This Is It wows audiences with true Jackson experience

By Maggie Sulc     10/29/09 7:00pm

This Is It is not a documentary about Michael Jackson's life or the scandals surrounding his death. If a narrative at all, the film shows the process behind putting together a major concert: the auditions, rehearsals and changes that take place before the gates of the stadium are even opened. At its core, This Is It is simply Michael Jackson's last concert tour, miraculously resurrected after the icon's death. Everything about this film is something of a spectacle. Clapping and cheering fans packed the theater, giggling and screaming as the lights went down and the first images flashed onto the screen. It felt like we were all waiting for Michael Jackson to appear right there in front of us. And in many ways, he did. When Jackson arrived on screen, he was energetically singing and dancing as usual, amazing the world with his smooth voice and signature dance moves, as if he had never left.

The documentary focuses mainly on the performances Jackson would have given during the course of the This Is It concert tour, from his first entrance at the top of the show to his big finish with "Man in the Mirror." After watching the movie, it is easy to see why so many avid fans in the U.K. jumped on the tickets to sell out every show, smashing sales records across the board. Jackson performed each of his big hits, from "The Way You Make Me Feel" to "Smooth Criminal," as well a new and even more chilling rendition of "Thriller."

For each song, Jackson's performance was filled with energy, even after all these years. At every rehearsal shown in the documentary, he performed as if all the seats of the stadium were filled, and every fan expected the same Michael Jackson from the records they had listened to growing up.

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The staging and special effects also reveal the special attention and effort of concert director Kenny Ortega. Taking full advantage of cutting-edge technology, he shot new footage to create an army of back-up dancers for a mix of "Bad" and "They Don't Care About Us," an exciting chase scene between Michael Jackson and Humphrey Bogart for "Smooth Criminal," and a creepier graveyard attack for "Thriller."

With lighting and pyrotechnics, these elements seemed to create a show full of movement and excitement that complemented Jackson's songs and vibrant personality. I did not expect the director of High School Musical to adapt so well to directing a rock and roll show, but his choices were a pleasant surprise. Some pieces seemed slightly over the top, like the use of fans underneath Jackson and the over-the-top performance of the lead guitarist, but it reflected Jackson's flamboyant style and would have worked well for this show.

After Michael's death and the subsequent cancellation of the actual concert tour, Ortega directed the creation of the This Is It documentary from the tour's rehearsal footage. For the most part, he excels at this job. He did not over-sentimentalize Jackson as a dead celebrity or glorify his imperfections. In fact, only at the beginning and end of the film did a somber, sad feeling come over the audience as we remembered that the enthusiastic musician in front of us was no longer alive.

On the other hand, Ortega also left out the media scandals that dogged Jackson's footsteps in both life and death. Instead, This Is It lets Jackson's talent and music speak for itself. Besides a few loving interviews from the dancers and other musicians, it is a film for fans of Michael Jackson and his music who want to enjoy this last performance and appreciate the man for his great musical talents.

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