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Tell Others About This Page By Using This Button "THIS IS IT" (2009) (Michael Jackson, Kenny Ortega) (PG) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons None Moderate Mild Moderate Moderate Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Heavy Moderate Mild Moderate None Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy None Mild Heavy Moderate QUICK TAKE: Concert Film/Documentary: A chronicle of the preparations that went into Michael Jackson's 50-date concert series in London that would have happened had the pop star not died in June 2009. PLOT: Michael Jackson's This Is It" chronicles the weeks of auditions, planning and preparation that had been going into the pop star's 50-date concert series in London. The various, sold-out performances were intended to re-launch Jackson back into the public eye in a positive light; re-establish his brilliance as a singer, dancer, and performer; and (reportedly) get him out of debt. The film features live performances of nearly a dozen classic MJ songs, complete with some tantalizing peeks into the pyrotechnics, stunts, and visual dynamics that had been planned for each tune. "Smooth Criminal," for instance, would have begun with Jackson having been digitally inserted into classic gangster movies and having to escape. "Thriller," meanwhile, would have featured an updated 3-D version of the original video, complete with Jackson dancing with a number of performers in heavy zombie and ghoul makeup. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Michael Jackson clearly continued to have a following among young people up until the time of his death, and this is a great way to show kids and teenagers who were not alive in MJ's prime the genius of his music and stage performances. No mention is made of his past legal troubles regarding inappropriate behavior with minors. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG For some suggestive choreography and scary images. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: MICHAEL JACKSON appears as himself , the mega pop star who was looking to revive his career and legacy with a series of spectacular concerts in London just prior to his death. No mention is made of his past legal troubles regarding inappropriate behavior with kids or his apparent battles with prescription medication. He is shown as a gifted artist, a demanding stage presence, and a supportive boss to the people helping him put the show together. KENNY ORTEGA appears as himself, the primary producer and director of the concert series. He is generally shown in a positive light, nurturing Michael Jackson and looking out for his safety and welfare onstage. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this concert film that has been rated PG. There is no profanity in the film, but some minor sexually related dialogue and song lyrics are present. Some potentially imitative behavior is present, most notably the expected crotch grabs and sexually suggestive dance moves. Several dancers, both male and female, are shown scantily clad, too. But there is no overt nudity. There is no drinking or smoking either. Violence consists of some specially shot multimedia footage that was going to be incorporated into Michael Jackson's live concerts in London involving the pop star appearing in old films with the likes of Rita Hayworth, Humphrey Bogart and Edward G. Robinson. In these scenes, Jackson is chased by men with guns and shot at often. Jackson shoots back in some of the footage, and he ultimately jumps through a window to escape as bullets fly all around him in slow motion. Later in the film, the concert's producers recreate the "Thriller" video with dancers dressed as rather scary corpses, zombies, ghosts, mummies and other ghouls. This is a fairly intense sequence that is part film, part stage performance that starts with a massive blood splash across the screen. The blood eventually drips away to reveal the word "Thriller." If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our more detailed review below, which contains more specific information regarding the film's content. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, all sorts of camera movement (often quite shaky) occurs throughout the film. This is a movie that has been cobbled together from a plethora of raw footage. The various sequences are edited often at a rather frantic pace, using multiple film stocks, to capture the energy of the rehearsals. There are several sequences where a zoom lens is used in which a scene will start from far away and the camera will then suddenly zoom in on a specific person or other element. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE None. BLOOD/GORE Throughout the film, multiple dancers, singers and musicians are shown sweating profusely as most were giving it their all during some very demanding rehearsals. The song "Smooth Criminal" is performed and is about a woman murdered in her apartment. The killer is said to have left bloodstains on the carpet. A large amount of blood is splashed across the screen at one point. It slowly drips away until all that is left is the word "Thriller" written in blood, heralding a spectacular live performance of the song. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE The provocative song "They Don't Care About Us" is performed and includes the lyrics "Kick me, kike me, don't you black or white me." During the "Beat It" song rehearsal, several dancers role-play as tough street gang members and perform in a threatening manner. In a specially filmed bit for "Earth Song," industrial interests thoughtlessly bulldoze and set a rainforest ablaze even though a little girl is frolicking innocently amid the trees, bushes and butterflies. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence," "Blood/Gore" and "Jump Scenes" may be unsettling, suspenseful or scary to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material. Multiple dancers are made up to look like zombies, mummies and other ghouls during a performance of "Thriller" that mixes newly shot film footage set in a graveyard coupled with live stage dancing. The film footage features various ghoul-like characters and monsters rising from the ground, breaking out of coffins, twitching, howling, and moving towards the camera in threatening motions. A creepy caretaker is then terrorized. Ghost effects are also shown, including a screaming woman and other ghoulish, floating figures. The "Thriller" sequence also features digitally created bats flying towards the camera. A giant spider is first shown in the 3-D graveyard footage, followed by a large mechanical version of the insect on stage. Michael Jackson eventually pops out of the robot spider and begins dancing the iconic "Thriller" routine with dancers in heavy zombie makeup. GUNS/WEAPONS A special effects sequence features Michael Jackson's background dancers as soldiers digitally cloned so that it appears there are hundreds of them. Some are shown with sci-fi like weapons. During a sequence in which Michael Jackson is digitally inserted into scenes from several old gangster movies, we see him firing a handgun, Humphrey Bogart shooting an old Tommy gun, and multiple police arming themselves with rifles and other firearms as they prepare to hunt Jackson's "Smooth Criminal." The street-gang fight from the "Beat It" video, complete with two guys having a choreographed switchblade duel, is recreated on stage. Several of the ghouls that rise from their graves during the "Thriller" sequence wield knives and swords. