Michael Jackson's This Is It: Difference between revisions

{{short description|2009 film by Michael Jackson, and Kenny Ortega}}

| starring = [[Michael Jackson]]

| editing = {{ubl|[[Don Brochu]]|Brandon Key|Tim Patterson|[[Kevin Stitt (film editor)|Kevin Stitt]]}}

| gross = $261267.29 million ($380 million in 2023 dollars)<ref name=boxofficemojo/><ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/11/business/media/taylor-swift-movie.html</ref>

'''''Michael Jackson's This Is It''''' is a 2009 American [[documentary]] film|lost footage documentary[[concert film]] about [[Michael Jackson]]'s rehearsals and preparation for [[This Is It (concert residency)|theThis concertIs residency of the same nameit]] scheduled to start on July 13, 2009,a atseries [[theof O2concerts Arena]],that butwere cancelled due to [[Death of Michael Jackson|his death]] eighteenin days2009. priorNamed onfor Junethe 25.concert Theresidency of the [[This Is It (concert residency)|same name]], the film includes additional behind the scenes footage, including dancer auditions and costume design. The film's director, [[Kenny Ortega]], confirmed that none of the footage was originally intended for release, but after Jackson's death, it was agreed that the film would be made. The footage was filmed in California at the [[Staples Center]] and [[The Forum (Inglewood, California)|The Forum]].

The film was given a worldwide release and a limited two-week theatrical run from October 28 to November 12, 2009, but the theatrical release was later extended for an additional three weeks in domestic theaters and one to three weeks in overseas markets.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Concert: 'Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Concert' movie release date, box office collection prediction: Taylor Swift's film may see $100 million to $150 million opening - The Economic Times |url=https://meconomictimes.economictimesindiatimes.com/news/international/us/taylor-swift-the-eras-tour-concert-movie-release-date-box-office-collection-prediction-taylor-swifts-film-may-see-100-million-to-150-million-opening/amp_articleshowarticleshow/103428962.cms |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=m.economictimes.com[[The Economic Times]]}}</ref> Tickets went on sale a month early on September 27 to satisfy a high anticipated demand; the film broke numerous pre-sale and box office records.

Since the film's confirmation, [[AEG Live]] faced criticism, mostly consisting of claims that they had made the film only to make a profit. Multiple members of [[Jackson family|Jackson's family]] had confirmed that they did not support the film, and some family members went as far as to try to stop the film agreement in August. The film has also been surrounded by allegations regarding the appearance of body doubles in place of Jackson, which Sony denied, and it faced outrage from some of [[Michael Jackson fandom|Jackson's fans]], with some going as far as to start a protest against the film. In August 2009, a judge approved a deal between [[Estate of Michael Jackson|Jackson's estate]], concert promoter AEG Live, and [[Sony Pictures]]. The agreement allowed Sony to edit the hundreds of hours of rehearsal footage needed to create the film; Sony subsequently paid $60 million for the film rights.<ref name="budget">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-jackson11-2009aug11,0,2938755.story |first=Christopher |last=Smith |work=Los Angeles Times |title=Sony Pictures to produce Michael Jackson film |access-date=September 21, 2009 | date=August 11, 2009}}</ref>

The film received generally positive reviews from both critics and Jackson fans; the portrayal of Jackson and his performances were generally praised, while criticism mainly consisted of both critics and fans who felt that the film was made simply to profit from Jackson's death and that Jackson would not have wanted the film released because he was a "perfectionist". Despite some fans boycotting the film and his family not endorsing the film, the ticket sales for ''This Is It'' broke international records a month before its release. It made $261267.29 million (equivalent to $380 million in 2023) worldwide, and it is listed in the [[Guinness World Records]] as the highest-grossing documentary film at the global box office.<ref name="boxofficemojo">{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=michaeljacksonthisisit.htm|title=This is It (2009) |work=[[Box Office Mojo|BoxOfficeMojo.com]] |access-date=January 16, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Highest-grossing documentary film at the global box office |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/78695-highest-box-office-film-gross-for-a-documentary-film |publisher=Guiness World Records |access-date=14 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Only Question for Taylor Swift Film: How Big Will It Be? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/11/business/media/taylor-swift-movie.html |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>{{Efn|Some news media reported on January 8, 2024 that ''[[Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour]]'' (2023) surpassed ''This is It'' and created a new box office record for concert documentary film with $261.6 million against $261.2 million;<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kaufman |first=Gil |date=2024-01-08 |title=Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ Film Sets All-Time Box Office Record, Passing ‘Michael Jackson’s This Is It’ |url=https://www.billboard.com/culture/tv-film/taylor-swift-eras-tour-movie-box-office-record-michael-jackson-this-is-it-1235577518/ |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref> this did not consider the Chinese box office of ''This is It'' because it was never reported to common box office breakdown websites in the United States.}} By the end of 2010, the DVD sales for ''This Is It'' stood at 2.8 million units, with gross earnings of $45 million in the US alone. In Japan, ''This Is It'' earned $18 million in sales on the title's first day of release with 358,000 combined DVD sales.<ref>{{Cite web |last=株式会社インプレス |date=2014-07-16 |title=「アナと雪の女王」発売初日でBD歴代1位の66万枚。「ヱヴァ 破」、「THIS IS IT」超え |url=http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/658244.html |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=AV Watch |language=ja}}</ref>

