michael movie review and rating

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Get the app
• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

Explaining the News to Our Kids

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Celebrating Black History Month

Movies and TV Shows with Arab Leads

Celebrate Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary

Common sense media reviewers.

Gentle, kind comedy has smoking, drinking, sex references.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Promotes kindness, compassion, empathy, and apprec

Michael is an angel who dedicates his life to help

Main cast is all White. Some gender balance. Brief

Characters punched and knocked about in a Western-

Character walks around in boxer shorts and scratch

Infrequent language includes one use each of "scre

Kellogg's Frosted Flakes featured in one scene.

Main character is regularly seen smoking. Characte

Parents need to know that Michael is a gentle and heartwarming comedy drama about an angel on Earth, and has plenty of positive messages, some smoking, and implied sex and references. Michael (John Travolta) is a scruffy angel who lives for the moment but spreads many positive messages, such as communication,…

Positive Messages

Promotes kindness, compassion, empathy, and appreciating life.

Positive Role Models

Michael is an angel who dedicates his life to helping others but, knowing his time on earth is short, also indulges his own desires with sugar, cigarettes, and alcohol. He is kind, thoughtful, confident, present, and open with his emotions. Frank Quinlan is a tabloid magazine journalist who has forgotten how to be kind and to love. With the help of an angel, he becomes more thoughtful and opens his heart. Dorothy is forced to be untruthful and feels bad about it. She owns up and apologizes. Vartan is an angry editor who employs sneaky tactics to remove a member of staff. Huey is a journalist who is kind to his dog and talks about how he loves his wife.

Diverse Representations

Main cast is all White. Some gender balance. Brief references to "Indians" and "Eskimos."

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Characters punched and knocked about in a Western-style bar brawl. A dog is hit by a truck. A character dies of natural causes.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Character walks around in boxer shorts and scratches their genitals. A character proves particularly attractive to others. Judge requests to see a character in private and sex is implied. Characters kiss, including in bed the morning after spending the night together.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Infrequent language includes one use each of "screwed," "s--t," "pecker," and "bastard."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Drinking, drugs & smoking.

Main character is regularly seen smoking. Characters occasionally drink beer.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Michael is a gentle and heartwarming comedy drama about an angel on Earth, and has plenty of positive messages, some smoking, and implied sex and references. Michael ( John Travolta ) is a scruffy angel who lives for the moment but spreads many positive messages, such as communication, empathy, and compassion. He smokes cigarettes, drinks beer, and is alluring to women. Two characters kiss and share a morning-after scene but sex is only implied. Characters fight during a bar brawl scene but there is no injury. After the fight, characters end up in jail. Occasional language includes one use each of "s--t" and "bastard." To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

In MICHAEL, a letter from a woman in Iowa, who claims an angel lives with her, sets tabloid journalist Quinlan ( William Hurt ) and two colleagues on a cross-country journey of discovery. The smoking and drinking Michael ( John Travolta ) isn't the angel they were expecting, but Michael still touches their lives in unexpected ways.

Is It Any Good?

Director Nora Ephron knows her way around feel-good. Overshadowed by her bigger hits You've Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle , Michael is a huge-hearted road movie with a touch of magic that's well worth seeking out. Travolta is excellent as the smoking, drinking miracle worker. Michael is a surprisingly complex character and Travolta hits every target along the spectrum that gets us lost in the movie's gentle world. Even its edges are rounded in the nicest possible way. Women are drawn to Michael -- the Travolta's undeniable charisma is one reason, the character's aroma of cookies and cakes is the cherry on top. We even get a sensual but light-hearted Travolta dance sequence that's equal parts Pulp Fiction and Saturday Night Fever .

Michael may be an angel, but this isn't a religious movie. Nor is it an anti-religion movie. It's a movie about appreciating what you've got, making an effort to be kinder, savoring the moment, and learning to love. It's also a road movie. For its short runtime, there's nobody more pleasant to travel with than Travolta's angel, Hurt's crabby journalist, Andie MacDowell 's wannabe country singer, polite charmer Huey (Robert Pastorelli), and his pet dog, Sparky. By the time the group have completed their journey from Iowa to Chicago, everyone's a whole lot happier -- viewer included.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the different character strengths promoted in Michael . What examples of compassion , empathy , communication , and gratitude can you give from the movie? Can you think of a time when you've demonstrated these traits?

How were drinking and smoking portrayed? Were there consequences? Did it glamorize it?

Was Michael how you expected an angel to be? What do you think the movie showed us by defying expectations? Would you describe the film as a religious movie?

How did the film portray sex ? Was it affectionate? Respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.

Movie Details

• In theaters : December 25, 1996
• On DVD or streaming : September 8, 2009
• Cast : John Travolta , William Hurt , Andie MacDowell
• Director : Nora Ephron
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : New Line Cinema
• Genre : Comedy
• Topics : Magic and Fantasy
• Character Strengths : Communication , Compassion , Empathy , Gratitude
• Run time : 105 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG
• MPAA explanation : a mild barroom brawl, some language and sensuality
• Last updated : April 4, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

Sleepless in Seattle

The Straight Story

Movies That Inspire Gratitude

Movies that inspire compassion, related topics.

• Communication
• Magic and Fantasy

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

• Discount Codes

Michael Jackson biopic trailer goes down well with critics at CinemaCon

"For the first time … generations of moviegoers will come together to experience an inside look at the most prolific artist who ever lived"

A surprise look at Michael , the forthcoming biopic based on the King Of Pop, Michael Jackson has received positive reviews.

The film will be directed by Antoine Fuqua, who is known for films including  Training Day ,  The Equalizer  and  Brooklyn’s Finest and is set to star Michael Jackson’s own nephew, Jaafar Jackson in the lead role.

Per The Hollywood Reporter , the film’s trailer began with a peek at the Jackson 5 performing their hit song ‘ABC’ on TV followed by a cut to a 90s-era concert of Jackson performing ‘Man in the Mirror’. Images of a masked Jackson being hounded by both fans and paparazzi are also shown.

The trailer also shows Jaafar as Michael, capturing his striking features and his dancing and stage presence. “You never were like anyone else,” Jackson’s mother – portrayed by Nia Long –  says at one point in the clip.

Producer Graham King revealed the project will feature over 30 songs and teased it would lean on the longer side in order to do the music star’s story justice.

“Behind the unrelenting scrutiny and the accusations and the blinding media spotlight, he was simply a man. A man who lived a very complicated life. The movie will get into all of it,” King said.

Recommended

Michael  has been confirmed to receive a theatrical release in the United States on April 18, 2025, per production house Lionsgate. A UK release date is yet to be announced.

The film also stars Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson and Miles Teller as manager John Branca.

Michael ‘s trailer has yet to be release to the public. King confirmed that they are at the midway point of production on the film. “We are incredibly proud of this movie. I’m looking forward to giving to the audience a film like they’ve never seen before,” King said.

He also shared: “When you mention his name, everyone has an opinion. For the first time … generations of moviegoers will come together to experience an inside look at the most prolific artist who ever lived.”

In other news, the children of late pop icon recently attended the premiere of the West End production  MJ The Musical .

The musical has transferred to the UK following its success in the US – where it was made in collaboration with the Jackson estate and has gone on to earn 10 Tony award nominations.

Elsewhere, it was revealed that one of the singer’s original ‘Thriller’ jackets from 1983 is available to buy now  via an online auction, and expected to fetch up to $500,000 (£400,000).

• Related Topics
• Michael Jackson

You May Also Like

Tyler, the creator live at coachella: a brilliant reminder of a cult hero’s power, ‘back to black’ review: marisa abela makes a worthy amy winehouse, kanii: “i don’t hold back when i express how i feel”, ‘fallout’ review: learn to love the bomb in this fun yet flawed adaptation, grief empowered actor abubakar salim – now he’s making a video game about it, more stories, kesha joins reneé rapp for a cover of ‘tik tok’ at coachella 2024, childish gambino will premiere new music tonight, fc barcelona launches new kit with karol g, watch sky ferreira cover lady a’s ‘need you now’ at coachella, le sserafim live at coachella 2024: k-pop girl group get raw and loose, check out say lou lou’s sultry new single ‘dust’ and new ep.

site categories

Paramount distrib chief chris aronson ribs amc’s adam aron over ‘smile 2’: “looks like a concert movie we’re going to distribute” – cinemacon, lionsgate shows off emotional, intense first look of michael jackson biopic ‘michael’ at cinemacon.

By Anthony D'Alessandro , Nancy Tartaglione

Yes, this just happened — to big cheers.

Producer Graham King showed up to close Lionsgate ‘s CinemaCon session in a big way Wednesday, showing off an emotional first trailer for Michael , the Michael Jackson biopic that hits theaters on April 18, 2025. Director Antoine Fuqua still is shooting the movie, but a first-look clip was assembled.

“I’m looking forward to giving to the audience a thrill like they’ve never seen before,” King said.

Related Stories

‘Michael’ Cast: Who’s Who In The Michael Jackson Biopic

CinemaCon 2024 Photos: Henry Cavill, Halle Berry, Michael Keaton, Kevin Costner, Robert Pattinson, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth & More

He promised the film will cover Jackson’s career, his personal life, artistry and musical legacy.

King said the filmmakers had tried to “find the untold version of the story.”

“Michael Jackson was an enigma, full of eccentricities and … talent,” he said. He also was “simply a man who lived a very complicated life. The movie will get into all of it including over 30 songs spanning his career … his life on stage and his life out of the public eye.”

RELATED: First Photo From Michael Jackson Biopic ‘Michael’ Unveiled As King Of Pop’s Nephew Takes The Stage

King also said this would be “a long feature film.”

The footage begins with scenes of screaming fans and cuts to Jackson as a little boy whose mother tells him, “There might be some people who think you’re different, and that’s going to make life a little harder for you, but you never were like anyone else.”

In voice-over, a grown-up Jackson says of performing: “It transports your entire being. That’s what I want the world to feel like — magic.”

Some of the footage shown to the exhibitor crowd today at the Caesars Colosseum appears to take place during the Off the Wall era as well as that of Bad — “Man in the Mirror” is a key song heard throughout. We also see the pop singer’s nephew Jaafar Jackson performing onstage as the King of Pop. At one point, his voice-over says, “When I’m not on stage, everything feels foreign to me.”

