was at a concert"

For those who grew up with Jackson's music, the screening was less a film outing and more a homecoming.

"We all need a little Michael in our lives right now," said Dubai resident Megan Leach, who watched the film at the IMAX screening. "I am an 80s baby so I grew up listening to Michael and I love that the movie reclaims him, his artistry and his story. His music was at the forefront of the movie and I love that."

Asad Mudeer shared the sentiment. "What an amazing experience. I literally felt like I was at a Michael Jackson concert. A beautiful performance by Jaafar Jackson."

And that name, Jaafar Jackson, came up again and again as residents who watched the movie said that the actor did a splendid job.

The nephew who became the icon

The biopic's most talked-about element is its lead: Jaafar Jackson, Michael's nephew, who takes on the role in his acting debut. At the Los Angeles premiere earlier this week, Jaafar described the experience as surreal. "This being the first time that I've ever got into acting and to be able to portray my Uncle Michael, it's so surreal," he told AFP. "I'm still taking it in."

His uncle Jackie Jackson, watching from the black carpet, was moved. "When I watch the movie, I think I'm watching Michael on the stage. He did such a wonderful job. It brings tears to my eyes."

Critics have been more divided. The film currently holds a 35 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviewers pointing to its narrow scope. The story ends at the 1988 Victory tour, well before the allegations that would later define public debate around Jackson, and leans heavily on performance sequences rather than dramatic depth.

The BBC called it a "saccharine, reverential biopic" that strips away everything contentious, and everything dramatic along with it.

But the film's final moments hint at more to come. Before the credits rolled, a title card read: His story continues, widely interpreted as a signal that a second film may address the later chapters of Jackson's life and the controversies that critics said were missing from the movie.

Movie review

For fans and those chasing the nostalgia of a live Jackson concert, Michael delivers. The performance sequences are electric, Jaafar's physical transformation is remarkable, and the music does what it has always done: it moves people.

For audiences wanting a more complete portrait of one of pop's most complex figures, the wait may continue.

Michael releases in UAE cinemas on 23 April.