Michael Jackson’s This is It – Review

Jon Peters: There’s no denying Michael Jackson’s status as one of our best performers, and if you needed further proof, Kenny Ortega’s Michael Jackson’s This is It, which captured the final months of his life. But the film isn’t going for a tragic tale, even though that opening silent text has a deep foreboding atmosphere to it, if anything this concert film/documentary is a final send off to the King of Pop.

Mike Cook: While we were both fair hesitant and a tad excited for the movie, there was still a little air of despair. This wasn’t alleviated any at the first opening scenes. The somber opening text doesn’t really jar the viewer into depression, just a little realization that aside from the fact that film is probably the only way they’d see the concert to begin with, but that it’s not a possibility anymore. The “documentary” turned into just a concert movie. Much akin to Iron Maiden’s Rock in Rio.

Jon: As much fun as it was to see MJ do this thing, as well as the general and sincere appreciation everyone working on his This is It tour, Ortega’s approach to the film is a bit messy. I’m fine with the concert film/pseudo-documentary approach he took. I imagine he must have had a bear of a time picking what to show from the hundreds of hours of film, but it feels aimless. We get plenty of songs in their full glory, but I enjoyed more the creative process and banter MJ, Ortega, and the team had, in creating what seemed like a mammoth undertaking. We just get a little of this here and there, and from what I’ve read in interviews with Ortega, I felt he dropped the ball in really showing the genius of MJ as work.

Mike: I thought that the presentation was very matter-of-fact. Being a veteran of stage productions, I’ve seen my share of dress rehearsals. That’s exactly what this was. A record of a few final dress rehearsals blended together with visuals and tech demos of the final show. Granted the few demo shots of missing components were fairly out-of-place, but the blend of early, mid and late production adds a sense of growth to the show as well. But this narrator-less doc shows Michael Jackson doing what he does best: honing his craft. Much like Michaelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel, or Picasso in his studio, the lack of narration lets the audience appreciate the talent without overlaying unnecessary narrative or biased opinions.

Jon: Yeah, totally. We had a rare opportunity to see a true artist at work, and for that, it’s superb. But we also had an even rarer chance to see MJ’s creative process at work. I mean, seeing MJ mess up, or perhaps an argument would have made this more thrilling. But maybe that’s in the deleted scenes, and I don’t think that would have been what they wanted. What did you call this film after it ended?

Mike: “An opportunity for the production company to recoup some expenses”. But I don’t think it’s a bad thing. Michael Jackson’s wardrobe alone makes Chanel look like dollar-store bargains. The technical aspects of the show alone made my mouth water, and the fact that they had to contact scientists for wardrobe reasons give a little justice to the release. I think it’s a lot better to have an insider’s eye to the show that normal people wouldn’t be able to see regardless of the production went on then to just keep the archival footage in the Jackson Estate.

Jon: True, and I hope people don’t get us wrong. MJ is electrifying and I couldn’t help but want to get up and dance. There’s real energy he puts off into each song, dance moves he never repeats, and if we feel this excited just seeing him do his thing, imagine what it would’ve been like to attend this concert in person? I think that’s why, despite are gripes, Michael Jackson’s This is It is special. Did you have any favorite sequences?

Mike: I think the harder part is to pick which weren’t my favorite. From the first shots of the dancers before auditions to the final dance sequence, just the obvious talent that Michael Jackson had for his music was awe-inspiring. From the scenes with him and the music director in the studio to the final modifications on the stage, the gears were always turning and it was always noticeable. Though at times he seemed a little disconnected from what he was doing, that later turned out to be concerns about his voice and physical demands, the entire experience for someone who grew up with Michael Jackson’s music was overwhelming. Even now, I have his songs, as he performed them in This Is It, stuck in my head. As the credits rolled, we also heard MJ’s new single, aptly named “This Is It”, which, though not my normal psychobilly chic, I thought was impressive. Jon?

Jon: Well, “This is It” is a decent MJ song, but I was hoping it would have been performed on stage. They sort of just threw it on the credits. Look at us, we both liked the film, and it seems we didn’t! I loved what they did with Smooth Criminal; the old gangster movie footage with Bogart and Edgar G. Robinson shooting at MJ was killer. The jazzier opening to “The Way You Make Me Feel” was really cool, and actually added to the song, one that happens to be my favorite of his. Jackson fans will love this documentary, plain and simple. It won’t win any new fans over, but there’s like only 5 people who don’t like his music, right? We lost a legend, and here we get a rare glimpse and what he was trying to do before his death. People wanting anything else on MJ, look else where, this is a celebration of a man we called The King of Pop.

Mike: Agreed, and you totally called out “Thriller” and “Smooth Criminal”, my favorite performances bar-none. This movie captures MJ is his element,which many should find impressive. This is absolutely a must-see for sure. Much like watching a legendary painter paint without any distractions, just watching Michael in his element was powerful in and of itself. I think the feeling of disappointment Jon and I both convey comes from both of us appreciating Michael Jackson’s contribution to entertainment, music, and pop culture… and not wanting the movie to end. While the King of Pop will be missed, this unlikely documentary shows that MJ loved what he did, and that his talent is one surely to be missed. His impassable talent will never be seen again, as shown in This is It. From us, the cats at Killer Film, Rest in Peace, Michael. Thank you for the memories. This is exactly what everyone hoped it was going to be.

Jon’s Grade: Rating:

Mike’s Grade: Rating: