Michael Jackson's This Is It (2009)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Alexander D

  
  The peak of all prolific MJ tributes.

• Michael E

  
  After Michael Jackson's death i was addicted to knowing more about him and now he's my favorite singer, and when this movie was released in theaters, literally, everyone in my family went to go see it, and it blew all of us away, each and every music rendition Michael did… More
  After Michael Jackson's death i was addicted to knowing more about him and now he's my favorite singer, and when this movie was released in theaters, literally, everyone in my family went to go see it, and it blew all of us away, each and every music rendition Michael did from his hit songs (yet for some reason they didn't have bad, speed demon, will you be there, or black or white.) R.I.P. Michael Jackson we all miss you, your family, my family, everyone misses you, you were a true change to this world

• Morgan S

  
  This movie made me love Michael Jackson. We lost a truly great artist...This was a great look into what a perfectionist (in a good way) he was and how much effort he put into his work. And if you want to see some more great MIchael, watch his short film/music Video for Ghost. Very… More
  This movie made me love Michael Jackson. We lost a truly great artist...This was a great look into what a perfectionist (in a good way) he was and how much effort he put into his work. And if you want to see some more great MIchael, watch his short film/music Video for Ghost. Very very entertaining. :)

• Sajin P

  
  RIP King..

• Spencer S

  
  For what it was intended to be, This Is It hit a home run. More than self congratulations, this tribute to the music great could have been a movie shrine to the man that was Michael Jackson. In the very beginning of the film the dancers hired to perform in Jackson's concerts are… More
  For what it was intended to be, This Is It hit a home run. More than self congratulations, this tribute to the music great could have been a movie shrine to the man that was Michael Jackson. In the very beginning of the film the dancers hired to perform in Jackson's concerts are blubbering, tears streaming down their faces as they bury the great crotch grabbing god in accolades upon nauseating accolades. Between Jackson's soft voice, and tinkling laugh, and everyone saying "I love you" after every sentence like punctuation, you fall under the spell of feelgood and generosity. More important were the performances. Sure, some came off a bit weak with the fact that it was rehearsal, but the amount of prep work and special effects make up for it and more. I am sadly disappointed to say I did not view this in the awesome 3D it was meant to be, and therefore can not rave about zombies leaping off the screen. Between a concert movie and a supposed documentary (it's not folks, it's not) This Is It is meant for the fans, even if there's a hidden agenda of making money off a dead man's art. Thank God they didn't include any references to Jackson's sudden demise. It came off as a look at what could have been, oppurtunity still flashing in the crew's eyes, a true tribute, and nothing more or less.

• paul s

  
  I was never much of a fan of the "King of Pop" in any way shape or form, even going back to the Jackson 5 days, but this documentary has given me new respect for the musician, the entertainer, and the person. Shot during the final rehearsals before his aborted last tour,… More
  I was never much of a fan of the "King of Pop" in any way shape or form, even going back to the Jackson 5 days, but this documentary has given me new respect for the musician, the entertainer, and the person. Shot during the final rehearsals before his aborted last tour, this film should be a must for anyone who appreciates music, dance, and all that goes into either form. On display are all the hits, but with subtle musical twists - many of which are choreographed not only with dance but also with film and pyrotechnics. This would have been quite a show, and at the center of it, Michael Jackson was fully in command; knowing the tunes inside out - every little stop and accent and every bit of the production: Michael knew what he wanted and his ideas and concepts were always spot on, knowing from the stage what would make the most impact out in the audience. Supported by a first rate band (that I can testify to) and wonderful dancers (I wouldn't know Barishnikov from Bozo the clown, so don't take my word for it), this documentary gives you just enough background on how such a production comes into being without getting in the way of the music and the performances. The sound is first rate - the music has never sounded fuller, but what impressed me the most about this film was the professionalism and humanity of the man himself. For all the tabloids and goofy stuff, here is a gentle soul who seemingly lived and breathed his art. I'm told that he revolutionized dance, and certainly he was the pioneer of the BIG production; where a concert became an event, combining music and dance onstage. I feel truly sad that I shortchanged the guy - he really was a marvel, and I can now understand the crazed fans - I'm sure that his shows must have raised the roof, and this film is an apt testimony and requiem for a humble, gentle being who was born into the music business, which certainly warped him in some ways - but from watching this film I believe that the tabloids were making money at his expense and am convinced that here was a man who couldn't have hurt a fly - living only to give of his art and himself ... which are synonymous in this case.