{{See also|This Is It (concertsconcert residency)}}

On March 5, 2009, at the [[The O2 Arena (London)|O2 Arena]], Jackson announced that he was to perform 10 concerts as part of a comeback.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.co.uk/artists/michael-jackson/news/100481-jackson-set-to-announce-shows|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307113516/http://www.mtv.co.uk/artists/michael-jackson/news/100481-jackson-set-to-announce-shows|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 7, 2009|title=Jackson set to announce shows|publisher=[[MTV|MTV.com.uk]] |date=March 5, 2009 |access-date=March 6, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Arifa |last=Akbar |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/jacko-on-tour-this-will-be-the-final-curtain-call-i-love-you-i-love-you-all-1638497.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220514/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/jacko-on-tour-this-will-be-the-final-curtain-call-i-love-you-i-love-you-all-1638497.html |archive-date=May 14, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Jacko on tour: 'This will be the final curtain call. I love you, I love you all' - News, Music |publisher=[[The Independent|TheIndependent.com]] |date=March 6, 2009 |access-date=March 6, 2009 | location=London}}</ref> On March 11, two days before pre-sale began, an extra 40 dates were added to meet high demand, bringing the number of shows to 50&nbsp;— five of these dates were reserved in their entirety for the public sale.<ref>{{cite web |first=Daniel |last=Kreps |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/03/12/michael-jacksons-this-is-it-tour-balloons-to-50-show-run-stretching-into-2010/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090313050408/http://www.rollingstone.com//rockdaily//index.php//2009//03//12//michael-jacksons-this-is-it-tour-balloons-to-50-show-run-stretching-into-2010// |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 13, 2009 |title=Michael Jackson's "This Is It!" Tour Balloons to 50-Show Run Stretching Into 2010 |publisher=[[Rolling Stone|RollingStone.com]] |date=March 12, 2009 |access-date=October 8, 2009}}</ref> Jackson's 50 dates would have made the concerts the longest residency at the arena. In May 2009, the tour was originally set to have begun on July 8, 2009, and finished on February 24, 2010.<ref name = "new dates">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8060282.stm |title=Jackson delays opening tour dates |publisher=[[BBC|BBC.co.uk]] |date=May 20, 2009 |access-date=June 12, 2009 }}</ref>

The film's director and choreographer, Ortega, stated that the rehearsal footage and concept of making a film to document the preparation of the concerts had come about as "an accident".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/news/article_1508402.php/Michael-Jackson-s-accidental-film |title=Michael Jackson's 'accidental' film |work=Monsters and Critics |date=October 21, 2009 |access-date=October 22, 2009 |archive-date=October 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004150516/http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/news/article_1508402.php/Michael-Jackson-s-accidental-film |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="d2"/> Ortega stated the film was pieced together from "private footage" shot by documentarians Sandrine Orabona and Tim Patterson of Jackson and the concerts crew rehearsing and that before Jackson's death, was never intended to be released.<ref name="d2">{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a183133/this-is-it-has-unguarded-honesty.html?imdb |title='This Is It' has 'unguarded honesty' |first=Maya|last= Nissim|date=2009-10-22 |work=[[Digital Spy|DigitalSpy.com]] |access-date=October 22, 2009}}</ref> "The recordings were made so we could use them, then the tapes were destined for Michael [Jackson]'s private library. They have a real unguarded honesty to them."<ref name="d2"/> Ortega stated that he had gotten the idea to use the rehearsal footage from Jackson's fans after his death: "At first I got so many messages from fans around the world asking to see the shows, asking to see the footage and eventually I realized the journey wasn't over and we had to do this", and Ortega also stated that the film was made only for the Jackson fans: "[The film] is for the fans and the film will show the development and intentions of the show, and the concert as it moved closer to London."<ref name="d2"/>

