Michael Jackson is undoubtedly the King of Pop, and this is proven with great success in Michael, the newly released biopic that bursts at the seams with talent and impeccable casting. Yet, the mysterious genius remains just that—a mystery—when the end credits roll.

The film moves along like any other biopic of its kind: the musician has a hard childhood, achieves fame, and runs into trouble. It attempts to understand Jackson's enormous ambition, but doesn't sufficiently let us in on his motivations, which would be more interesting than some of the performance scenes (however great).

We learn that Jackson wants to be famous because he wants to be "heard." We also learn that he is a child without friends and is developmentally suppressed by his family. In one scene, Michael tells his mother, Katherine (Nia Long), that he wants friends. She responds by saying he is "different," to which he appears satisfied. The human truth, however, is that no one can be satisfied being so alone. Throughout the film, I wait for Jackson to acknowledge this and try to change it.

It never happens.

The film also depicts the infamous Pepsi commercial incident, but glosses over the detrimental addictions that followed. Instead, we just see Jackson in the hospital for a while, struggling with performing up to standard, constantly bouncing from show to doctor's appointment.

Every performance in Michael is incredible. Jackson's real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, plays his uncle with uncanny accuracy. However, it's the scenes with Berry Gordy (Larenz Tate) that stand out most. The film flashes back to Gordy twice: the first time, when young Jackson meets him at his first recording session. In that scene, Jackson's attitude is pure excitement, unlike his siblings, who are there because they have to be.

The second time we see Gordy is when young Jackson is recording a cover of the song “Who’s Loving You.” The look of pure astonishment on Gordy’s face the moment Jackson opens his mouth to belt that first line gives me goosebumps.

Michael is as much a musical experience as it is a movie. The recreations of Jackson’s iconic concert and video performances, such as the “Thriller” music video and “Billie Jean,” are truly astonishing and remind us all why he's considered King.

All in all, I enjoyed Michael for its showmanship and attention to visual and choreographic detail. But critically speaking, I wish it had told the story of a man whom I suspect is much more complex than simply a song-and-dance man.