• Brad W

  
  The greatest music documentary of all time, this film gave me the chills he was so good. This movie wasn't a ploy, it was a tremendous sendoff the greatest Pop singer ever.

• Wildaly M

  
  Was definitely interesting to see the inside workings of what would've been an incredible Micheal Jackson concert tour. This is the last we have of him and he's still a superstar even when rehearsing.

• Coxxie M

  
  Michael:" No, i dont have to see the screen, ok. i-im juss gonna like, feeeel it." it has now been about a year since this came out, and when it first came out i didnt know who the hell ORIANTHI was, i just gave wrote her off as some british bitch trying to sing like shes… More
  Michael:" No, i dont have to see the screen, ok. i-im juss gonna like, feeeel it." it has now been about a year since this came out, and when it first came out i didnt know who the hell ORIANTHI was, i just gave wrote her off as some british bitch trying to sing like shes from Tennessee and shes playing the shit out of her guitar in a movie about Michael Jackson two weeks before she poisons him so people will go "WHOA! Chicks can play guitar, huh?", and now that ive heard her music, i applaud myself for knowing that based on 5 minutes of footage and its just like "PSssshh. screw this bitch. she aint no Carrie Underwood." thats all.

• Alexander W

  
  Watching MJ back stage for 2 hours , seeing him choreograph his moves, and his loving attention to his musicians was not enough to keep me loving the movie which was pretty saddening having known what happened to him after. But in comparison the movie was worth releasing, just maybe… More
  Watching MJ back stage for 2 hours , seeing him choreograph his moves, and his loving attention to his musicians was not enough to keep me loving the movie which was pretty saddening having known what happened to him after. But in comparison the movie was worth releasing, just maybe not watching.

• Rachel F

  
  I loved getting to see this behind-the-scenes look at Michael. Such an amazing artist.

• Bently L

  
  Sure to please anyone who is delighted by the music of Michael Jackson. This is It consists of never-before-seen rehearsal footage from MJ's planned shows to take place in the O2 Arena in London. Sadly, he died before he could do them. But the breathtaking footage can be seen… More
  Sure to please anyone who is delighted by the music of Michael Jackson. This is It consists of never-before-seen rehearsal footage from MJ's planned shows to take place in the O2 Arena in London. Sadly, he died before he could do them. But the breathtaking footage can be seen in the film. All of Jackson's greatest hits (Thriller, Beat It, Smooth Criminal) are shown here along with proof that he was a real nice person despite the controversies involving him and little kids. This is It is truly the greatest concert never shown. "You knock me off my feet right now, baby! HOO!"

• Aaron N

  
  Michael Jackson: It's an adventure. It's a great adventure. We want to take them places that they've never been before. We want to show them talent like they've never seen before. Past all the weirdness, the unfortunate situations he was put into, and where his… More
  Michael Jackson: It's an adventure. It's a great adventure. We want to take them places that they've never been before. We want to show them talent like they've never seen before. Past all the weirdness, the unfortunate situations he was put into, and where his reputation may have fallen down to, what it came down to for Michael Jackson, was that he was an excellent singer and dancer, brought up in the world of entertainment. His passing may have been unfortunate, but the man will certainly remain a legend, which is probably why there is still news popping up related to him. This documentary captures a lot of footage for what was going to be Jackson's final concert. In it, we see a lot of creativity, the process involved in putting this large scale effort together, and how much of a perfectionist Michael was, when trying to put his show together. What I basically took away from this was that this would have been one pretty amazing concert. 3D, some high quality film production, all these costumes, and a lot of elaborate dance numbers. As it is just rehearsal footage assembled together, without having a real way to bookend it, beyond some scrolling text, its certainly not any kind of journey to be seen, just a great performer in his element. Michael Jackson: Let it simmer.

• Richard C

  
  B

• James A

  
  This is it?

