Spike Lee Slams Critics Trashing Antoine Fuqua’s Michael Jackson Biopic

Well, Spike Lee is not having it with the folks blasting Antoine Fuqua's new Michael Jackson biopic, 'Michael.' The legendary filmmaker — yes, the same guy behind 'Do the Right Thing' and 'Malcolm X,' not to mention directing the music video for 'They Don't Care About Us' — has been making the rounds lately and, when CNN asked him about all the controversy, he did not hold back.

The internet seems to be split on this movie, especially when it comes to what it covers (and doesn't). A lot of critics are apparently riled up because the movie doesn't dive into the darker chapters of Jackson's life — specifically, the sexual abuse allegations. But here's the thing: Spike Lee says that's not the movie Fuqua and his team set out to make.

Spike's Take (And It Gets Spicy)

So, what did Spike actually say? First, and this needs to be clear, he really liked the movie:

'I loved it.'

He was pretty direct about all the backlash the film's been getting. In his own words (and with about as much patience as you'd expect): If you're ragging on the movie for not tackling the abuse allegations, you're missing the point, because the story literally ends in 1988 — before any of those claims even entered the picture. Basically, complaining that the movie doesn't cover stuff that hadn't happened yet is, well, not the strongest angle.

Here's how he explained it:

• The movie stops at 1988. Those accusations and scandals? That was all after.
• 'Critiquing the film on something that you wanted, but doesn't work with the timeline of the film?' In Spike's view, that's just not how movies work.
• He points out that audiences around the world seem to like it — or at least, they showed up in droves.

Lee also got a bit emotional talking about both Michael and Prince, calling them 'beautiful, beautiful people' and 'my brothers.' There's no mistaking that sense of personal loyalty here — he worked with both of them, so he's not just some armchair expert tossing opinions around for outrage clicks.

Now, if you're wondering whether Spike dodged the tougher topics about Jackson's legacy, let's be real: he danced around it a little (his answer was basically a passionate, hand-gestured middle finger to critics who wanted more dirt). It's probably not the most detailed defense you'll ever hear, but it's definitely got some heat.

Context Is Everything

Let's be honest: when you've collaborated with someone, especially on something as massive as a Michael Jackson video, your perspective is going to be different. Spike kind of hints at this — the more time you spend with celebrities, the trickier it gets to separate the art from the artist, or to see their legacy 'objectively.' And in this case, Lee clearly thinks people are missing the point of the movie (intentionally or not) when they insist it should go further into Jackson's darker post-'80s history.

So, if you were expecting Fuqua's film to deliver a tell-all about Michael Jackson's most controversial years, that's not what you're going to get. And if you want to complain about it, Spike Lee has a pretty clear idea of where you can stick your review — and he doesn't need words to say it.