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Michael Jackson's This Is It

Buzz says:   MPAA Rating: PG
Current Showtimes:

Carmike Beverly Cinema 18

• 1:45pm
• 4:20
• 7:00
• 9:30

Goodrich Savoy 16 Theater

• 12:00am

Let me get this out of the way, I’m a Michael Jackson fan. I’m not one of those fans who only started to appreciate his music after he passed away last June, I’ve been a fan all of my life. When this concert film was announced, which consists only of rehearsal footage for what was supposed to be his final tour ever, it seemed like an obvious cash in on a man who was not only severely troubled, but had been in the public light since he was six years old. And in a sense, that is what This Is It is, but it also is fascinating to watch an extraordinarily talented man work on his craft.

The film opens with interviews from several of the people who were working on Jackson’s tour. Dancers, backup singers and bandleaders all talk about what a great human being Jackson was. Then, the film immediately shifts to the concert footage, opening with the first track off of Thriller, “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”. Jackson goes through his dance moves, but doesn’t sing as he is trying to conserve his voice for the 50 shows he has to do. The rest of the concert is pretty much a hit parade, with “Billie Jean”, “Smooth Criminal”, “The Way You Make Me Feel”, “Black Or White” and a Jackson 5 medley all being featured.

The songs have all been heard before. What makes the film fascinating is Jackson interacting with the people around him. No diva moments are featured, but instead Jackson is shown as a calm general, being very specific about what he wants from his soldiers, but not being mean about it. The highlight of the film is when we get a glimpse of the competitive side to MJ, in which he gets into a singing contest with a female backup singer. Jackson wins, but then immediately chastises himself for using his voice when he shouldn’t have.

Judging from this film, the rumors that Jackson was weak and seemed ill in his final days aren’t true. At 50 years old, he could still dance better than most people in the world. This Is It may be no more than outtakes from what would’ve been a greater film if Jackson were still alive, but it’s also a rare look at a secluded man who was one of the more talented people to ever live.