• Nate Z

  
  More like a DVD behind-the-scenes feature that never materialized, This Is It is a documentary following Michel Jackson's rehearsal for his comeback concerts that never were to be. The entire film feels more like a memorial service than an actual movie. It feels like a… More
  More like a DVD behind-the-scenes feature that never materialized, This Is It is a documentary following Michel Jackson's rehearsal for his comeback concerts that never were to be. The entire film feels more like a memorial service than an actual movie. It feels like a supplement. In between teary interviews where performers express how Jackson inspired others, we do experience some key moments where Jackson reminds us about his brilliance as a performer. The man is relentlessly dedicated to perfecting his vision, and he isn't afraid to push others. But overall, This Is It is mostly a boring enterprise that ultimately alternates between feeling like a reverent memorial and a crass cash-grab. Unless you're a Jackson fanatic, there really is no reason to watch this film. It provides no insights into Jackson's final days, his state of mind, or even the events that lead to his death. I was morbidly searching for any little clues but the movie seems to skip over anything that doesn't portray the King of Pop as a saint. There will be many documentaries and TV specials in the future that examine the life and impact of Jackson, as well as his bizarre and damages personality, but this, isn't it. Nate's Grade: C

• Eric S

  
  Michael Jackson was/is one of the most brilliant dancers,singers,choreographers,composers that ever walked the face of this planet. "This is It" shows how Michael was preparing for his series of comeback performances in London, England. His ability to know just what he… More
  Michael Jackson was/is one of the most brilliant dancers,singers,choreographers,composers that ever walked the face of this planet. "This is It" shows how Michael was preparing for his series of comeback performances in London, England. His ability to know just what he wanted to hear, see, and most importantly feel shows what a genius he was, and how specific his choices were that made him such a unique talent.

• Carlos M

  
  A film made for the fans, very well-edited and presenting some nice rehearsals and backstage footage of Michael Jackson's concert that never was. Let's just hope it is not the ultimate work to be made about him.

• Mike S

  
  Michael Jackson is and will always be my all-time favourite artist. Say what you will about his personal life, but his music is nothing short of legendary. And I'm grateful that this film was respectful enough to focus on that. Although its mostly just behind-the-scenes material,… More
  Michael Jackson is and will always be my all-time favourite artist. Say what you will about his personal life, but his music is nothing short of legendary. And I'm grateful that this film was respectful enough to focus on that. Although its mostly just behind-the-scenes material, it shows off a side of M.J that I haven't seen too much of before. Because it gives us a rare glimpse of how he works and prepares himself for a concert. And you can tell that this would have been a spectacular show. As someone who grew up with his music, I enjoyed every second of this documentary. Even if I'm not too fond of some of his newer songs (like Human Nature, which I think is a bit sub-par for him), the classics are still as great as ever. Even to this day they continue to inspire, energize and move me. That's the power of his amazing music, and I know that 20 years from now, I'm still going to be listening to it. Because there's only one king of pop, and that's a title that no one can ever can take away from him.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"Like You've Never Seen Him Before"</i> A compilation of interviews, rehearsals and backstage footage of Michael Jackson as he prepared for his series of sold-out shows in London. <center><font size=+2 face="Century… More
  <i>"Like You've Never Seen Him Before"</i> A compilation of interviews, rehearsals and backstage footage of Michael Jackson as he prepared for his series of sold-out shows in London. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> This now somewhat legendary film captures interviews, rehearsal and backstage footage of the preparations of Michael Jackson's fifty sold-out shows in London. The documentary runs just under two hours and for the most part it's all Michael doing his thing on stage. If someone is expecting anything other than a concert film then they're going to be rather disappointed because this film, thankfully, leaves out all the melodrama and instead just takes a look at the music being prepared for what seems like a fantastic show. I can't say I'm the biggest Jackson fan in the world but I still enjoyed this film quite a bit. The lighting, setting and dancing all seemed quite impressive to my eyes and Jackson himself comes off very well here. I think the most fascinating thing about this film is just being able to see all the behind the scenes stuff that goes into making a big production like this. It was fun seeing Jackson sitting back and watching the dancers auditioning for the concerts. It was fun seeing Jackson watching everything come together and we even get some nice moments of him just (apparently) having fun. It's also fun seeing some of the young dancers tell their stories of growing up watching Jackson as a kid and now being able to perform beside him. None of the music sequences are full blow, hard rocking versions since these were just rehearsals but they are certainly good enough to really making you want to dance around. They Don't Care About Us, Thriller, The Way You Make Me Feel, Man in the Mirror and especially I'll Be There are the musical highlights. It's doubtful Jackson haters will watch this film and walk away feeling anything different but fans will certainly eat this up and those semi-fans like myself will enjoy seeing all of this but it will lead to an eventual sadness because we'll never know what the actual concerts would have been like.

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