The pic shows it all — from Jackson’s childhood days in snowy Gary, Indiana, to the Jackson 5 performing and the Thriller star being mobbed by fans while sitting in his limo.

Must Read Stories

‘succession’, ‘the holdovers’ & ‘the bear’ among winners.

Sarah Snook, ‘Vanya’ Land Wins; Breaking Baz Goes Backstage

Ex-amazon exec chris brearton joins russo brothers’ company agbo as partner, ‘civil war’ takes weekend spoils with $25.7m opening, best ever for a24.

Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.

Read More About:

18 comments.

Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Michael Footage Reaction: The Michael Jackson Biopic Looks (And Sounds) Downright Scary [CinemaCon 2024]

Hollywood has been obsessed with biopics for what seems like forever, but it's hard not to admit that our current film landscape is reaching critical mass with movies about famous people. I guess when they've run out of recognizable IP, they've gotta center stories about recognizable faces instead. Last year alone we saw "Maestro," "The Iron Claw," "Napoleon," "Ferrari," "Nyad," "Priscilla," and "Big George Forman," not to mention brand movies like "Blackberry," "Tetris," "Air," and "Barbie." And then, of course, there's "Oppenheimer," which not only took home seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director, but also became the highest-grossing biopic of all time . No shade to our boy Oppy, but it seems like a new film from Antoine Fuqua is coming for that title and the fact it's a movie about the most famous musical performer to ever live certainly gives the project a leg up on the father of the atomic bomb. I'm talking, of course, about "Michael," the biopic about the King of Pop, Michael Jackson .

Following the life and career of Michael Jackson, "Michael" is directed by Fuqua from a script by Academy Award-nominated screenwriter John Logan ("Gladiator," "The Aviator," "Skyfall"). The film stars Jackson's nephew Jaafar Jackson in his feature film debut, with a supporting cast including Academy Award-nominated actor Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, and Miles Teller as John Branca (the co-executor of the Michael Jackson estate). Additional cast includes Laura Harrier, Kat Graham, Larenz Tate, Jessica Sula, Liv Symone, Kevin Shinick, KeiLyn Durrel Jones, and Kendrick Sampson.

While "Michael" is currently only halfway through production, /Film's Ryan Scott is on the ground at CinemaCon 2024 where Lionsgate gave fans a first look at the film. The results are apparently so accurate it's scary.

The King of Pop lives

Note: the above image is from Michael Jackson's official music video for "Thriller" as there are no other available images from "Michael."

Producer Graham King promised that the film would feature 30 songs spanning Michael Jackson's entire career. "Behind the unrelenting scrutiny and the accusations and the blinding media spotlight, he was simply a man. A man who lived a very complicated life," said King. "The movie will get into all of it." The footage shown at CinemaCon began with a slow-motion shot of a theater, while the Jackson 5 plays in the background. There was a voiceover of Michael Jackson speaking, and it sounded absolutely spot-on. There were also a variety of recreations of his iconic performances, including from "Off the Wall." As Scott reports, "It all looks eerie it's so accurate. Katherine Jackson then told a young Michael Jackson, "There might be some people who think you're different and that's going to make life a little harder for you, but you never were like anyone else."

This was followed by shots of Michael's younger years interwoven with images of his monumental fame, with much of the montage set to "Man in the Mirror." According to Scott, "It is scary how accurate it all looks." The footage then showcased another montage at the end, highlighting the good, the bad, and the ugly moments of Jackson's life: drugs, ambulance rides, and the dark side of fame. "When I'm not on stage, everything feels foreign to me," Michael says. It certainly sounds like this will be a birth-to-death biopic for The Gloved One, and with his direct family's support, it'll be interesting what is given the central focus, but more importantly ... what might be omitted.

"Michael" is currently scheduled for theatrical release on April 18, 2025.

Michael Jackson Biopic Trailer Electrifies CinemaCon With Moonwalking King of Pop, ‘Thriller’ Performance and More

“ Michael ,” the upcoming biopic about pop legend Michael Jackson that seems guaranteed to spark conversation, debuted a dazzling and emotional first look at CinemaCon during Lionsgate’s presentation to theater owners on Thursday in Las Vegas.

The sweeping footage starts as hysterical fans scream along to Jackson as he owns the stage, flashing between performances of his biggest hits like “Man in the Mirror” and “Thriller.” The movie, which is still in production, will feature over 30 songs and recreate several performances of them, starting with Jackson 5’s classic rendition of “ABC” on “American Bandstand.”

Popular on Variety

Later in the footage, he says, “When I’m not onstage everything feels foreign to me.”

There’s certainly no shortage of material to mine in telling Jackson’s story. Before debuting the trailer, producer Graham King” called the film “an inside look at the most prolific artist who ever lived.” He teased, “There are elements of drama, intrigue and emotional states.” King noted that he’s been preparing for the movie for seven years, interviewing hundreds of people and carefully considering how to condense his complex life and legacy.

“There are biopics — and there’s Michael Jackson,” said King, who also served as a producer on the box office smash “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

Jackson topped charts and moonwalked his way into cultural history with classics like “Beat It,” “Billie Jean,” “Bad” and “Black or White.” But he also faced multiple allegations of child sexual abuse — a 1993 lawsuit involving the singer was settled out of civil court and in 2005 he was tried and acquitted on different claims. Jackson died in 2009 from an overdose of propofol.

“We’ll get into all of it,” King promises. “Behind the unrelenting scrutiny and the accusations and the spotlight, he was simply a man — a man with a very complicated life.”

The most daunting part of the moviemaking journey was finding the man to embody a near-mythic figure like Jackson. “When I started out, everyone said, ‘You’ll never find anyone to play him,” King recalled.

Well, in the end, they didn’t have to look far beyond the performer’s kin. “Michael” stars Jaafar Jackson, who also happens to be Jackson’s real-life nephew. In the minutes-long clip that played for theater owners, but is not yet available to the public, Jaafar Jackson embodies every inch of his uncle’s charisma and stage presence while sporting his signature white button-down, glittery glove and fitted fedora.

Oscar-nominee Colman Domingo (as Joe Jackson) and Nia Long (as Katherine Jackson) will portray the superstar’s parents. The ensemble includes Miles Teller, Laura Harrier, Kat Graham, Larenz Tate and Jessica Sula. Fuqua, a popular filmmaker whose hits include “Training Day” and “The Equalizer,” directed the film from a script by “Gladiator” screenwriter John Logan.

“Michael” hits theaters on April 18, 2025. The film comes as musical biopics have been embraced by audiences with the likes of “Bohemian Rhapsody” (a look at Queen frontman Freddie Mercury), “Rocketman” (the story of Elton John), “Elvis” and “Bob Marley: One Love” connecting at the box office.

Judging by the reaction of theater owners inside the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, the controversy that surrounds Jackson’s legacy may not matter to audiences around the world. “Michael” looks like it has the goods to be another crowd-pleasing hit.

More From Our Brands

Andrew watt waited his entire life to produce pearl jam’s new album ‘dark matter’, we went to america’s biggest aviation expo. here’s what we saw., a worrywart’s guide to the 2024 paris olympics, be tough on dirt but gentle on your body with the best soaps for sensitive skin, tamron hall renewed for season 6, verify it's you, please log in.

'Michael' movie review: Hyper-stylised action, muddled and chaotic drama

At one point, Gautham Vasudev Menon, playing the suave gangster Gurunath in Michael is reading the Venus in Furs. It is a book about a man who has a fascination with a woman who is cruel to him. He has this book with him while sending his protege Michael (Sundeep Kishan) on an assassination mission that involves a woman, Theera (Divyansha Kaushik). Gurunath talks about the black widow spider and the insect’s proclivity for murdering its sexual partners. It is a precursor to what is going to happen in Michael’s life. His steadfast life, which is filled with murder, mayhem, and madness, will soon be torpedoed by a melancholic melody, courtesy of a woman.

Just like in the book, Michael’s unending love for Theera takes him back to her even if he has to face insurmountable odds. Such a connection between a book and the film’s narrative is also seen when Gurunath reads The Old Man and the Sea, The Godfather, and Macbeth. While it is fascinating to make these connections, it isn’t like these are passing references that are put out there to test our literary knowledge. We also have director Ranjit Jeyakodi giving us an elaborate exposition. While this game of ‘connect the dots,’ is undoubtedly fun, the reason why we actually play this game while watching a bloody saga of revenge and retribution is that the proceedings are unbelievably monotonous and droll.

Michael begins with a prominent supporting actor from the KGF universe narrating the story of a boy who came in as a nobody to Mumbai and became a much-feared don of the city. One might think this is straight out of Nayagan or even KGF, and they will not be wrong. After a rather long-ish buildup for the titular character, we see how the daring boy becomes the fearless man in Gurunath’s arsenal. These scenes play out rather wonderfully setting the pace for Michael, which, by now, has reminded us of a bunch of films like Arun Matheswaran’s Rocky that presented violence in a highly stylised format. However, Ranjit and Co don’t really go all out on the visceral and gratuitous violence and keep it to a palatable minimum.

We have one never-say-die assassin searching for a girl, who is held captive by the antagonists. In between all this, we have the age-old trope of a son wanting to become the next underworld don even as the father doesn’t always favour him. We have seen this equation play out in films like Polladhavan, Bheeshma Parvam, and even... KGF. Oh also, there is a John Wick-inspired buildup for Sundeep, which doesn’t really land well because, despite the never-ending elevation scenes, they just aren’t enough to buy the actor as this dreaded Michael.

Honestly, it isn’t that Sundeep isn’t giving it his all. He is the heart, soul, and bones of the film, which also has Gautham, Vijay Sethupathi, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, and Divyansha giving it their all. However, for an ambitious film like Michael, it isn’t enough that the actors undergo physical transformations, and spout punch dialogues every second minute. It is the writing that has to back the ambition and the pizzazz. That is where Michael falters quite a bit and oscillates between being a colossal disappointment and a mildly engaging style statement.

There is an overwhelming sense of deja vu, and even the climactic twist isn’t that much of a reveal in the first place. The way the narrative unfolds to this point is something Ranjit uses liberally throughout the film. The random timeline jumps within a single sequence manages to be both non-cohesive and engaging, but the makers play this card one time too many, and the monotony in the story finds its way into the screenplay too. The biggest saving grace of Michael is definitely the background score of Sam CS, and the cinematography of Kiran Kaushik, which is just terrific and elevates the mood of the film whenever it goes down the route of predictability.

