In this 1996 fantasy, the Archangel Michael is a chain-smoking, sugar-loving, brawling slob.
In short: Nora Ephron’s 1996 film Michael subverts traditional angelic imagery by casting John Travolta as a crass, unkempt warrior sent to Earth. While he smells like cookies and possesses divine wisdom, he prefers cigarettes and bar fights to halos, challenging the celestial archetypes found in literature like John Milton’s Paradise Lost.
Released on December 25, 1996, Michael follows a trio of tabloid investigators who discover the commander-in-chief of Heaven’s armies living in an Iowa boarding house. Despite his divine status and role in defeating Lucifer, the film’s version of Michael is physically unrefined and prone to using improvised weapons that mimic ancient Greco-Roman spears and shields. The narrative centers on his mission to mend the hearts of two cynical journalists, Frank and Dorothy, while indulging in the physical pleasures of human existence.
The film’s portrayal of angels drew comparisons to John Milton’s Paradise Lost, where angels are depicted as majestic, six-winged shapeshifters. Professor Christopher R. Miller noted that the film consciously references this mythology, even as it pivots toward a more grounded, albeit messy, reality. The character’s duality—a celestial being who drinks, smokes, and fights—serves as the engine for the film’s comedic and emotional beats, culminating in a journey to Chicago that tests the limits of his miraculous powers.
Critical reception was polarized. While some reviewers, such as David Ansen of Newsweek, found charm in the cast’s interactions, others like Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly criticized the performance as obnoxious. Emanuel Levy of Variety described the film as a series of lethargically paced episodes with a scattered narrative. Despite a 36% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film was a commercial success, grossing over $95 million domestically and debuting at number one at the box office, outperforming Jerry Maguire during its opening weekend.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Michael (1996 film)
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