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "I want to funk him" (non-sexual … a dancer is basically telling the camera he wants to show Michael his dance movies), "It needs a little more booty," "Kick me, kike me, don't you black or white me," and "You're raping me of my pride." The various dance moves and other routines (such two performers doing a choreographed switchblade duel from "Beat It") might be enticing for some kids to imitate. One dancer is shown with a tattoo on his arm. During a rehearsal of the song "Black and White," Michael and his blonde female lead guitarist gyrate to her guitar playing. An off-stage rehearsal featuring Jackson's male background dancers shows all of them along with a female instructor grabbing their crotches repeatedly. Multiple self-crotch grabs occur during rehearsals of "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Beat It." At both the beginning and end of "Billie Jean," Jackson is shown grabbing and holding his crotch. A little girl is shown with tiny facial tattoos. JUMP SCENES Gunshots during the "Smooth Criminal" sequence are quite loud and somewhat jarring. During a performance of "Thriller" that mixes live stage performers with specially shot 3-D film footage, multiple dancers made up to look like zombies, mummies and other ghouls spring out at the camera. Fake ghosts on wires that would have been part of the live show are shown floating by in test footage, complete with scream sound effects. Computer animated bats fly at the camera during the "Thriller" sequence, too. On two occasions in the film, live fireworks are set off inside the rehearsal hall. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) The song "Thriller" features prominently near the middle of the film, featuring creepy lyrics of the dead rising from the ground, night creatures crawling, wolf howls, and Vincent Price's iconic rap voiceover. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) The provocative song "They Don't Care About Us" is performed and is all about an uncaring world trying to keep people, Michael specifically, down. It includes the lyrics "Kick me, kike me, don't you black or white me." Later, Jackson sings, "You're raping me of my pride." The song "Smooth Criminal" is also performed in its entirety and is about a woman ("Annie") terrorized in her apartment by an assailant who eventually kills her, leaving bloodstains on the carpet. The song "Billie Jean" is performed and is about a man accused of fathering an out-of-wedlock child -- a claim he denies. The song "Beat It" is also performed and is about a man who is bullied to the point where his tormentors don't allow him to show his face in places where they have deemed he is not wanted. He debates whether or not to stand his ground and fight them. The lyrics to "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" glorify people who delight in instigating fights or disagreements. PROFANITY None. SEX/NUDITY During an opening montage of dancers talking about what Michael Jackson means to them, one female dancer is shown in just a bra and tights. The subsequent dancer auditions feature a myriad of female dancers in very revealing outfits (bras, tights, thongs, etc.) There are also a number of male dancers shown shirtless. During footage from the film "Gilda," Rita Hayworth is shown in a very sexy dress that shows cleavage and a bit of leg. One of Michael Jackson's female background singers is often shown wearing tops that show cleavage. One of Michael Jackson's male background dancers is often shown rehearsing with no shirt. During a live rehearsal performance of "Human Nature," Michael Jackson and a female dancer playfully, but suggestively follow each other around stage as part of a seduction. Jackson and a keyboardist talk about a song, and the keyboardist suggest to Michael that "it needs a little more booty." This causes Jackson to laugh and repeat the "booty" remark. During a rehearsal of the song "Black and White," Michael and his blonde female lead guitarist gyrate to her playing. An off-stage rehearsal featuring Jackson's male background dancers features all of them along with a female instructor grabbing their crotches repeatedly and debating what's the best way to do so. Several scantily clad female aerialists are briefly shown rehearsing some sexy moves on modified stripper poles. Multiple self-crotch grabs occur during rehearsals of "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Beat It." At both the beginning and end of "Billie Jean," Jackson is shown grabbing and holding his crotch. SMOKING None. TENSE FAMILY SCENES After singing a medley of Jackson 5 songs, Jackson thanks his brothers and his mother but noticeably omits his father. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The musical legacy of Michael Jackson. The pop star's freakish appearance, mostly the result of plastic surgery. Jackson's death at 50 and why it impacted multiple generations. The drive and dedication it takes to become an elite dancer, musician, or artist. Jackson only performed with the best of the best and he demanded a LOT out of them. VIOLENCE Jackson makes a razor-slashing motion to the lyrics of "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'." For "Smooth Criminal," Jackson digitally inserts himself into several old gangster movies from the 1930s and '40s and is promptly chased by the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson and multiple cops all wielding guns and rifles. Being shot at repeatedly, Jackson shoots back with his own handgun on several occasions during the footage. Jackson eventually jumps out of a tall building's window, shattering the glass, as bullets go whizzing by him "Matrix"-style in a scene that would clearly have been a 3-D special-effects shot. The street-gang fight from the "Beat It" video, complete with two guys having a choreographed switchblade duel, is recreated on stage. A brief snippet of the original "Black and White" video shows actor George Wendt of "Cheers" fame sent flying in his recliner from his living room, through the roof of his house, and out into the night sky as a result of the song starting. In a specially filmed bit for "Earth Song," a little girl is shown running through a lush rainforest playing with butterflies only to suddenly be threatened by a giant tractor clearing away trees. Her part of the forest is also set partially ablaze. Reviewed October 27, 2009 / Posted October 28, 2009

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