In the post-KGF world, guns and bullets have become so commonplace that there is very little novelty in such elaborate sequences anymore, and Michael suffers from the been-there-seen-that syndrome.  Also, it is time we do away with the trope of a gun-toting hero throwing his guns away to take on two burly henchmen instead of just shooting them dead and moving on. Even the never-ending bloody hand-to-hand combat scenes don’t really engage after a point because the emotion behind it all isn’t established strongly enough.

Yes, we have Theera say things like “Don’t fall for me, I will break your heart” and... she goes on to do just that. She says such strong statements and is established as a character with agency, and it is something we expect out of a Ranjit Jeyakodi film. While he impresses on that front by sketching a rather intriguing woman at the centre of things, mounting Micheal as a testosterone-driven action thriller doesn’t give the maker the scope that he had in the heavily underrated Ispade Rajavum Idhaya Raniyum to explore the romance between the lead pair.

So, when Gurunath, who is perplexed by Michael’s actions, looks at him, and says, “Oru ponnukaagava idhellaam panne nu nenacha aacharyama illa... asingama irukku...” I couldn’t help but nod my head in acceptance because the life of Gurunath is much more fascinating than whatever it is that Michael is brooding about. Also yeah, Vijay Sethupathi and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar play a rather fun couple who suddenly join this cycle of violence. In a film that is named after the lead, if the more interesting takeaways are the camaraderie shared between two characters playing cameos, and the list of books read by a satin-shirts-and-cool-shades sporting primary antagonist, then one thing is clear... all style and a semblance of substance make Michael a dull film.

Cast:Sundeep Kishan, Divyansha Kaushik, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Vijay Sethupathi Director: Ranjit Jeyakodi

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp  

Download the TNIE app to stay with us and follow the latest

Related Stories

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Netflix streaming
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• Civil War Link to Civil War
• Monkey Man Link to Monkey Man
• The First Omen Link to The First Omen

New TV Tonight

• The Sympathizer: Season 1
• Our Living World: Season 1
• Under the Bridge: Season 1
• The Spiderwick Chronicles: Season 1
• Conan O'Brien Must Go: Season 1
• Orlando Bloom: To the Edge: Season 1
• The Circle: Season 6
• Dinner with the Parents: Season 1
• Jane: Season 2

Most Popular TV on RT

• Fallout: Season 1
• Ripley: Season 1
• 3 Body Problem: Season 1
• Parasyte: The Grey: Season 1
• Shōgun: Season 1
• Sugar: Season 1
• We Were the Lucky Ones: Season 1
• Baby Reindeer: Season 1
• X-Men '97: Season 1
• A Gentleman in Moscow: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• Fallout Link to Fallout
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

Best Movies of 2024: Best New Movies to Watch Now

25 Most Popular TV Shows Right Now: What to Watch on Streaming

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

Fallout : What It Gets Right, and What It Gets Wrong

CinemaCon 2024: Day 3 – Disney Previews Deadpool & Wolverine , Moana 2 , Alien: Romulus , and More

• Trending on RT
• Play Movie Trivia

2023, Action/Drama, 2h 3m

Rate And Review

Super Reviewer

Rate this movie

Oof, that was Rotten.

Meh, it passed the time.

It’s good – I’d recommend it.

So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

What did you think of the movie? (optional)

You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

Step 2 of 2

How did you buy your ticket?

Let's get your review verified..

AMCTheatres.com or AMC App New

Cinemark Coming Soon

We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

Regal Coming Soon

Theater box office or somewhere else

By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

Michael   photos.

As gangs battle over turf, a youngster dreams of ruling everything and decides to take control of the area.

Genre: Action, Drama

Original Language: Tamil

Director: Ranjit Jeyakodi

Producer: Bharath Chowdary , Puskur Ram Mohan Rao

Writer: Ranjit Jeyakodi

Release Date (Theaters): Feb 3, 2023  limited

Runtime: 2h 3m

Distributor: Friday Entertainment

Production Co: Karan C Productions, Sree Venkateswara Cinemas

Cast & Crew

Vijay Sethupathi

Sundeep Kishan

Varalaxmi Sarathkumar

Gautham Menon

Divyansha Kaushik

Anasuya Bharadwaj

Varun Sandesh

Ayyappa P. Sharma

Raj Tirandasu

Michael Friend

Ranjit Jeyakodi

Screenwriter

Bharath Chowdary

Puskur Ram Mohan Rao

Siva Cherry

Executive Producer

R. Sathyanarayan

Film Editing

Original Music

Critic Reviews for Michael

Audience reviews for michael.

There are no featured audience reviews for Michael at this time.

Movie & TV guides

Play Daily Tomato Movie Trivia

Discover What to Watch

Rotten Tomatoes Podcasts

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

The gang fighting over places. A youngster decides to gain control of the area. Can he complete his dream of ruling over the place? The gang fighting over places. A youngster decides to gain control of the area. Can he complete his dream of ruling over the place? The gang fighting over places. A youngster decides to gain control of the area. Can he complete his dream of ruling over the place?

• Ranjit Jeyakodi
• Rajendra Sapre
• Sundeep Kishan
• Vijay Sethupathi
• Divyansha Kaushik
• 8 User reviews
• 5 Critic reviews

• Michael's Godfather

• Michael's mother

• Theera's father

• Young Michael
• Michael Friend
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

User reviews 8

• ngandacinema
• Feb 26, 2023
• How long is Michael? Powered by Alexa
• February 3, 2023 (United States)
• Karan C Productions
• Sree Venkateswara Cinemas
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 32 minutes

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed

• Andhra Pradesh
• Arunachal Pradesh
• Himachal Pradesh
• Jammu and Kashmir
• Madhya Pradesh
• Maharashtra
• Uttar Pradesh
• Uttarakhand
• West Bengal
• Movie Reviews
• DC Comments
• Sunday Chronicle
• Hyderabad Chronicle
• Editor Pick
• Special Story

Michael movie review: Bold, beautiful but falls short of delivering actual thrills

Set in the mid-90s, ‘Michael’ begins “after the climax” as Swamy (Ayyappa Sharma) narrates the story of Michael to the people looking for him. Arriving in Bombay in the 1980s, Michael is a troubled, brooding young boy with a temper issue and a sordid past. It becomes clear that he doesn’t like to talk when he can just get the other guy to see things his way through his fists. It is his quest for vengeance that leads him to cross paths with Gurunath (Gautham Vasudev Menon), who takes him under his wing and after another fateful encounter where Michael (Sundeep Kishan) saves him from certain death yet again, raises him to a position of power by his side. Suspecting a former associate Rathan (Anish Kuruvilla) being one of those responsible for his attack, Gurunath sends Michael on a mission to find the absconding Rathan by staking out his daughter’s Theera’s (Divyansha Kaushik) house in Delhi. As Michael follows Theera, he falls in love with her despite all her cautioning him not to. This leads to a sequence of events that will ultimately lead to Michael taking charge of his own destiny and fighting for his love against all odds in this supercharged, adrenaline-driven gangster film.

Action movies are the easiest means of delivering a choreographed spectacle to a captive audience. It is, indeed, extremely difficult to get an action movie wrong. However, ‘Michael’ is a casualty of its own over-ambitiousness.

Inhabiting a strange intersection between ‘Sacred Games’, ‘RX100’ and ‘KGF’, this movie seems to borrow a little bit of what made each one of these films uniquely memorable.

Whether it is the heavy influence of Moosa’s storyline on Menon’s performance as the gangster Gurunath, or Theera’s honey trap for Michael, everything that happens on screen is in a manner reminiscent of its far superior inspirations.

Sundeep Kishan’s portrayal of the titular character does have a tone of subtlety to it, however, it does fall through the cracks occasionally. The strong, silent protagonist prone to outbursts of explosive rage works better as a character on paper than most of its execution on screen. However, to Sundeep Kishan’s credit, this happens mostly over the film’s many long drawn-out sequences that occur a little too frequently for anyone’s taste.

The movie’s breathtaking visuals are a wonderful blend of art direction, costume design, and masterful cinematography. Debuting with ‘Michael’ as a cinematographer, Kiran Koushik effortlessly brings grandeur to the big screen and for many reasons, the cinematography alone gives the audience a reason to hang on to the otherwise insipid story.

This means that ‘Michael’, at times, can seem like an extended montage at places. With so many scenes dedicated to building its sullen, tacit protagonist up, the movie spends most of its time featuring Sundeep Kishan brooding away listlessly at nothing in particular. All too aware of its own aesthetic appeal in these moments, it hangs too comfortably over glorified beauty shots of actors as well as its alluring sets. The music is nothing to write home about, but the background score truly shines. The theme has a punch to it, and effectively sets the tone of the movie.

The most unfortunate aspect of ‘Michael’, unfortunately, has to be the stock performances of its cast. By no means wooden, the glaring discrepancies in the synergy of performances show when the central and supporting cast refuse to share any manner of consistent chemistry on screen.

‘Michael’ is a genre movie trying too hard to look the part and unfortunately, it shows. While it may believe - even sincerely - that it is an homage to the action heroes of the norm; or that it is merely a repurposed vehicle for everything the audience desires to watch in an action movie, it ends up merely being a formula film that severely falls short of successfully emulating all the tropes it relies so heavily on to be taken seriously at all.

Director: Ranjit Jeyakodi Cinematographer: Kiran Koushik Cast: Sundeep Kishan, Divyansha Kaushik, Gautam Vasudev Menon

Latest News

Subscribe Now! Get features like

• Latest News
• Entertainment
• Real Estate
• Arvind Kejriwal News Live
• Lok Sabha election 2024 live
• Election Schedule 2024
• Win iPhone 15
• IPL 2024 Schedule
• IPL Points Table
• IPL Purple Cap
• IPL Orange Cap
• AP Board Results 2024
• The Interview
• Web Stories
• Virat Kohli
• Mumbai News
• Bengaluru News
• Daily Digest

Michael review: Sundeep Kishan’s most ambitious film is a gutsy attempt

Michael movie review: sundeep kishan, gautham menon and vijay sethupathi's film has a great casting choice which makes it a great bigscreen experience..

