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Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009
'This Is It’: A thrilling elegy capturing Michael Jackson in his true element
'This Is It’: A thrilling elegy that captures Michael Jackson in his true element.
By PRESTON JONES
dfw.com
An almost overwhelming sadness permeates every frame of This Is It.
Not just because its star, Michael Jackson, died far too soon at the age of 50; This Is It also functions as a requiem of sorts to the kind of pop star that no longer exists.
A telling moment comes midway through, when Jackson struggles with the popular "in-ear monitor," which pipes in the band’s performance. "I just came up using my actual ears," Jackson says. "It feels like someone’s stuffed a fist in my ear." The current Top 40 should hang its head in shame.
The film, culled from more than 100 hours of rehearsal footage for Jackson’s sold-out 50-show run at London’s O2 Arena, wasn’t meant to serve as a cinematic wailing wall but rather a direct-to-DVD revenue stream attached to what would’ve surely been an unforgettable spectacle.
Jackson died in June, eight days before leaving for London and mounting a comeback designed to erase a decade’s worth of bad memories and foul press. This Is It, a raw, engaging glimpse at Jackson’s creative process, reveals a dedicated, prickly perfectionist, sitting at odds with the media’s descriptions of him. Where’s the addled pop icon who barely held it together? Where’s the wacky, Peter Pan-obsessed dad who cloaked his children’s faces in public?
All the tabloid titillation is absent in director Kenny Ortega’s film (Ortega was also responsible for helping mount the stage production), leaving nothing but pure, astonishing feats of athletic creativity. Jackson doesn’t step quite as lively as he once did, and his voice has lost a bit of its luster, but when he leans into Smooth Criminal or croons Human Nature, the years fall away. No other project Jackson’s estate will ever oversee will do as much to burnish his considerable reputation as This Is It (only in theaters for a limited, two-week run).
But Ortega is smart to highlight the small army of musicians and dancers employed to bring This Is It to life. Many of them choke back tears, describing Jackson’s impact on their life. Poignant, yes, but also uplifting; although they were denied a chance to show screaming crowds their best, it has been preserved.
Thankfully, This Is It doesn’t try to be anything more than what’s necessary: A final curtain call for one of the world’s unique performers and a chance for fans all over the world to say farewell.
This Is It
****
****
Director: Kenny Ortega
Cast: Michael Jackson, Orianthi Panagaris, Dorian Holley
Running time: 112 min.
Rating: PG (some suggestive choreography, scary images)
Preston Jones is the Star-Telegram pop music critic, 817-390-7713
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