From Thriller, to Bad, to Dangerous, to baboon poo crazy, Michael Jackson went from being the most brilliant performer on the planet to being the oddest. From the largest selling album of all time, to the most groundbreaking music videos ever created, to rumours in the press, to court cases taken by alleged victims, the self styled King of Pop, led a life that was fed, at first, by media adulation driven by the critical success and commercial brilliance that characterized his early career and, latterly, by the media obsession with the sad little soap opera that his life had become. Jackson, like many before him, bears witness to the horrifying maxim that those whom the God's wish to destroy they first call promising. His last two decades were, from this fan's point of view, at least, filled with too much madness to the detriment of the music and this film, unfortunately, follows that path entirely. Too much madness and not enough music.
If Jackson were still alive than doubtless the footage recorded here would see the light of day, but only as an extra on the live concert DVD. It would never have been released as a movie and there's good reason for that – it's simply not strong enough.
I'm a huge fan of Michael Jackson, Billy Jean is the best pop song of all time, but, seriously, who wants to watch the best performer on the planet rehearsing? I want to watch him perform! Rehearsals are merely dry runs for the real thing. This is a concert movie without a concert, and where's the point in that? That's like watching THE GODFATHER (1972) without Marlon Brando. It's like eating a banana split without the ice cream. There's no pay off.
There's no denying Jackson's brilliance, but, damn it, everyone on the planet knows that Jackson could sing and dance! There's no fire in the film, there's no screaming crowds, there's no adoration, and without that there's nothing to whip him into full frenzy. All you're left with is the sad knowledge that you're watching a man that lived to perform, getting ready to perform, and in the back of your mind you know that he'll never actually do it.
THIS IS IT was most definitely made for the fans. It was made to wring money out of them and it's working perfectly. As someone who had tickets to go see Jackson in the O2 in London, I was looking forward to seeing the film. All it did, however, was remind me that the greatest pop performer the world has ever seen will never be seen again.
My opinion notwithstanding, fans will, for the most part, I suppose, enjoy it. Those obsessed with Jackson will claim it proves he was back to his best, and it certainly contains moments when Jackson appears to be in full flight, but these are all too fleeting and are, naturally enough, interrupted because that is, after all, what happens in rehearsals! All the marketing for the movie claims it will only be in theatres for two weeks. And that's probably true. But that, I suspect, is because they want to rush the DVD out in time for Christmas, grab some more money.
As a money-making machine, then, THIS IS IT is it. It will undoubtedly rake in the millions. As a great Jackson film, however, or as a great concert film, a great documentary, or even simply a great film, THIS IS IT isn't even at the races.