Ranjith Jeyakodi’s Michael has to be the one of the best visually striking films in recent years. This is a statement that the film truly deserves and if you’re someone with a basic understanding of cinematography, every frame feels no less than a painting. This is a massively mounted action-drama that’s undoubtedly ambitious on all fronts but what it lacks is a story that can keep you invested right till the end. Even with the big twist in the end, you wish the payoff had come much earlier.

The film opens with a young Michael ( Sundeep Kishan ) arriving in Mumbai with a hunger for revenge. We get to know about Michael and his rise through the voiceover of a crucial character. Cut to a few scenes later, Michael aspires to be like Gurunath (Gautham Menon), a suave gangster who rules Mumbai. An opportunity presents itself when Michael risks his life to save Guru. Soon, Michael joins Guru’s gang and a few years later he becomes his most trusted guy who is quickly handed over the operations of Guru’s bars in North Mumbai. A few months later, Michael is sent on a mission to follow the daughter of Guru’s enemy and kill them both. As fate would have it, he falls in love with the girl, Theera (Divyansha Kaushik). Thanks to his actions, Michael earns the wrath of Guru and things soon turn bitter between them.

Watch trailer here:

Michael spends too much time in world-building and in making everything look exquisite. A lot of time is spent on justifying Michael’s anger but we’re never told the reason behind his thirst for revenge till the very end. By the time the reason is revealed, a lot of time is wasted in mindless action. As much as the action choreography deserves a lot of praise, it does get boring to watch after a point. It’s perfectly alright to make a violent film but when the violence lacks conviction and a strong emotional purpose, everything looks senseless. This is what happens with Michael for the most part and this is what lets the film down, despite being good in parts. Nevertheless, the film doesn’t shy away from being ambitious and it shows in Ranjith’s vision. Michael credits films like Nayagan, Deewar and John Wick as inspiration but it borrows heavily from KGF and even pays tribute to the Yash-starrer in a few scenes.

Sundeep Kishan is earnest from start to finish and he holds the film together with a very strong performance. He’s strongly complemented by Gautham Menon, who plays a gangster with effortless swagger. It’s a great casting choice and he isn’t your quintessential commercial cinema antagonist. Vijay Sethupathi has a special appearance but he still manages to shine in the few scenes he gets. Apart from the visuals, it’s Sam CS’s score that really elevates Michael and makes it a big screen experience worth cherishing.

Director : Ranjith Jeyakodi

Cast : Sundeep Kishan, Divyansha Kaushik, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Varun Sandesh, Vijay Sethupathi and Varalaxmi Sarath Kumar

• Tamil Cinema
• Tamil Film Industry
• Vijay Sethupathi

Join Hindustan Times

Create free account and unlock exciting features like.

• Terms of use
• Privacy policy
• Weather Today
• HT Newsletters
• Subscription
• Print Ad Rates
• Code of Ethics

• Elections 2024
• India vs England
• T20 World Cup 2024 Schedule
• IPL 2024 Auctions
• T20 World Cup 2024
• Cricket Players
• ICC Rankings
• Cricket Schedule
• Other Cities
• Income Tax Calculator
• Budget 2024
• Petrol Prices
• Diesel Prices
• Silver Rate
• Relationships
• Art and Culture
• Telugu Cinema
• Exam Results
• Competitive Exams
• Board Exams
• BBA Colleges
• Engineering Colleges
• Medical Colleges
• BCA Colleges
• Medical Exams
• Engineering Exams
• Horoscope 2024
• Festive Calendar 2024
• Compatibility Calculator
• The Economist Articles
• Explainer Video
• On The Record
• Vikram Chandra Daily Wrap
• PBKS vs DC Live Score
• KKR vs SRH Live Score
• EPL 2023-24
• ISL 2023-24
• Asian Games 2023
• Public Health
• Economic Policy
• International Affairs
• Climate Change
• Gender Equality
• future tech
• Daily Sudoku
• Daily Crossword
• Daily Word Jumble
• HT Friday Finance
• Explore Hindustan Times
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Subscription - Terms of Use

• Web Stories
• Collections
• Best Telugu Feel-Good Movies
• Best Telugu Horror Movies
• Best Telugu Family Drama Movies

Free Credit Card

Michael Movie Review & Rating

• March 31, 2023 / 05:00 PM IST

Cast & Crew

• Sundeep Kishan (Hero)
• Divyansha Kaushik (Heroine)
• Vijay Sethupathi , Gautham Vasudev Menon, Varun Sandesh , Anasuya Bharadwaj ,Varalaxmi Sarathkumar (Cast)
• Ranjit Jeyakodi (Director)
• Bharath Chowdary , Pushkar Ram Mohan Rao (Producer)
• Sam C. S. (Music)
• Kiran Koushik (Cinematography)

Hero Sundeep Kishan’s actioner Michael under the direction of Ranjit Jeykodi is carrying good expectations among the audience. Co-starring Vijay Sethupathi in a key role, the film has hit the screens today. Let’s see how it fares.

Story: Set in 90s time period, Michael ( Sundeep Kishan) an orphan with no identity saves Mumbai gangster Gurunadh( Gautham Menon) from danger and wins his trust. Later, Gurunadh sends Michael to Delhi on an assignment. What is the assignment? How is Teera’s ( Divyanshu Kaushik) father interlinked with it? Will Michael able to finish the task? Reason behind of the entry of Vijay Sethupathi’s character? To know that, you have to watch the film in the cinemas near you.

Performances: Sundeep Kishan’s hardwork for the role in visible on screen. His makeover with a ripped body is good and adds realistic texture to the proceedings. He performed risky action stunts with dedication. Literally, he kept blood and sweat to the film.

Gautam Menon gets a meaty role. His subtle acting and dialogue delivery as a gangster are good. The confrontation scenes between Gautam and Sundeep are executed on a decent note. Varun Sandesh is okay with his getup but the character lacks intense in it.

Vijay Sethupathi is a suprise package for the film. Though his character is left abruptly, the star actor mesmerizes with terrific screen presence in the extended cameo role. Heroine Divyanshu Kaushik’s character lacks soul in it.

Varalakshmi Sarathkumar is fine with her performance but her character lacks proper detailing. Though Anasuya is projected as a lady with aggressive behaviour, the role lacks depth in it. Other supporting artists such as Ayyappa are fine in their respective roles.

Technicalities: The cinematography work by Kiran Koushik is top-notch. He presented the entire film on a rustic note and made sure that each frame resembles 90s texture.

The music by Sam CS is fine as he used fresh instrumentation for the background score. The film has a couple of situational songs which are visually appealing.

Editing by R. Sathyanarayan is okay.Production values and production design work for this tight budget movie are alright. The choreography work for Divyanshu Kaushik’s introduction song is done nicely.

Analysis: Director Ranjit Jeykodi’s thought of exploring 90s action vibe on to the screen is good but the content lacks freshness in it. Surprisingly, the film has slow motion elevation shots on each and every key character in the film.

Along with the stylish making, if the director would have focused on a gripping narrative, the result would have been somewhat better. To summerize, Michael is a technically solid and has a couple of high moments after the entry of Vijay Sethupathi’s character but the dull screenplay and unengaging scene order comes as demerits.

Verdict: Tests patience!

Rating: 1.5/5

Click Here To Read in TELUGU

• #Divyansha Kaushik
• #Gautham Vasudev Menon
• #Ranjit Jeyakodi
• #Sundeep Kishan

Dear Movie Review & Rating!

Love Guru Movie Review & Rating!

Sriranga Neethulu Movie Review & Rating!

Geethanjali Malli Vachindi Movie Review & Rating.!

Related news.

Sundeep Kishan’s Big Plans, Four Films Locked

Ooru Peru Bhairavakona Movie Review & Rating.!

Can Ooru Peru Bhairavakona Turn Tollywood’s Luck?

Ooru Peru Bhairavakona Trailer: Sundeep Kishan’s New Magical Mystery Ride

Captain Miller Trailer: Dhanush’s Action Packed Show

Vijay Sethupathi’s Good Reason for Rejecting Kriti Shetty

Trending news.

Raghava Lawrence and Lokesh Kanagaraj Gear Up for ‘Benz’

Shekhar Kammula’s ‘Kubera’ Title Dilemma, What’s the Story?

Urvashi Rautela’s Gym Selfie Reveals NTR’s Stylish ‘War 2’ Look

OTT: Excited for Weekend Movies? Here’s What’s Coming!

Pushpa 2: Srivalli is Back and More Powerful Than Ever

Latest news.

Shankar’s Daughter Aishwarya’s Wedding, Here Are the Beautiful Moments

Maidaan’s Disappointing Box Office: What Went Wrong?

Kalki 2898 AD: get ready for the release date twist

Pratinidhi 2: The Perfect Opportunity for a Box Office Hit

Pushpa 2: Solid Expectations on Hindi Box Office

• India Today
• Business Today
• Reader’s Digest
• Harper's Bazaar
• Brides Today
• Cosmopolitan
• Aaj Tak Campus
• India Today Hindi

Michael Movie Review: Sundeep, Vijay Sethupathi shine in technically sound film that’s bogged down by weak storyline

Michael is a gangster flick that’s more style than story for the most part. having said that, sundeep kishan, vijay sethupathi and sam cs are the absolute highlights of this film, says our review..

Listen to Story

• The BGM by SAM CS is fantastic in the film.
• Vijay Sethupathi elevates the film in the second half.
• Michael is a story that works in bits and parts.

Release Date: 3 Feb, 2023

Every gangster movie is exciting to watch, not just because of the action, but because there’s a strong underlying emotional factor that gives rise to the violence. And Michael, directed by Ranjit Jeyakodi, also follows this template.

This film is set in Mumbai in the 1980s and Michael (Sundeep Kishan), an orphan who has grown up in Bombay, is the person around whom the story revolves. Gurunath (Gautham Vasuden Menon) is a leading gangster in Mumbai and Michael saves him from assassination - not once but twice - to the chagrin of his rivals. Gurunath treats Michael like his own son and while Amarnath, Gurunath’s son, watches with hatred, Michael is given an esteemed place in the gang. Gurunath eventually hands over the business of a bar, frequented by some of the worst gangs in the city, as a reward to Michael.

