DVDs in Review

This Is It

Title: This Is It (2009)

Release date: February 22 2010

Certificate: PG

Format: Reviewed on DVD, available on Blu-ray

DVD RRP: £19.99

Rating: 3/5

Michael Jackson's final performances are depicted in Kenny Ortega's aptly titled documentary 'This Is It', but the film's tagline "Discover the man you never knew" lacks the same raw truth.

In short the only thing that we discover about Jackson is something we probably could've guessed - he was a musical and physical perfectionist, and a softly spoken, lovingly polite one at that.

Ortega's documentary crystallises the rehearsal period for the King of Pop's 50-night London O2 residency, without looking forward to his death and the massive impact of that internationally felt news. We don't discover the man, we just watch him.

Early on we see Jackson at a press conference state "This is it, this is the final curtain", chillingly echoing a tragedy that would soon strike. This is the film's sole look into the past by way of archive footage. Simply put, this is it - the rehearsals only and even narration to guide us through.

Of course Jackson is an impressive performer, even in the rehearsal stage his voice and movements are spellbinding to watch. He constantly thanks and blesses his co-workers while firmly pushing the shows ahead.

No mention is given of his withering physical condition or drug dependency that eventually claimed his life, and to look at him there's certainly no signs of a decline. Jackson is at his peak, and this is a fan's documentary for fans, which means that we never see any negativity. It's all praise and it lacks scope.

What follows across over an hour and a half is more of the same, lovingly assembled by Jackson's tour director Ortega. Jackson rehearses his songs, interacts with the musicians and crew but not much is spontaneous. They're all dedicated grafters, and after a while it becomes a bit of a grind to watch such professionalism that lacks the spark of other music documentaries like Martin Scorsese's 'Shine a Light'.

Ultimately, fans of Jackson will appreciate the full versions of some of his most celebrated songs as well as an insight into how much work goes into the stage shows, but those looking to "discover the man they never knew" are going to be disappointed.

'This Is It' is the kind of thing that would've been edited down to 20 minutes and included as a behind the scenes bonus featurette on the tour DVD if it ever reached that stage. Sadly it didn't and this is what is left. It isn't a fitting coda to an extraordinary man, but more like one of those "what ifs".