Movie Review: Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' is what fans have been waiting for

It could have been a quickly-culled, shoddy documentary thrown together to capitalize on the death of one of the world's biggest music icons. But This Is It is actually an amazing concert film filled with many polished Michael Jackson performances that serves as a testament to the man as an artist.

"This is the final curtain call...I'll see you in July," Jackson says early on during his press conference to announce his final tour set for London's O2 Arena. Tragically, Jackson never made that last call as he was a mere eight days away from his first show when he died June 25.

The film never mentions Jackson's death, instead focusing solely on his Spring 2009 rehearsal footage that includes a surprisingly spry performer who nails hit after hit like it was the final routine instead of just practice. In other words, if you're looking to see this film for signs of a struggling and frail Jackson, this is not it. If anything, Jackson's voice is as strong as anything off his recordings and he boasts a fit, albeit thin physique in the film. We also see Jackson's perfectionist side as he checks his musicians, dancers and his director, Kenny Ortega (who also directs the film), but he never really loses his sweet-natured demeanor toward his crew.

But it's also easy to see how such a lavish production could wear a man down. Between the massive set pieces and grueling dance routines spanning Jackson's entire musical career, exhaustion would make sense. Oh, but what a concert it would have been. The King of Pop planned to leave no musical number unturned, tackling everything from his biggest Thriller hits like "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' " and "Billie Jean" to a low-tempo production number leading into "The Way You Make Me Feel" and a Jackson 5 medley performance.

There were also plans to reshoot a "Thriller" sequence in 3D and an elaborate storyline was created around "Smooth Criminal" that involved inserting Jackson into scenes of the 1946 classic Gilda and picking a fight with Humphrey Bogart. Ortega shows us the finished clips and they act as segways into different portions of what was to be Jackson's show.

Jackson bears the brunt of the work as a singer and performer, but Ortega wisely highlights other contributors like the principal dancers, back-up vocal group and musicians. So you think you can dance? Try pulling it off alongside one of the world's pop-dancing pioneers. This Is It is just as much for the talent behind the show as it is for Jackson himself.

Yes, this is definitely a film for fans, though honestly, why show up if you're not? For those that are, This Is It offers a touching and wholly entertaining tribute to another star gone too soon.