On September 9, 2009, the film's official theatrical movie poster was released. On September 10, 2009, it was reported that [[MTV]]'s [[MTV Video Music Award|Video Music Awards]], which at the time had already announced that they would honor Jackson at the show, would premiere the film's first, and only known, trailer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1620979/20090908/jackson_janet.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090910062826/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1620979/20090908/jackson_janet.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 10, 2009 |title=Janet Jackson To Pay Tribute To Michael At The VMAs |work=[[MTV|MTV.com]] |first=Eric|last=Ditzian |date=September 8, 2009 |access-date=September 23, 2009}}</ref> Along with [[Janet Jackson]]'s tribute to Michael, the trailer of the film premiered at the [[2009 MTV Video Music Awards]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/09/15/mtvs-2009-vmas-pull-nine-million-viewers-best-ratings-since-04/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090919020301/http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/09/15/mtvs-2009-vmas-pull-nine-million-viewers-best-ratings-since-04/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 19, 2009 |title=MTV's 2009 VMAS Pull Nine Million Viewers, Best ratings since '04 |first=Dainel|last= Kreps |date=September 15, 2009 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|access-date=September 21, 2009}}</ref> On September 13, 2009, it was reported that a "secret Michael Jackson [promotional music] single is being produced" to promote the film, at which the film would have, at the time, been released the following month.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2009/09/13/jackson-single-in-pipeline-115875-21669134/ |title=Michael Jackson new single set to be released |work=[[Mirror.co.uk]] |date=September 13, 2009 |access-date=September 21, 2009}}</ref> It was reported that Jackson had recorded the song for release with his planned summer tour but after his death, it was shelved until producers in Los Angeles remixed the vocals with an orchestral accompaniment.<ref name="song9"/>

On September 23, 2009, it was reported that the film's new song "This Is It" would be released on October 12, 2009, sixteen days before the film's release.<ref name="song9">{{cite magazine|url=http://news-briefs.ew.com/2009/09/23/michael-jackson-this-is-it/|title=New Michael Jackson song and album due next month|last=Labrecque|first=Jeff|date=September 23, 2009|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|publisher=[[Time Inc.|Time]]|access-date=September 23, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b145704_michael_jackson_vs_britney_spears_pop.html |title=Michael Jackson vs. Britney Spears: Pop Go the Singles! |work=[[E! Online|E!Online.com]] |first=Gina|last= Serpe |date=September 23, 2009 |access-date=September 24, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/2008-12-6-the-beat-goes-on/posts/michael-jackson-s-new-single-this-is-it-comes-out-oct-12 |date=September 24, 2009 |first=Melinda|last= Newman |work=HitFix.com |title=Michael Jackson's new single 'This is It' hits in three weeks |access-date=September 24, 2009}}</ref> On October 9, it was confirmed that the song would debut online the following Monday at midnight, receiving its world premiere on MichaelJackson.com.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nbcwashington.com/entertainment/music/Jacksons--63890652.html |first=Edward R. |last=Carr |publisher=[[NBC|NBC.com]] |title=New Michael Jackson Single Will Debut Online |date=October 9, 2009 |access-date=October 10, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307073843/http://www.nbcwashington.com/entertainment/music/Jacksons--63890652.html |archive-date=March 7, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On September 21, 2009, Sony released a 45-second clip of Jackson rehearsing his performance for "[[Human Nature (Michael Jackson song)|Human Nature]]" and also released stills from the video clip.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}} As part of a print marketing campaign for the film, ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' magazine did a cover story of the film for the magazine's October 16, 2009 issue, to collide with the film's release for that same month.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1623935/20091015/story.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091018083019/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1623935/20091015/story.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 18, 2009 |first=Gil|last= Kaufman |title='Michael Jackson's This Is It': An Advance Look|date=October 15, 2009 |publisher=[[MTV|MTV.com]] |access-date=October 21, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://popwatch.ew.com/2009/10/15/this-weeks-cover-michael-jackson-this-is-it/ |author=EW Staff |title=This Week Coves Michael Jackson's This Is It |date=October 15, 2009 |publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly|Popwatch.EW.com]] |access-date=October 21, 2009}}</ref> Also as part of promotion for the film, ''Entertainment Weekly'' released 8 "never before seen" movie stills from the film.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20313308,00.html2009/10/16/michael-jackson-8-this-it-pics/ |author=EW Staff |publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly|EW.com]] |title=Michael Jackson: 8 'This Is It' Pics |access-date=October 21, 2009 |date=October 16, 2009}}</ref> On October 21, a clip of Jackson rehearsing "The Way You Make Me Feel" was released.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/10/21/michael-jacksons-this-is-it-approaches-and-a-new-clip-is-here-to-psych-you-up/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921090118/http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/10/21/michael-jacksons-this-is-it-approaches-and-a-new-clip-is-here-to-psych-you-up/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 21, 2012 |title='Michael Jackson's This Is It' Approaches, And A New Clip Is Here To Psych You Up |first=Adam |last=Rosenberg |date=October 21, 2009 |publisher=[[MTV|MTV.com]] |access-date=October 21, 2009}}</ref> On October 21, a 2-minute featurette of the film was released.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1624395/story.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091024044057/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1624395/story.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 24, 2009 |title='Michael Jackson's This Is It': Check Out A Featurette! |first=Larry |last=Carroll |date=October 21, 2009 |access-date=October 21, 2009 |publisher=[[MTV|MTV.com]]}}</ref>

