The Michael Jackson biopic Michael has sparked a stark critic-audience divide on Rotten Tomatoes following the review embargo lift four days ago, with the Tomatometer settling at 40% from over 100 reviews—praised for Jaafar Jackson's uncanny lead performance but critiqued as flashy yet hollow and evasive on controversies. This places it among poorly reviewed recent biopics, contrasting sharply with its record-shattering 96-97% Popcornmeter audience score, fueled by fan turnout and nostalgia. Strong global opening weekend projections near $150 million underscore public enthusiasm despite the Rotten rating. Traders should watch for additional late reviews potentially stabilizing or shifting the score, alongside box office legs that could influence awards buzz in precursor circuits like Critics Choice.