Meanwhile, Gurunath then assigns Michael the task of finding out who the last member of a rival gang was who wanted him dead. Michael heads to Delhi to stalk Theera (Divyansha Kaushik) and get close to her so he can find her father and kill him. But Amarnath also has plans of his own. However, things do not go as per plan once he meets Theera. Does he kill Theera’s father? What does Amarnath plan to do? What was Michael’s true motive in saving Gurunath?

Director Ranjit Jeyakodi starts off the narrative beautifully and it is gripping to watch Sundeep Kishan emerge as the new ‘physical hero’ in Telugu cinema. However, the movie starts to falter with the introduction of Theera in the first half. The romantic portions are slow and stretched out and the first two songs could have been avoided in this gangster drama. Though the romance forms the crux of the story, it's not well written and Divyansha Kaushik’s performance is OK. She seems to be crying for most of the film and it becomes annoying after a while.

It’s only in the second half, with the introduction of Vijay Sethupathi, that the pace picks up and we become invested in the film. When the backstory is narrated and the audience is made to understand why Michael does what he does, the film becomes more engaging, but it’s a tad too late.

Coming to the performances, Sundeep’s effort in transforming himself to play the angry young gangster in Michael is quite obvious and that is commendable. He managed to play Michael convincingly. Talented Vijay Sethupathi comes on screen in the second half and it’s actually him who carries the story forward. His acting is effortless and impactful. Varalaxmi Sarathkumar has a small role but she has done a good job and the audience roots for her.

Technically, Michael is solid – the cinematography by Kiran Koushik is excellent and music director Sam CS – who is really underappreciated – has delivered a brilliant BGM in Michael. It’s the story and writing by Ranjit Jeyakodi that lets you down since it’s old wine which is good only in bits and pieces. The age-old tale of someone wanting revenge for love and a son’s ambition to overthrow his father is not new to the audiences. The characterizations could have been better etched out as the presentation has to be new and this is where the writing is of utmost importance.

Michael is a gangster flick that’s more style than story for the most part. Having said that, Sundeep Kishan, Vijay Sethupathi and Sam CS are the absolute highlights of this film. Published By: Latha Srinivasan Published On: Feb 3, 2023 --- ENDS --- ALSO READ | Thalapathy Vijay said he loved Michael trailer and was very encouraging, reveals Sundeep Kishan I Exclusive

• తెలుగు

Michael Review: All Style, But Little Substance

Movie: Michael Rating: 2.25/5 Banner: Karan C Productions, Sree Venkateswara Cinemas Cast: Sundeep Kishan, Divyansha Kaushik, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Vijay Sethupathi, Varun Sandesh, Ayyappa P. Sharma, Anasuya Bharadwaj, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, and others Dialogues: Kiran Chakravarthy Music: Sam CS Cinematographer: Kiran Koushik Editing: R. Sathyanarayanan Producers: Bharath Chowdary, Pushkar Ram Mohan Rao Story, Screenplay & Direction: Ranjit Jeyakodi Release Date: Feb 03, 2023

Sundeep Kishan attempted a pan-Indian project with "Michael" after appearing in many bilingual films. It piqued people's interest.

Let's see if Sundeep Kishan's optimism paid off or not.

Story: It's the mid-'90s, and a young man named Michael has decided to kill his father. Gurunath (Gautam Menon), impressed by the boy's bravery, takes him under his wing. As an adult, the boy proves to be Gurunath's most reliable ally and protector.

When Gurunath’s son (Varun Sandesh) sees how much faith his father has placed in Michael (Sundeep Kishan), he becomes envious.

Gurunath eventually orders Michael to kill Theera (Divyansha Kaushik) and her father in Delhi. But Michael falls for her charm, and this sets off a chain reaction of events in which he is never quite sure who is on his side.

Artistes’ Performances: To look the part, Sundeep Kishan slimmed down. His Michael persona is spot on; he has less to say and more to do with action. The transformation of Sundeep Kishan is good.

Divyansha Kaushik is stunning at first, but her performance fizzles out later on. Vijay Sethupathi plays a small part that serves primarily to increase the film's star power.

Gautam Menon is miscast as a don. Varun Sandesh's portrayal of the jealous son is perfect.

Technical Excellence: The technical aspects of the film are excellent. The cinematography is superb, and the colour palette complements the theme perfectly. Besides the cinematography, the background music score is top-notch. The production values are first rate.

The editing department, however, ruined the mood due to the film's tedious pacing and lengthy runtime.

Highlights: Initial portions Stylized taking Technical and production values

Drawback: Weak story Dull pace Much build-up, less impact The climax portions

Analysis Similar to the opening of "KGF," in which a narrator who witnessed the entire event relates it in detail, "Michael" also begins with a narrator recounting the events he witnessed.

The story opens with the hero in his early years. It takes place in the middle of the 1990s. The visuals, music, and storyline all bring to mind "KGF" and "Vikram" films.

Ayyappa Sharma, who provides the voiceover for "Michael," effectively establishes the tone at the outset. Even though the sequences move at a painfully slow pace, the first interaction between Sundeep Kishan and Gautam Menon, the romantic track between Sundeep Kishan and the heroine Divyansha, and the first twist are all quite interesting.

Ranjit Jeyakodi, the film's director, uses the technique of withholding information and then revealing it in the film's climax. The film is interesting at first, but it quickly becomes tedious. It's easy to see that the director has lost control after a point.

This whole segment with Vijay Sethupathi and Varalakshmi Sarath Kumar, and the subsequent fight scenes, are incredibly tedious. By the introduction of Vijay Sethupathi, it becomes clear that the director lost the plot.

Also, with all this foreshadowing, we anticipate a surprising turn of events. But in the end, it's obvious that it's just a rehash of the "Munna" movie starring Prabhas.

So much buildup for a regular revenge drama!

It would have been different if the director had placed as much emphasis on the story as he did on the style. However, "Micheal" devolves into a futile attempt to tell a standard revenge drama in a stylized manner.

Overall, "Michael" is another example of a film that is more about style than substance. It's a gangster story. Sundeep's makeover, technical prowess, and slick visuals don't add much to the film, which suffers from a lacklustre narration.

Bottom line: Munna Michael

For exciting updates on national affairs and up-to-date news click here on India Brains

• Geethanjali Malli Vachindi Review: No Scares, Little Laughs
• Manjummel Boys Review: Riveting Survival Thriller
• The Family Star Review: Star Doesn't Twinkle

Tags: Michael Michael Review Michael Movie Review Michael Rating Michael Movie Rating Michael Telugu Movie Review

ADVERTISEMENT

Thanks For Rating

Reminder successfully set, select a city.

• Nashik Times
• Aurangabad Times
• Badlapur Times

You can change your city from here. We serve personalized stories based on the selected city

• Edit Profile
• Briefs Movies TV Web Series Lifestyle Trending Medithon Visual Stories Music Events Videos Theatre Photos Gaming

Salman Khan to continue working even after firing incident, Kirron Kher to sit out of 2024 elections, Ranveer Singh's action thriller with Aditya Dhar delayed: Top 5 entertainment news of the day

Salman Khan leaves Galaxy apartment with high security as he makes his FIRST appearance after gunfire incident - See photos

Salman Khan's brother Arbaaz Khan reacts to the gunfire incident: 'It is very disturbing and unnerving...'

Gangnam B-Side, Revolver, Queen Woo and more: Ji Chang Wook's upcoming K-dramas and movies

Ananya Panday REACTS to viral throwback photo of bestie Suhana Khan and her from early IPL season - See post

Mumtaz condemns Zeenat Aman for advocating live-in: 'She should be the last person doling out advice on relationships...'

• Movie Reviews

Movie Listings

30 Hours Survival: Gau...

Detective Nysa

Bade Miyan Chote Miyan...

The Lost Girl

Ek Kori Prem Katha

Maira Doshi's stunning looks that will leave you mesmerized

Mahima Gupta's stunning pics in lehenga

BMCM, The Marvels, adipurush: Big budget films that failed to impress at the box office

Esha Gupta’s traditional look in her grandma's blue saree has stolen all our hearts

Aishwarya Lekshmi looks stunning in her black outfit

Punjabi Kudi style guide ft. Parineeti Chopra

Karisma Kapoor's latest summer fashion essentials are bookmark-worthy

Prarthana Behere to Pooja Sawant: Marathi Actresses Who Stunned In Floral Outfit

Feeling Monday blues? Let Malavika Mohanan's stylish clicks inspire you

Take summer fashion cues from Rakul Preet Singh's wardrobe

Amar Singh Chamkila

30 Hours Survival: Gaur...

Bade Miyan Chote Miyan

The Defective Detective...

City Hunter The Movie: ...

The First Omen

Love Lies Bleeding

Knox Goes Away

Godzilla x Kong: The Ne...

Chabak: Night Of Murder...

Arthur The King

Pon Ondru Kanden

Double Tuckerr

Oru Thavaru Seidhal

Boomer Uncle

Varshangalkku Shesham

The Goat Life

Jananam 1947 Pranayam T...

Manjummel Boys

Anweshippin Kandethum

Avatara Purusha 2

Chow Chow Bath

Hide And Seek

Somu Sound Engineer

Bonbibi: Widows Of The ...

Pariah Volume 1: Every ...

Shri Swapankumarer Bada...

Manush: Child of Destin...

Bogla Mama Jug Jug Jiyo

Sarabha: Cry For Freedo...

Zindagi Zindabaad

Maujaan Hi Maujaan

Chidiyan Da Chamba

White Punjab

Any How Mitti Pao

Gaddi Jaandi Ae Chalaan...

Buhe Bariyan

Alibaba Aani Chalishita...

Aata Vel Zaali

Shivrayancha Chhava

Delivery Boy

Sridevi Prasanna

Sur Lagu De

Chhatrapati Sambhaji

Devra Pe Manva Dole

Dil Ta Pagal Hola

Ittaa Kittaa

Jaishree Krishh

Bushirt T-shirt

Shubh Yatra

Your Rating

Write a review (optional).

• Movie Reviews /

Would you like to review this movie?