In September 2009, Sony launched "This-Is-It-Fans.com", which allowed fans to sign up for an 'alert' so that they can be able to take part in 'Michael Jackson's This Is It mosaic', in which fans could upload photos to the website, beginning September 21 and running to September 30, and the completed mosaic would be posted online on October 22, six days before the film's release.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thisisit-fans.com/ |title=This Is It Fans: Fan Photo Mosaic |work=ThisIsItFans.com |access-date=September 22, 2009 |archive-date=September 22, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090922185748/http://www.thisisit-fans.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> On September 24, 2009, MTV announced, after the success, the project proved with ''[[The Twilight Saga: New Moon|New Moon]]'', that they will allow MTV registered users, to "watch and comment on any scene in the film's already released trailer". MTV described the project as "essentially [being] an in-video graphical overlay that allows users to comment on the video as it plays and review comments from other users.<ref name="mtvpromo">{{cite web |url=http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/09/24/watch-and-comment-on-any-scene-in-michael-jacksons-this-is-it-trailer/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925211105/http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/09/24/watch-and-comment-on-any-scene-in-michael-jacksons-this-is-it-trailer/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 25, 2009 |date=September 24, 2009 |publisher=[[MTV|MoviesBlogs.MTV.com]] |title=Watch And Comment On Any Scene In 'Michael Jackson's This Is It' Trailer! |first=Adam|last= Rosenberg |access-date=September 24, 2009}}</ref>

On September 25, 2009, lines opened at the courtyard outside the [[Microsoft Theater|Nokia Theatre]] in [[downtown Los Angeles]].<ref name=ooo /> It is estimated that hundreds of people were in line; venue owners permitted them to bring chairs and umbrellas during the wait.<ref name="ooo">{{cite news|title=Jackson fans line up for 'This Is It' tickets|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2009-09-25/news/28458733_1_jackson-concerts-movie-tickets-michael-jackson-fans|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511053156/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2009-09-25/news/28458733_1_jackson-concerts-movie-tickets-michael-jackson-fans|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 11, 2013|access-date=November 24, 2012|newspaper=Times of India|date=September 29, 2009}}</ref> Lenticular commemorative tickets were made available to the first 500 people in line, as well as those who traded in tickets purchased for the original tour.<ref name=ooo /><ref name="other3">{{cite web |url=http://www.hollyscoop.com/movies/michael-jackson/this-is-it-tickets-sell-out-in-two-hours_1718.aspx |work=Hollyscoop |first=Bridget |last=Daly |title=This Is It Tickets Sell Out in Two Hours |date=September 28, 2009 |access-date=September 29, 2009}}</ref> Jeff Labrecque of ''[[Entertainment Weekly|En]]'' commented, "Three months after Michael Jackson's death, I'm still surprised by the passion of his fans."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://popwatch.ew.com/2009/09/25/this-is-it-michael-jackson-lines/ |date=September 25, 2009 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |first=Jeff |last=Labrecque |title=Just how big will the Michael Jackson movie be? |access-date=September 26, 2009}}</ref> Bridget Daly of Hollyscoop commented on the waiting time for tickets that, she could "expect nothing less" from Jackson's fans.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hollyscoop.com/movies/michael-jackson/sony-to-host-global-premieres-of-this-is-it-movie_1709.aspx |title=Sony to Host Global Premieres of This Is It Movie |work=Hollyscoop |first=Bridget|last= Daly |access-date=September 27, 2009}}</ref>

