This movie is Michael Jackson’s moment to shine, a striking memory of Jackson for all of his success and hard work. The stage is set with many young dancers auditioning to be a part of their hero’s big concert, “This Is It”, touring all around London. The scene that was prepared for the concert (with tons of lights, many talented dancers and singers and a man who inspired them all) is what makes the idea of Jackson’s concert so exhilarating. All the effort put into the concert was greatly anticipated by many fans, but June 25 brought the end to this excitement when Jackson died at age 50. Now, to keep Jackson’s hard work and great music in memory, this movie is released for all fans of the King of Pop’s music.
The beginning of the film starts out slow with many new songs that most of the audience is not familiar with, such as “Rock with You” and “Off The Wall.” It became very repetitive with many dance rehearsals, and the crew fixing technical problems such as microphone volume. Jackson came across as an obsessive perfectionist, as he tried to fix every single little issue that came up. This initial impression may not have been the best, but the beat soon picked up when more well-known songs were being performed, as the numerous fixes eventually built up making great performance.
The turning point from bland to lively started with the song “The Way You Make Me Feel.” After that, the movie’s energy picked up as Jackson’s signature dance moves came out with famous songs such as “Thriller” and “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough.” The moon walk and the strong vocals got the audience on the edge of their seats dancing and singing along. The man that helped him do it all, director Kenny Ortega, was very enthusiastic and eager throughout the training for this concert. Ortega worked hard with his team to achieve the best special features including a “Thriller” 3-D video playing in the background with floating ghosts, as Jackson was illuminating the stage with his endless energy. The making of this video was shown along with Ortega’s comments and his directing techniques to see how it all came together. Behind-the-scene clips let the viewers experience a part of the performances they’ve never been able to see.
Jackson was very appreciative of all the people that contributed to his success and constantly said, “God Bless You,” to people when they did a simple job, such as turning down the volume of the microphone. His respect for all the people that worked with him for the 100 hours it took to prepare for this concert was greatly noticed and well accepted. At the end of the movie, the group came into a huddle to thank each other for all that they have contributed,the dancers, technologists, singers, and directors, along with a man that influenced them all, Michael Jackson.
This movie is an opportunity for many people to gain respect for such an infamous, but strange, man that is often ranked as one of the top ten greatest artists ever. This man lived for music and created some of his own to pass along to his many admiring fans, and that is greatly respected throughout the film. Coming out on DVD soon, this inspiring movie is well worth buying for Jackson lovers, because this movie is a thriller.
