Footage of M.J. in “This is It.” Fans may also be treated to a 3-D re-release in the near future.

This Is It
Is it worth $10? Yes
Hudak's Grade: B (Rated PG)
By Dan Hudak // hudakonhollywood.com

Well, this really is it. Michael Jackson’s “This is It” is the last original material the world will see from the brilliant singer/dancer, and it’s a nice send-off for a beloved icon who meant so much to so many.

The documentary is culled from more than 100 hours of rehearsal footage (shot from March through June 2009) in preparation for Jackson’s “This Is It” concerts scheduled for summer 2009 in London. If the footage seen here is any indication, this would’ve been a great show. Sadly, as many know, Jackson died June 25, 2009, a few weeks before the concerts were to begin The film mentions his death only briefly.

Kenny Ortega, who was Jackson's creative partner and the director of the stage show, directs the film as a series of vignettes centered on the performance of a song. Each number has its own choreography and, it seems, its own set design, and at times the visual effects (such as with “They Don’t Really Care About Us”) are masterful. Many of the classic songs are here — “Wanna Be Startin’ Something,” “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” “Thriller” and more — but there’s only so much you can fit into a 112-minute movie. We’ll presumably have to wait for the DVD for footage of “Scream,” “Bad,” “We Are The World” and others.

Aside from the novelty of seeing Jackson in rehearsal, what makes “This Is It” unique is the behind-the-scenes footage. We see Jackson choose his dancers, work with the musical director to get the right beat for “The Way You Make Me Feel,” and telling the sound guys that it feels like a fist is getting punched through his ear because the levels are too loud. He is admired and respected by his co-workers, is always in creative control, and is always humble and polite, giving the impression that there was an earnest gentility to his soul that many never saw.

More than anything else, the film is a reminder of Jackson’s exceptional showmanship. Even the great Fred Astaire considered Jackson one of the finest dancers he’d seen, and anyone who’s been wowed by the video for “Smooth Criminal” knows Jackson’s talent was truly one of a kind.

“This Is It” is a fitting tribute to arguably the most iconic entertainer of our generation, and we’d like to think that if it were in Jackson’s personal library (as the footage was originally intended to be), he’d be proud of his work.

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