On September 27, 2009, the first day of ticket sales, all 3,000 tickets to the advance screenings of the film had "sold out within two hours."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.movieline.com/2009/09/this-is-it-already-11667-way-toward-breaking-even.php |first=S.T. |last=VanAirsdale |title=This Is It Already 1/1,667th of the Way Toward Breaking Even |publisher=[[Movieline|MovieLine.com]] |date=September 28, 2009 |access-date=September 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412172107/http://www.movieline.com/2009/09/this-is-it-already-11667-way-toward-breaking-even.php |archive-date=April 12, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thewrap.com/article/jackson-movie-sneaks-sell-out-flash-7852 |agency=Associated Press |title=Jackson Movie Sneaks Sell Out in a Flash |publisher=TheWrap.com |date=September 27, 2009 |access-date=September 28, 2009}}</ref> CinemaBlend reported that over 160 showings had sold out.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Tickets-For-Michael-Jackson-s-This-Is-It-Already-Sold-Out-14949.html |title=Tickets For Michael Jackson's This Is It Already Sold Out |work=[[CinemaBlend]] |first=Josh |last=Tyler |date=September 28, 2009 |access-date=September 28, 2009 |archive-date=October 1, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001211104/http://cinemablend.com/new/Tickets-For-Michael-Jackson-s-This-Is-It-Already-Sold-Out-14949.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Reuters.com, stated that "hundreds of screenings in North America have already sold out, a month before the film's October 28 opening."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1622528/story.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002064610/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1622528/story.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 2, 2009 |first=Gil |last=Kaufman |title='Michael Jackson's This Is It' Ticket Sales Break International Records |publisher=[[MTV|MTV.com]] |access-date=September 29, 2009}}</ref> According to MovieTickets.com, sales of tickets to the film have "accounted for more than 82 percent of all the tickets sold at the site today [Monday, September 28, 2009]." CinemaBlend.com described the sale of tickets on MovieTickets.com as being "fairly significant"—but remarked that "this is after all, just a concert documentary." It was reported that over 80 percent of tickets sold on Fandango.com were for this film.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.getthebigpicture.net/blog/2009/9/28/michael-jackson-documentary-shatters-sales-records.html |title=Michael Jackson Documentary Shatters Sales Records |work=GetTheBigPicture.com |date=September 28, 2009 |access-date=September 28, 2009 |archive-date=July 23, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723135030/http://www.getthebigpicture.net/blog/2009/9/28/michael-jackson-documentary-shatters-sales-records.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

It was also reported that the film had "accounted for some 80% of all online ticketing in the U.S. within its first 24 hours of sales, dominating presales compared with such upcoming titles as ''[[Avatar (2009 film)|Avatar]]'' and ''[[The Twilight Saga: New Moon]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.monstersandcritics.com/movies/news/article_1503910.php/Record-presales-for-Michael-Jackson-film |first=Adan |last= Tezer |title=Record presales for Michael Jackson film |publisher=MonstersandCritics.com |date=29 September 2009 |access-date=29 September 2009 |archive-date=October 1, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001135336/http://www.monstersandcritics.com/movies/news/article_1503910.php/Record-presales-for-Michael-Jackson-film |url-status=dead }}</ref> Sony, confirmed that over 30,000 tickets were sold in the first 24 hours that tickets went on sale.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hitfix.com/articles/2009-9-28-jackson-s-this-is-it-ticket-sales-start-strong-some-sell-outs |date=28 September 2009 |title=Jackson's 'This Is It' ticket sales start strong: Strong enough? |first=Katie |last=Hasty |publisher=HitFix.com |access-date=28 September 2009 |archive-date=October 1, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001225939/http://www.hitfix.com/articles/2009-9-28-jackson-s-this-is-it-ticket-sales-start-strong-some-sell-outs |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="alltickets"/> Sony also stated that the film had moved over 1 million dollars in tickets sales in Japan.<ref name="alltickets"/> Sony announced in a press release that in the "last 24 hours [since September 27]", over 80% of all Fandango.com and Movietickets.com sales for the film, had already sold out in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Nashville and New York, among others and: "Internationally, exhibitors from London and Sydney to Bangkok and Tokyo have experienced the same epic demand."<ref name=useuse>{{cite web|title=Michael Jackson's This Is It movie tickets sold out; Japan touches $1 million|url=http://businessofcinema.com/international-news/michael-jacksons-this-is-it-movie-tickets-sold-out-japan-touches-1-million/29587|work=Business of cinema|date=September 29, 2009 |access-date=November 23, 2012|location=Mumbai}}</ref> Sony stated in a statement of the film's good ticket sale's that: "Staggering advance sales were reported in Australia, where tickets for ''Michael Jackson's This Is It'' purchased through Village Cinemas exceeded the lifetime pre-sales of such blockbusters as ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' and ''[[X-Men Origins: Wolverine]]''.<ref name=useuse />

