This Is It
This Is It - the final bow for Michael Jackson
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By James Christie
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Monday, 02, Nov 2009 08:01
Directed by Kenny Ortega, out now, starring Michael Jackson, 112 mins.
In a nutshell.
This one is 'for the fans'.
What's it all about?
This Is It production director and long time Michael Jackson collaborator, Kenny Ortega has cut together the rehearsal footage for what was set to be Jackson's final concerts at the O2 Arena.
Along with the videos and films that were set to play on the giant screen behind the stage, we are given an insight into what the heavily anticipated concerts might have looked and sounded like.
Along the way we get to meet the supporting cast - the band, the dancers, the production guys, the lighting technicians, the people controlling the pyrotechnics, even a very brief look at the costume designers.
But make no bones about it; there is only one star of this show.
What the others say
"The film has been assembled from rehearsals from April through June 2009 for a concert tour scheduled for this summer. The footage was 'captured by a few cameras', an opening screen tells us, but they were professional high-def cameras and the sound track is full-range stereo. The result is one of the most revealing music documentaries I've seen. 100%!" - Roger Ebert
"I feel fairly confident that a perfectionist like Jackson would never want to be remembered by a shoddy piece of exploitation like This Is It. 25%" - Lou Lumenick - New York Daily Post
So is it any good?
Somewhere in-between Lumenick and Ebert lies the truth. This is not a music documentary like Anvil!: The Story of Anvil, nor is it purely a recording of a live concert.
We do not discover the truth of what happened to Michael Jackson, nor do we see any levels of upset, displeasure or anger at any stage. We do, however, get some insight into what he was like as a person and performer.
Similarly, we are given frustratingly brief glimpses into the efforts of the likes of Ortega himself, the costume designers, the dancers and the stage hands, without ever really delving into the true lengths that they've gone to.
Opening with a rolling scroll detailing the background of the shoot, we are told that with just a few stage-hands and dancers watching, Ortega decided to film Jackson's rehearsals for Jackson's own personal library.
This Is It is predominantly filmed over two rehearsal sessions, one of which is fairly obviously early in the rehearsal process and the other much later. You can see Michael thinking over the dance moves and timings in the first, whilst the second is a much more fluid effort altogether.
The most interesting aspect of the whole film is how personal it feels. Rather than panning out and getting a feel of the whole stage and show, we are more often than not pushed close in on Michael, so that we can actually see his passion and desire to make this work.
Therein lies the crux of this film. Whilst painfully thin and at times gangly and awkward looking, 'MJ', as the crew so often refer to him, looks happy, healthy and excited to be on stage.
Michael is clearly a perfectionist, and involves himself in every single moment of the production; from the band's cues to the pitch of the songs, and even the direction of the videos playing behind the band.
His energy and enthusiasm belies his age. At 50 during the time of filming, Jackson does a glorious job leading his dance line, keeping pace with and directing those half his age.
There is only one moment where the mask slips. During a Jackson 5 montage, Michael gets visibly upset, apparently because his earphones are too loud. But he isn't upset at the crew; he's obviously beating himself up for just not being good enough at that stage.
So where did it all go wrong? How is it that we're watching a film of cut together rehearsal footage, rather than writing reviews of what would have undoubtedly been one of the most fantastic performances ever?
Enough will be written about the mis-management of Jackson's health, so it won't be dwelled upon here. Suffice to say, when watching the film, you really struggle to understand how it all happened.
This Is It is, without a doubt, a clinically produced attempt by both AEG and Epic Records to recoup some of the massive losses incurred due to the unfortunate demise of Jackson. But nevertheless, this is a breathless construction which really does feel as though it's for the fans.
For anyone that has ever been even a passing fan of Michael Jackson, This Is It is must see. On a personal note, I had tickets to see the show at the O2, and am now devastated that I will never get to see it.
Despite the controversy, the King of Pop will live long in our hearts. And This Is It is a suitable epitaph for a wonderful musical career.
8.5/10
Rob Wheatley