Cast & Crew

Michael Movie Review : Sundeep Kishan steals the show as the broody titular character

• Times Of India

Michael - Official Telugu Trailer

Michael - Official Malayalam Trailer

Michael - Official Hindi Trailer

Michael - Official Tamil Teaser

Michael - Official Kannada Teaser

Michael - Official Telugu Teaser

Michael - Official Malayalam Teaser

Michael - Official Hindi Teaser

Users' Reviews

Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive . Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.

Siva M 8690 397 days ago

ll).llloo<br/> looloallloLllaalolallaolalalloaoalalalllaaolaoooaLOlllaaa) lllolOollLLw9l) llapaplplpallallaallllaplpppaapplLlllllllooolollololllollloolllll<br/>loolooolllooloolllllllo. oolollooooollolllllollllololllolloolooloo

Arul Chelvi Chelvi 404 days ago

��

Kenneth Gregory 53 411 days ago

Simply Devastating and Moving!

Morampudi Meena 412 days ago

Wonderful ������

Visual Stories

Entertainment

Sara Ali Khan's animal print chiffon saree is summer-approved

Celeb-inspired summer saris to beat the heat

10 Hollywood movies that inspired us to travel!

Baby names inspired by beautiful Indian flowers

Steps to set boundaries with yourself for emotional well-being

8 books by Dr. Shashi Tharoor that should be on everybody’s to-be-read list

8 important things you should always keep private in life

Ayurveda-approved 12 natural foods to stay healthy during summer

News - Michael

Jaafar Jackson dazzles as Uncle Michael in upcoming bio...

Michael Keaton excitedly teases "Beetlejuice 2" at cine...

Sandeep Reddy Vanga aspires to make a biopic on Michael...

Ileana D'Cruz shares a sweet photo of herself with her ...

Delroy Lindo joins cast of Ryan Coogler's untitled supe...

Michael Keaton reflects on playing Batman: A bold move ...

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Get reviews of the latest theatrical releases every week, right in your inbox every Friday.

Thanks for subscribing.

Please Click Here to subscribe other newsletters that may interest you, and you'll always find stories you want to read in your inbox.

Popular Movie Reviews

Tillu Square

Om Bheem Bush

Ooru Peru Bhairavakona

Family Star

• Movie Schedules
• OTT and TV News

Most Viewed Articles

• OTT Review : Amar Singh Chamkila – Hindi film on Netflix
• Two-year-old Telugu thriller finally arriving on OTT?
• Another Malayalam film racing towards 100 crores gross mark
• Salman Khan firing – The star hero to leave his Mumbai residence?
• Five crazy Indian movies targeting Diwali 2024 release
• Whistle Podu from The G.O.A.T – Thalapathy Vijay impresses
• NTR joins sets of War 2, shoots scenes with Hrithik Roshan
• Prabhas’ Salaar seals its world television premiere date

Recent Posts

• శరవేగంగా “మ్యాడ్ 2” మూవీ షూటింగ్!
• Hanu-Man director Prasanth Varma in talks with top Bollywood star
• Latest Photos : Ayesha Khan
• రణవీర్ సింగ్‌తో స్క్రీన్‌ను షేర్ చేసుకున్న సమంత!
• New Photos : Madhuri Dixit
• సూపర్ క్లిక్స్ : శంకర్ కూతురి పెళ్లి వేడుకలో కోలీవుడ్ స్టార్స్ సందడి

Release Date : February 03, 2023

123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5

Starring: Sundeep Kishan, Divyansha Kaushik, Vijay Sethupathi, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Varun Sandesh, Anasuya Bharadwaj, Ayappa Sharma

Director: Ranjit Jeyakodi

Producers: Bharath Chowdary, Puskur Ram Mohan Rao

Music Director: Sam CS

Cinematography: Kiran Koushik

Editor: R Sathyanarayanan

Related Links : Trailer

PAN Indian film Michael starring Sundeep Kishan and Divyansha Kaushik in the lead roles, has hit the screens today. The movie has a huge star cast and gained very good buzz through its promotional content. So let’s see how the film is.

Gurunath (Gautham Vasudev Menon) is a dreadful gangster in Mumbai (then Bombay). He gets rescued by a small kid Micheal (Sundeep Kishan) from a murder attack. Gurunath hence asks his henchman Swamy (Ayappa Sharma) to raise Michael. After a few years, Gurunath is once again saved by Michael which makes the former assign his bar business to the latter. Gurunath learns Rathan (Anish Kuruvilla) is behind the attack. Gurunath directs Michael to kill Rathan and his daughter Theera (Divyansha Kaushik). Did Micheal complete the task? What happened later? This forms part of the story.

Plus Points:

Protagonist Sundeep Kishan gave his best to the film. The physical transformation of Sundeep is impeccable and his effort is clearly visible throughout. The actor performed exceptionally well in the intense fight sequences. Not just the action part, Sundeep Kishan killed it in the romantic sequences as well. Sundeep doesn’t have many dialogues in the movie but yet he leaves his mark.

The lead pair’s chemistry is good, The background score and visuals are top-notch in the film. Michael is easily one of the most stylishly made flicks in the Telugu cinema. The dark tone of the film is well set and the mood is maintained throughout. Credit to the technical team who made the film look so rich and elegant.

Vijay Sethupathi and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar impressed in their short cameos. Though they don’t have more scope to perform, both talented actors made their presence felt. If not for them the second half is totally forgettable. The action sequences are well-designed and they look good on screen.

Minus Points:

While the makers tried to showcase the movie glossy, the story and screenplay completely went for a toss. The whole concentration was on making the film look rich and stylish but in all this, the important elements are left out.

The movie’s story is a beaten-to-death concept. The writing department failed to come up with an engaging narrative and the rich visuals can’t keep the audience invested in this flick. There is style written all over the film but the emotional connect which is the need of the hour is completely absent.

It is not wrong to get inspired by other films, but in Michael, the impact was a bit higher. Few shots have so much resemblance to earlier films and at times the audience would get the feel of watching the older films as well.

There are a bunch of artists in the film but none make their mark. Their characters are poorly written and a few are absolutely wasted in their roles. The lengthy runtime adds to the woes.

Technical Aspects:

Kiran Koushik’s cinematography is surely the best in recent times and one can’t believe that it is his first film. He tried to add value to this action drama and he succeeded in his job. Sam CS did a terrific job as well. The haunting background score enhanced the feel at a few junctures.

The production values are superb and the makers spent high on the film. Coming to the writer-director, Ranjit Jeyakodi, he missed a huge opportunity with Michael .Despite having a magnificent technical team, he didn’t succeed in coming up with an engaging story. The screenplay is no different and the movie is filled with many boring moments. The characterizations are pretty weak and there isn’t any novelty in the film.

On the whole, Michael didn’t live up to the hype and was okay in parts. More focus was laid on the technical aspects. Hence the story and narrative were taken a beating. Sundeep Kishan and Vijay Sethupathi are the saving grace in this stretched action drama. You can give it a try but keep your expectations in check.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

Articles that might interest you:

• Salman Khan firing – No more ‘Salman’ darshan in Mumbai
• Chiyaan 62 team plans something special for Vikram’s birthday
• Samantha shares screen with Ranveer Singh – Deets inside
• Poll : What’s your take on Rathnam trailer?
• Rathnam Trailer Talk – A treat for mass fans
• New release date locked for Allari Naresh’s Aa Okkati Adakku
• Title and first look of Hanu-Man actor’s next will be revealed on this date

Ad : Teluguruchi - Learn.. Cook.. Enjoy the Tasty food

Michael Movie Review: A hyper-stylised but muddled and chaotic action saga

Rating: ( 2 / 5).

At one point, Gautham Vasudev Menon, playing the suave gangster Gurunath in Michael is reading the Venus in Furs. It is a book about a man who has a fascination with a woman who is cruel to him. He has this book with him while sending his protege Michael (Sundeep Kishan) on an assassination mission that involves a woman, Theera (Divyansha Kaushik). Gurunath talks about the black widow spider and the insect's proclivity for murdering its sexual partners. It is a precursor to what is going to happen in Michael's life. His steadfast life, which is filled with murder, mayhem, and madness, will soon be torpedoed by a melancholic melody, courtesy of a woman. Just like in the book, Michael's unending love for Theera takes him back to her even if he has to face insurmountable odds. Such a connection between a book and the film's narrative is also seen when Gurunath reads The Old Man and the Sea, The Godfather , and Macbeth . While it is fascinating to make these connections, it isn't like these are passing references that are put out there to test our literary knowledge. We also have director Ranjit Jeyakodi giving us an elaborate exposition. While this game of 'connect the dots,' is undoubtedly fun, the reason why we actually play this game while watching a bloody saga of revenge and retribution is that the proceedings are unbelievably monotonous and droll.

Director: Ranjit Jeyakodi

Cast: Sundeep Kishan, Divyansha Kaushik, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Vijay Sethupathi

