Rating: 8/10

Director: Kenny Ortega

I haven’t missed Michael Jackson. I’m too young to have grown up watching him perform, so all I knew of him was his phenomenal music and the creepy way he’s portrayed in the media. Since he died, the media has focused on what’s happening with his kids and which of his family members stands to gain an inheritance. For every brief clip they showed of Michael performing, they showed hours of off-putting interviews and replays of bizarre moments in his life. Even his televised memorial had too many moments that rang false.

So I haven’t really been given the chance to appreciate the man and what he meant to music. Until THIS IS IT.

Edited from over 100 hours of footage, THIS IS IT shows us the Michael Jackson we want to remember. It shows us the compassionate artist, not the weirdo in handcuffs. Every moment on film is onstage or backstage during concert preparations – you won’t find cloying moments of crying family members or paparazzi chasing the King of Pop. Instead, we’re given Michael at his finest: when he’s performing.

Viewers will be surprised at how much Michael was involved with the concert production process. He’s there when they cast the backup dancers, who provide some nice commentary throughout the film. He’s there at band rehearsals, making sure each note is perfect. He’s there at the film studios where footage that would be used as background visuals was shot. He had a hand in every aspect of the production, which makes you realize how meticulous about his music he was.

Even more surprising is how funny Michael could be. Many moments had the audience, who were prepared for a more somber film, laughing out loud. When Michael’s discussing the instrumentation of a song with the music director, he emphasizes that he wants the song to sounds like the original because that’s what the fans love. The director agrees, but adds that he’s open to putting more “booty” in it and asks Michael if he knows what that means. Michael begins to walk away, then turns around and says, “I know exactly what you meant…I like that.”

There are these small little moments in the film that make it come alive. As Michael finishes one of the more complicated numbers, the spotlight begins to fade as you see a smile slowly spread across his face. Later, as he’s on the cherry picker during rehearsal, he laughs about the picker being on the low setting, then notices someone beneath him and says hi. And throughout the movie, viewers will notice that he can be eccentric about letting his music and certain moments in the concert “simmer” or “sizzle.”

When you’re watching THIS IS IT, all the frightening images of post-surgery Michael and all the disturbing interviews and accusations simply melt away. Despite being a perfectionist, he treats the crew with compassion and patience. The artistic choices that he makes during the concert preparation are brilliant. He sings and dances with the skill of someone much younger than his 50 years. In short, THIS IS IT shows us the Michael that we always wanted to memorialize: the musical genius. I miss him a lot more now.