Chronicling the months from April through June this year, the film is drawn from more than 100 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 the singer, dancer, filmmaker, architect, and genius, as he creates and perfects his final show for touring. It feels a little strange from the start. You sit there in a dark theatre and try and contemplate the images that are appearing on screen, the usual things run through your mind – the weirdness, the controversy, and of course his death.
But fear not, because as the film unfolds you’ll start to lose yourself, and when the music really kicks in it takes hold and you’re swept away with it.
It’s only then that the realisation hits that ‘The Man’ was indeed a musical genius and for all his faults and issues, no one can deny that he lived and breathed music.
He wasn’t just trained in it, nor was it simply because he had been doing it for his whole life. Michael Jackson was indeed gifted. Music and entertaining were in his veins and that’s something that can’t be taught.
I don’t consider myself a big Jackson fan, but I felt saddened watching this film, that no one would have the chance to see this man again live, and that although his music will live on, he may have yet had more to offer.
It would have been great to see him bow out at the peak of his powers rather than with the recent past still dogging him.
This Is It is not just for the fans but for everyone, as I think everyone at some point in their lives has found themselves singing along to an MJ song, even if you were trying to do it whilst no one was watching.
