Michael Jackson The Verdict Review Reality Check For Fans After 850 Mil Dollar Biopic Whitewash

Michael Jackson The Verdict review: Two months ago, Michael Jackson’s biopic released in theatres and it was a massive success. Shockingly, everyone around the world, or at least those who helped in its box office collections of $850 million, chose to ignore that the man at the center of this film was accused of sexually abusing young boys.

A strange kind of whitewashing of Michael Jackson’s reputation has been in the works ever since he died in 2009, and it is well known that his estate has been running the show. How else would you explain that the estate went from being in a debt of $450 milion at the time of his death, to now being a $3.5 billion empire? On Wednesday, June 3, Netflix released the three-part documentary series Michael Jackson The Verdict, which focuses on the 2003 trial where Jackson was accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy, Gavin Arvizo, on his Neverland ranch.

It is strange that since Michael Jackson’s death, his popularity has increased and his fan army, with the support of his estate, has made it their life’s mission that Michael was innocent. “Nothing ever happened,” we are told via some of the old news footage as journalist Diane Dimond recalls that this was like a “mantra” that was repeatedly said by his supporters – even when Michael admitted that he was sharing his bed with pre-pubescent boys.

This documentary series challenges the currently popular notion of portraying Michael as the good guy who was wronged, and examines the facts that were presented in court and discussed in the media at the time. Even though, it says, that Michael was pronounced ‘not guilty’ in 2005, there is enough room to talk about hard facts as it heavily implies that the prosecution did a shoddy job of presenting their case, which gave enough opportunity to the hawk-like team of Jackson’s lawyers to grill teenage boys, and cast enough doubt on their harrowing stories. His lawyers, along with him, are clearly the villains here who could poke holes in anyone’s story and take complete advantage of the justice system so it comes out in their favour.

Michael Jackson The Verdict also discusses Jordan Chandler, the 13-year-old who first accused Michael of inappropriate behaviour, and informs the viewers why Michael did not face a trial then. Not just him, many other young boys’ stories are also discussed, and there’s a constant hint at the power imbalance between Michael and those boys, and their families. Credible talking heads, and news footage of the coverage of the trial is aptly used to paint a picture of why Michael ultimately managed to come out as ‘not guilty’, and without mincing words, we are told that the lawyers were not prepared enough in presenting the victims’ cases, thus complicating the case. Wade Robson, who later opened up about his abuse at Neverland in the documentary Leaving Neverland, was still Michael’s pawn back then and as you see him as a child, it sends a chill down your spine.

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It is very openly suggested that the stardom of Michael Jackson was the biggest factor in making the jury decide in his favour as two of the jurors appear here, and it is obvious that one of them was so awed by the presence of Michael that to date, she can’t forget how Michael looked at her, and nodded at her with a ‘thank you’.

Through the trial in 2003, which ended in 2005, Michael can be seen performing a show for his fans. He slows down his car for the screaming fans and cheers them on as they declare him ‘innocent’. He gets on top of his SUV and almost breaks into a dance as he rallies the crowd.

It is also very clear here that Michael, like many celebrities, knew that he could hire the best defense attorney money could buy, someone who perhaps looked like a character out of Boston Legal or Suits, and knew how to give a performance so the jury could be in Michael’s favour.

It is heartbreaking to re-learn how full-grown adults grilled teenage boys about the most scarring incident in their life, and possibly celebrated when they won. Conversations about Michael’s race, and how his family saw this as a racist attack on them, are also brought up, but not given enough airtime for everyone involved here knows that this was probably just a defence for them. Michael’s music had such an impact on that generation that even when the prosecution played some evidence in the court, the attendees, jury and the lawyers could not help but tap their feet to it. One of the talking heads is a fan who quit her job to be there for his trial and she describes it as her love for him, and in this moment, you know that love for such figures is blind, but what’s shocking is that decades later, these fans continue to exist and cheer for him.

Michael Jackson The Verdict is truly meant for those who blindly went in for the multi-million-dollar-earning movie and came out cheering for the popstar, as if no famous or successful celebrity has ever been evil behind closed doors.

Sampada Sharma has been the Copy Editor in the entertainment section at Indian Express Online since 2017. ... Read More

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