The trailers for "This Is It," the new movie documenting Michael Jackson [ tickets ]'s preparations for a series of concerts that were to have kicked off in London just weeks after he died, hinted at an explosive, in-your-face, over-the-top concert film. Instead, the movie is a compelling look at the detailed and dedicated work that is required to mount what obviously was going to be an astronomical live concert experience.

There is grandiosity in the film: the press conference to announce the concert series, the explosive visuals, the elaborate production--but the strength of the piece comes at the hands of director Kenny Ortega as he reveals Jackson firmly at the helm of his craft.

Ortega doesn't let the film go anywhere near the weird and controversial aspects surrounding Jackson's life. Rather, he focuses on the talent and vision of the artist, showing aspects of the performer that have never been shared with the public.

Jackson is portrayed as a serious and gracious commander of his art. Ortega clearly wanted to share with movie-goers the depth of MJ's personal involvement in developing the show. The superstar is seen with his hand in all aspects of preparation, from auditioning dancers to directing the filmed visuals that were to accompany the performance pieces.

MJ's uncompromising demands of the people helping to create his show are delivered without the pompous and egotistical attitude expected of a superstar. However, Jackson's almost-meek public persona is virtually non-existent in the movie. Though he is seen graciously apologizing for not singing in full voice during rehearsals and sharing words of love and blessings of God, he clearly was unyielding in his quest for artistic perfection.

In fact, Jackson's interactions with his musicians and dancers make up some of the the film's brightest moments. Fans obviously were snatching up concert tickets so they could see Jackson in the spotlight. Yet the film reveals MJ turning that light on those sharing the stage with him.

Seeing a live band deliver the well-known songs--reaching back to Jackson Five tunes--one realizes that Jackson was far more than a song-and-dance man. He was a performer with genuine artistic integrity. His appreciation for live music is apparent, especially in a segment where he tells female guitar wiz Orianthi Panagaris, "This is your time to shine."

During the film, the line between concert preparation and movie making is often blurred. One can't be certain where Jackson's vision lets off and Ortega's kicks in. However, that less-than-clear delineation doesn't take away from the inherent entertainment value of seeing a superstar of Jackson's stature behind the scenes and totally in control of what was clearly going to be the biggest performance undertaking of his career.

The movie shows the viewer that the songs were to be presented with an homage to the original videos while taking each one to a new level. Nothing was going to simply be re-hashed for the stage. Each performance piece was kicked-up a notch, or 10, mixing innovative dance and visuals while maintaining the flavor of the original works.

Whether it was the classic gangster-film sequences that led into "Smooth Criminal," the illuminated sidewalk from "Billy Jean," or the playful dancing in "The Way You Make Me Feel," Jackson and Ortega had designed a show that would be simultaneously current and nostalgic.

Michael's dance moves--some of the most impressive sequences in the movie--were fresh yet wonderfully familiar. The only choreography that remained unchanged was appropriately during "Thriller." Though the performance piece was to be presented with over-the-top, 3-D, zombie footage, the infamous "Thriller" moves remained intact, showing how perfectly Ortega and Jackson balanced the past with the present.

The concerts clearly were going to be larger-than-life spectacles. But with a twist of fate, the unfortunate and untimely death of Jackson has provided his fans an opportunity to see the real person--the real artist--behind the sensationalized superstar.

A live concert experience could never provide such an intimate look at Jackson the artist, the craftsman. In light of that, the film, in a sense, is more entertaining--more interesting--than an actual concert experience could ever hope to be.

Obviously, nothing could compare to seeing Michael Jackson live in concert, but in a very different way, "This Is It" comes very close.