Michael begins with a prominent supporting character from the KGF universe narrating the story of a boy who came in as a nobody to Mumbai and became a much-feared don of the city. One might think this is straight out of Nayagan or even KGF , and they will not be wrong. After a rather long-ish buildup for the titular character, we see how the daring boy becomes the fearless man in Gurunath's arsenal. These scenes play out rather wonderfully setting the pace for Michael , which, by now, has reminded us of a bunch of films like Arun Matheswaran's Rocky that presented violence in a highly stylised format. However, Ranjit and Co don't really go all out on the visceral and gratuitous violence and keep it to a palatable minimum. We have one never-say-die assassin searching for a girl, who is held captive by the antagonists. In between all this, we have the age-old trope of a son wanting to become the next underworld don even as the father doesn't always favour him. We have seen this equation play out in films like Polladhavan, Bheeshma Parvam, and even... KGF . Oh also, there is a John Wick -inspired buildup for Sundeep, which doesn't really land well because, despite the never-ending elevation scenes, they just aren't enough to buy the actor as this dreaded Michael. Honestly, it isn't that Sundeep isn't giving it his all. He is the heart, soul, and bones of the film, which also has Gautham, Vijay Sethupathi, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, and Divyansha giving it their all. However, for an ambitious film like Michael , it isn't enough that the actors undergo physical transformations, and spout punch dialogues every second minute. It is the writing that has to back the ambition and the pizzazz. That is where Michael falters quite a bit and oscillates between being a colossal disappointment and a mildly engaging style statement. There is an overwhelming sense of deja vu, and even the climactic twist isn't that much of a reveal in the first place. The way the narrative unfolds to this point is something Ranjit uses liberally throughout the film. The random timeline jumps within a single sequence manage to be both non-cohesive and engaging, but the makers play this card one time too many, and the monotony in the story finds its way into the screenplay too. The biggest saving grace of Michael is definitely the background score of Sam CS, and the cinematography of Kiran Kaushik, which is just terrific and elevates the mood of the film whenever it goes down the route of predictability. In the post- KGF world, guns and bullets have become so commonplace that there is very little novelty in such elaborate sequences anymore, and Michael suffers from the been-there-seen-that syndrome.  Also, it is time we do away with the trope of a gun-toting hero throwing his guns away to take on two burly henchmen instead of just shooting them dead and moving on. Even the never-ending bloody hand-to-hand combat scenes don't really engage after a point because the emotion behind it all isn't established strongly enough. Yes, we have Theera say things like "Don't fall for me, I will break your heart" and... she goes on to do just that. She says such strong statements and is established as a character with agency, and it is something we expect out of a Ranjit Jeyakodi film. While he impresses on that front by sketching a rather intriguing woman at the centre of things, mounting Micheal as a testosterone-driven action thriller doesn't give the maker the scope that he had in the heavily underrated Ispade Rajavum Idhaya Raniyum to explore the romance between the lead pair. So, when Gurunath, who is perplexed by Michael's actions, looks at him, and says, " Oru ponnukaagava idhellaam panne nu nenacha aacharyama illa... asingama irukku... " I couldn't help but nod my head in acceptance because the life of Gurunath is much more fascinating than whatever it is that Michael is brooding about. Also yeah, Vijay Sethupathi and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar play a rather fun couple who suddenly join this cycle of violence. In a film that is named after the lead, if the more interesting takeaways are the camaraderie shared between two characters playing cameos, and the list of books read by a satin-shirts-and-cool-shades sporting primary antagonist, then one thing is clear... all style and a semblance of substance make Michael a dull film. 

Related Stories

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, michael collins.

Now streaming on:

History will record the greatness of Michael Collins,” the Irish president and patriot Eamon De Valera said as an old man in 1966, “and it will be recorded at my expense.” Yes, and perhaps justly so, but even Dev could hardly have imagined this film biography of Collins, which portrays De Valera as a weak, mannered, sniveling prima donna whose grandstanding led to decades of unnecessary bloodshed in, and over, Ireland.

“Michael Collins” paints a heroic picture of the Irish Republican Army's inspired strategist and military leader, who fought the British Empire to a standstill and invented the techniques of urban guerrilla warfare that shaped revolutionary struggles all over the world. Played by Liam Neeson in a performance charged with zest and conviction, Collins comes across as a clear-sighted innovator who took the IRA as far as it could reasonably hope to go, and then signed a treaty with the British that was, he argued “the best we can hope for at this moment in time.” The treaty established an Irish Free State, but it preserved the division of Ireland into north and south, and it fell short of the independent republic the IRA had been fighting for. Collins felt that additional negotiations over a period of years could eventually produce those gains; he and his comrades were weary of bloodshed.

But De Valera (played with shifty conceit by Alan Rickman ) refused to support the treaty, and his decision led to an Irish civil war and, indirectly, to the assassination of Collins. And today IRA bomb blasts still rock London, and the peace that Collins hoped for has come only from time to time.

Was De Valera (who led Ireland in various offices for most of the years between 1932 and 1973) really responsible for all these tragic consequences? Some argue so, but others will find that “Michael Collins,” in need of an Irish villain to balance the British enemy and explain the death of Collins, makes Dev into a weaker and more devious man than he was. The film even implies, without quite saying so, that Dev was aware of, or at least not adverse to, the plot against Collins.

Such questions will be much debated in Ireland, where the minutiae of IRA politics and strategy are a cottage industry. For audiences elsewhere in the world, the facts in “Michael Collins” will be less interesting than the characters and the myths, and on that basis Neil Jordan's movie functions well, giving us a folk hero known throughout Ireland as “The Big Fella,” who even with a price of 10,000 pounds on his head was able to bicycle through Dublin with impunity.

Partly that was because no one knew, until he went to London to negotiate the peace treaty, quite what Michael Collins looked like. There is a scene in the movie where Collins audaciously presents himself at midnight to British Army headquarters, says he is an informer, gains entrance, and works with an insider ( Stephen Rea ) to copy secret information on British security forces.

The film, which has the look and feel of authenticity, opens with a one-sided British victory over IRA troops that tried to occupy Dublin's main post office. Collins sees, correctly, that if the IRA adopts conventional tactics, it will be destroyed by the British troops, and so he argues for a strategy in which IRA men melt into the crowds, are indistinguishable from civilians, and disappear after sudden strikes. This approach is good enough to force the British to the negotiating table (despite the intransigence of Winston Churchill), even though De Valera continues to argue for more conventional methods; he seems to feel diminished by not leading a proper-looking army.

The movie moves confidently when it focuses on Collins and his best friend and co-strategist Harry Boland ( Aidan Quinn ). But it falters with the unnecessary character of Kitty Kiernan ( Julia Roberts ), who is in love with both men, and they with her. “I was ahead by a length,” Harry tells her in one scene. “Now where am I?” She shakes her head: “It's not a race, Harry. You without him...him without you...I can't imagine it.” The movie uses the scenes with Kitty to provide obligatory romantic interludes between war and strategy, but even though Kitty was a historical character, we never feel the scenes are necessary; they function as a sop to the audience, not as additional drama.

Collins, who died at 31, was arguably the key figure in the struggles that led to the separation of Ireland and Britain. He was also, on the basis of this film, a man able to use violence without becoming intoxicated by it. The film argues that if he had prevailed Ireland might eventually have been united, and many lives might have been saved. We will never know. But De Valera was right. History has judged Collins at his expense.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

Now playing

Simon Abrams

The Long Game

The People's Joker

Clint worthington.

High & Low – John Galliano

Niani scott.

The Animal Kingdom

Monica castillo.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

Matt zoller seitz, film credits.

Michael Collins (1996)

Rated R For Violence and Language

138 minutes

Aidan Quinn as Harry Boland

Liam Neeson as Michael Collins

Stephen Rea as Ned Broy

Julia Roberts as Kitty Kiernan

Alan Rickman as Eamon De Valera

Written and Directed by

• Neil Jordan

Latest blog posts

Ned Benson, Lucy Boynton, and Justin H. Min Want to Play The Greatest Hits for You

Until It’s Too Late: Bertrand Bonello on The Beast

O.J. Simpson Dies: The Rise & Fall of A Superstar

Which Cannes Film Will Win the Palme d’Or? Let’s Rank Their Chances

• Movie Review
• Release Date
• Privacy Policy
• Advertise with Us

Michael Movie Review: A Classic Massy Action Thriller

Check out the review of the Telugu movie Michael.

Michael Movie Review: The same old concept of crime, thrill and drama has been explored in this movie that is specifically made to target the viewers who love watching massy action flicks on the big screens.

Michael Movie Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Michael Movie Cast: Sandeep Kishan, Divyanka Kaushik Vijay Sethupathi, Gautham Menon, Varun Sandesh, Ayyappa Sharma, Varalakshmi Sarathkumar and Anasuya.

Michael Movie Director: Ranjit Jeyakodi

Micheal Movie Story: Michael grows up with the dream of becoming a big gangster. As expected, after getting a little older, he joins a gang. He falls in love with a girl named Thira when he meets a girl named Thira while he is getting better position day by day with his work there. You have to watch this movie completely to know the changes in Michael after Thira came into his life, who is Thira and what is his past.

Micheal Movie Review

In the film Michael, Sandeep Kishan plays the lead role, while Divyansha Kaushik plays his counterpart. Vijay Sethupathi, Gautham Menon, Varun Sandesh, Ayyappa Sharma, Varalakshmi Sarathkumar and Anasuya played other important roles in the film.

In the last few years, crime has become the main theme in many movies. By opting for the crime genre, directors are able to feature action that appeals to more people.

As soon as Michael’s trailer was released, we got an idea of ​​what kind of movie we are going to see, but director Ranjit Jeyakodi was careful not to show too much of the story by introducing only the characters in the trailer. In one way it was good, in another it failed to raise the expectations of the film.

Michael movie jumps straight into the story without wasting any time. At the beginning, it was a little exciting, but after a few scenes, the excitement could not be sustained. With some extended scenes, unwanted dialogues, this movie feels a bit awkward till the interval.

Before the interval, the movie, which made some interest with a good twist, gets boring again in the second half with some unnecessary scenes. When it comes to the climax, the action dose increases and after the movie is over, you have to come out a little heavy.

When it comes to acting, if we look at the last few films, it seems that Sandeep Kishan is making all the characters the same. Even in this movie, Sandeep Kishan’s performance seems a bit artificial as he is immersed in the role, but the way he changed his body for the role has to be admired.

Technically Michael is very good. Sam CS songs are not special but they are well shot. Although Kiran Kaushik’s cinematography is good, some shots seem too bright. A little more care should be taken with DI. The production values ​​are good and the producers have spent enough money to make the film a success.

Overall Micheal is a massy action thriller that you should watch if you love crime, drama and action.

Also read: Pathaan Movie Review: SRK Starrer is a Scorching Thriller with Rip Roaring Action Sequences

Joker: Folie à Deux Budget, Cast, Plot and Box Office Collection Prediction

The wild robot budget, voice cast, box office prediction & plot, borderlands cast, budget, box office collection prediction and plot, rcb vs srh dream11 prediction today match, ipl 2024 match 30, dark matter series release date on apple tv+, cast, crew, storyline and more, market mahalakshmi movie release date 2024, cast, crew, storyline and more, the ministry of ungentlemanly warfare budget, cast, plot, box office collection prediction, related articles, namasthe ghost kannada movie review: a spooktacular blend of horror and comedy, operation mayfair movie review: jimmy shergill’s investigative thriller is placid, abraham ozler malayalam movie review: jayaram shines as acp in this gripping thriller, the beautiful game review: a heartfelt journey of hope and resilience, amar singh chamkila review: a powerful exploration of art, artist & society, woody woodpecker goes to camp review: a hilarious & delightful nostalgia, bade miyan chote miyan review: akshay & tiger starrer is a frantically good action-thriller, maidaan review: ajay devgn delivers a towering performance in this inspiring sports film.

Entertainment News, Bollywood, Tollywood, Hollywood, Box Office, Reviews, OTT Updates, Lifestyle & Fitness Tips, Flight Offers, Free OTT Subscription

Popular Topics

• Hottest Photos

OTT Platforms

• Amazon Prime Video
• Disney+ Hotstar

Latest Articles

Silence 2: the night owl bar shootout release date on zee5, cast, story & more.

Copyright @ Flickonclick 2024

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Franklin review – Michael Douglas is absolutely compelling in this period drama

The star is utterly convincing – if slightly creepy – as Benjamin Franklin in this Apple TV+ miniseries about the polymath. Shame they’ve chosen to base it on such a boring period of the statesman’s life …

Y ou have to admire the chutzpah of Apple TV+. They’ve chosen to make an eight-part miniseries out of the towering intellectual-slash-action figure of Benjamin Franklin – the son of a Boston candlemaker, who ran away to Philadelphia at 17 and rose to become one of the US’s founding fathers, via polymathic stints as a printer, publisher, inventor, writer and scientist. And they’ve based it on what was surely one of the least televisual accomplishments of his entire storied career.

Franklin (whose eponymous hero is played by Michael Douglas) is adapted from the historian Stacy Schiff’s 2005 book A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France and the Birth of America. It tells the story of the then 70-year-old statesman’s unofficial eight-year-long series of negotiations with the Gallic great and good, beginning in 1776 as America’s losses in the revolutionary war looked set to crush the young nation before it had fairly begun. Over to Paris hops Benjamin in the hope that the – well, let’s call them longstanding contretemps – between the French and the English would help him persuade the former to provide money, weapons and other supplies to the beleaguered seekers after independence.

His teenage grandson Temple (Noah Jupe) accompanies him – not his son, William, because he is a wellknown loyalist (and the less charming Frenchmen Franklin meets like to bring this shame up from time to time). Temple learns a lot about diplomacy and even more about fashion and fornication as he is taken under the wing of the Marquis de Lafayette (later to become a hero of révolutions américaine et française and more importantly, a star in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton), played by Théodore Pellerin. Metaphors about seduction and chess abound as grandfather tries to keep the boy’s focus on their real mission.

Unfortunately for the viewer, that mission is composed mostly of meetings. Some more clandestine than others, but mostly in virtually indistinguishable chateaux with virtually indistinguishable French ministers and rich men. Those we do learn to pick out – such as the secretly sympathetic foreign minister Comte de Vergennes (Thibault de Montalembert) and the wealthy merchant Chaumont (Olivier Claverie), who decides to help fund US independence for the trading opportunities that would result – too often get sidelined by lesser characters. We spend too much time with the pawns in this monumental chess game, when we would really rather be concentrating on the alliances and treacheries among the main pieces.

Franklin is dogged by the same slight but dreary sense of worthiness that attended Apple’s other recent foray into US period drama, the meticulous Manhunt (about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the conspiracy behind it, and – almost as a distasteful afterthought – the capture and trial of his killer, John Wilkes Booth). This time, though, it doesn’t even have the background pursuit of a murderer to keep things moving. Douglas is wholly convincing as the experienced but idiosyncratic statesman and 18th-century celebrity. And he has his usual undeniable presence (so compelling but always with a hint of creepiness at the edges). But Franklin himself was wearying by this point in his illustrious career and it feels as though we are concentrating on the wrong part of his astonishing story. And when Congress becomes frustrated with Franklin’s perceived lack of progress and send John Adams (Eddie Marsan) over instead, Douglas/Franklin has to join le comte and Chaumont towards the sidelines too.

Doubtless it plays slightly better in its native land, where Franklin’s more immediately interesting and understandable accomplishments are better known. It probably feels more like a wrong being righted as an underacknowledged period of the national hero’s life is given its due. Whether this is quite enough to bring the punters in and satisfy the expectations for entertainment they have – mostly rightly – come to expect from Apple TV+, I am not nearly so sure.

after newsletter promotion

• Michael Douglas

Most viewed

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

‘franklin’ review: michael douglas is a flatulent founding father in apple tv+’s poorly focused drama.

Benjamin Franklin struggles to get French support for the American Revolution in this new eight-episode period drama co-starring Noah Jupe and Eddie Marsan.

By Daniel Fienberg

Daniel Fienberg

Chief Television Critic

• Share this article on Facebook
• Share this article on Twitter
• Share this article on Flipboard
• Share this article on Email
• Show additional share options
• Share this article on Linkedin
• Share this article on Pinit
• Share this article on Reddit
• Share this article on Tumblr
• Share this article on Whatsapp
• Share this article on Print
• Share this article on Comment

When he arrived in France in 1776, Benjamin Franklin had a sort of global fame that’s hard to completely fathom, given a world of slow-traveling news in which “social media” took the form of arduously printed and even more arduously distributed pamphlets. He’d been a diplomat, journalist, publisher and prolific inventor, but he was more widely known for semi-apocryphal things like “inventing” electricity, as well as his mastery of glib wisdom we’d call “sound bites” today.

Related Stories

Apple renews 'monarch: legacy of monsters,' confirms spinoffs, maya rudolph unpacks her single woman journey in 'loot' season 2.

The mission of Apple TV+ ‘s eight-episode Franklin is to strip away the superficial 21st century understanding of the bifocal-loving Founding Father to expose both his very human frailties and the particular form of genius that made his French campaign a — spoiler warning — success.

Franklin rarely completely succeeds. Adapted for TV by Kirk Ellis and Howard Korder and directed by Tim Van Patten ( Boardwalk Empire , The Sopranos ), Franklin pinpoints all sorts of compelling historical details, but struggles to create any sort of narrative flow for what turned out to be an eight-year task for Franklin.

Was Franklin largely a horny quip machine whose brilliance was in getting the French to act against their national self-interest, in a foreshadowing of the myopia that led to the French Revolution several years later? Perhaps. Almost certainly, actually. But if Franklin accomplishes anything, it’s stirring up interest in the Stacy Schiff book that served as its source material — A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America — because the series is awash in characters and incidents that are barely footnotes to the monotonous story in the foreground.

My second most frequent reaction to Franklin was, “Man, Apple TV+ loves getting Oscar-winning actors to play stringy-haired, flatulent eccentrics.”

Following in Gary Oldman’s Slow Horses footsteps — dollars to donuts, gout will become a Jackson Lamb plot point by season five — Michael Douglas plays Franklin as a figure who is simultaneously mythic and easily overlooked as a past-his-peak cartoon. He arrives in France with his grandson Temple ( Noah Jupe ) and no clear path to the support he requires. The early stages of the Revolution have been disastrous for the Americans, and while some of the French are captivated by the spirit of liberty and freedom embodied by the fledgling nation, nobody in a position of power can so much as acknowledge Franklin’s existence, much less negotiate with him.

While trying to engage in back-channel conversations with the Comte de Vergennes (Thibault de Montalembert), France’s foreign minister, Franklin parlays his connections to take up residence in the guest house of a businessman, Chaumont (Olivier Claveries). Chaumont has decided to gamble that the proceeds from future trade with America will outstrip the cost of providing long-term hospitality to a man with Franklin’s appetites. Vergennes and Chaumont are, incidentally, much more complicated figures in this particular exchange than Franklin seems to be, but most viewers won’t be able to tell them apart from a half-dozen other sour-faced Frenchies.

There are a variety of conspiracies against Franklin, some involving his trusted friend and doctor Edward Bancroft (Daniel Mays) and some sullen British villains who are even less defined than the sour Frenchmen. Then there are Franklin’s various romantic and semi-romantic dalliances, including flirtations with Ludivine Sagnier’s Anne Brillon, very interesting as a historical figure if only half-interesting as a romantic foil, and Jeanne Balibar’s Madame Helvetius, very interesting as a historical figure and not the least bit interesting as a romantic foil.

And then you have teenage Temple, whose actual history is, once again, far more intriguing than the way it’s depicted. Here he matures from a boy to a man — Jupe is fully convincing in the first stage, less so with the passing of time — through a number of redundant secondary threads in which he seeks out alternative mentors and tries to get laid.

Other figures who Ellis and Korder correctly recognize are worthy of notice, but probably worthy of better notice, include Romain Braud as Chevalier d’Eon, a spy and very likely a trans trailblazer; and Assaad Bouab as Pierre Beaumarchais, who might have been Franklin’s polymath peer, except that he’s treated as borderline comic relief for a few episodes and then vanishes.

Douglas is wry, and I didn’t mind his very contemporary affectations at all — both because I don’t have a clue how Franklin actually sounded and because part of the point of the “character” is that he was in many ways a modern figure. I was more distracted by how often the series substitutes glib aphorisms and generalities about chess for genuine thought or wisdom. I think this Ben Franklin is actually closer to the villain of the piece than the hero, and I only give a 10 percent chance that that was intentional. He’s supposed to be rascally and patriotic and quick on his inflamed feet; instead, he’s leering and superficial and petty and very rarely an active part of the series — almost impossible to respect in any capacity.

If Franklin isn’t steering the action and Temple is mostly busy trying to find somebody to have sex with (or marry) and the sour Frenchmen border on interchangeable, what is pushing the action forward here?

The final episode, featuring Adams, Jay and the British delegation debating the Treaty of Paris, was my favorite of the series. It also requires several characters to directly explain the brilliance of Franklin’s maneuvering, reinforcing how unlikely it is that viewers will be able to make those judgments based on what’s come before here. Still, the episode is good and talky, and confirms that there’s a great play or two-hour movie to be made about this entire saga. Just not this eight-hour TV series.

THR Newsletters

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Hollywood reporter ‘con queen’ investigation gets apple tv+ docuseries treatment (exclusive), tamron hall’s syndicated daytime talker renewed for season 6, dua lipa set as ‘snl’ host and musical guest in may, ryan gosling makes emily blunt (jokingly) angry for singing about ken again during ‘snl’ monologue, a palm beach ‘bridgerton’: ‘palm royale’ production designer on one-upping those ball scenes, confessions of a hollywood screenwriter: brit marling’s secrets of success.