Michael Jackson's This Is It will offer Jackson fans and music lovers worldwide a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the performer as he developed, created and rehearsed for his sold-out concerts that would have taken place beginning this summer in London's O2 Arena. Chronicling the months from April through June, 2009, the film is produced with the full support of the Estate of Michael Jackson and drawn from more than one hundred hours of behind-the-scenes footage, featuring Jackson rehearsing a number of his songs for the show. Audiences will be given a privileged and private look at Jackson as he has never been seen before.I have always been and will always be a huge Michael Jackson fan. As big of a freak as he became in his later years - he will always be one of - if not the number one - best entertainers of all time. That being said, I dreaded seeing this movie. I figured it would be the biggest sham and just a way for his estate to milk as much money out of the movie going public as possible. And that is exactly what it is. In terms of movies or documentaries or concerts - this is horrible. Its all rehearsal footage so Michael only gets in to the performances or parts of them featured in the movie to a certain extent. The scenes in between the songs show both the musical genius that was Michael Jackson and the nutjob that he had unfortunately become. There were times where I think they put in footage that just made him seem silly and nonsensical with his inability to function properly. All of that being said - I still managed to enjoy this movie. I bopped in my seat and I sang along. I think that if these concerts were to have taken place, they probably would have been the greatest shows ever put on. The crowd that was in the theater I saw it in was dead though. That was unfortunate. If you could see this movie in a full crowd of real Michael Jackson fans instead of a bunch of lumps watching a movie (which again - this is not!), this would probably be a really good time.
I would only recommend this movie to the die hard Michael Jackson fans. Even then, please be warned that its just a mix and match of rehearsals. The concerts never sadly took place so there is no culminating scene.