On October 1, 2009, Fandango.com stated the film was the 'top ticket seller' on the site.<ref name="hmf">{{cite web |url=http://www.eonline.com/news/146923/michael-jackson-bigger-than-new-moon-miley-yup |publisher=[[E!Online|E!Online.com]] |date=September 30, 2009 |title=Michael Jackson Bigger Than New Moon, Miley? Yup |first=Joal |last=Ryan |access-date=September 30, 2009}}</ref> Both Fandango.com and Movietickets.com are reported that more than 1,600 screenings had already been sold out, via online pre-sales, by October 15.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1623916/20091015/jackson_michael.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091018084018/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1623916/20091015/jackson_michael.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 18, 2009 |first=Kyle |last=Anderson |publisher=[[MTV|MTV.com]] |date=October 15, 2009 |title='Michael Jackson's This Is It' Set To Become Biggest Concert Film Of All Time |access-date=October 28, 2009}}</ref> In United Kingdom, Vue Entertainment stated that they'd sold 64,000 tickets in the two-and-a-half weeks since ticket purchasing was made available, while Odeon Cinema stated that they'd had the sales of over 60,000 tickets by October 15.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://entertainment.stv.tv/showbiz/130498-michael-jackson-movie-this-is-it-records-record-advance-ticket-sales/ |date=October 15, 2009 |work=Entertainment.stv.tv |title=Michael Jackson movie This Is It records record advance ticket sales |access-date=October 28, 2009}}</ref> E! Online said of the film, based on its current record ticket selling, out-selling and making more revenue then ''[[Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert]]'' that: "Last year, Disney billed Miley Cyrus' ''Best of Both Worlds'' show as a one-week-only event. Then the film scored a $31 million opening weekend, and one week turned into 15. Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus became the top-grossing concert movie of all time. So far. While it's still early, ''This Is It'' is on track to top Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus. During its first three days of sales, Fandango said, Jackson's film outpaced Cyrus' first three days by a wide three-to-one margin."<ref name="hmf"/> Joel Cohen, the executive vice president of MovieTickets.com, said of the ticket sales: "Michael Jackson is such an iconic figure, with a fan base that transcends even some of the most bankable stars in Hollywood [...] We expected there to be a large demand for tickets for an 'event' film like this one, but MovieTickets.com has never seen such a high volume of sellouts this far in advance for any movie."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/hiphopmediatraining/224209/michael-jacksons-this-is-it-is-a-best-pre-seller/ |title=Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' Is A Best Pre-Seller |first=Billy |last=Johnson Jr. |publisher=[[Yahoo.com]] |date=October 2, 2009 |access-date=October 5, 2009}}</ref>

Stuart Boreman, Vue Entertainment's film buying director, stated that the film's sales of over 300,000 tickets in the period of 1 day (24 hours) had "broken [[box office]] records" of having the "biggest ever one-day sales record" in the United Kingdom. Boreman stated: "I've never seen anything like it in the 25 years I have been film buying" and described the film's ticket sales as "a true phenomenon and sales show no sign of slowing down."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.getthebigpicture.net/blog/2009/9/28/michael-jackson-documentary-shatters-sales-records.html |title=Michael Jackson Documentary Shatters Sales Records |work=GetTheBigPicture.com |first=Collin |last=Boyd |date=September 28, 2009 |access-date=September 28, 2009 |archive-date=July 23, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723135030/http://www.getthebigpicture.net/blog/2009/9/28/michael-jackson-documentary-shatters-sales-records.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> It was reported that fans had lined up at the box office ticket counters throughout the city of Bangkok, Thailand and that by the end of the first day "all tickets for the first showings across Bangkok were sold out."<ref name="alltickets">{{cite web |url=http://www.businessofcinema.com/news.php?newsid=14587 |publisher=Businessofcinema.com Team |date=September 29, 2009 |title=This Is It movie tickets sold out; Japan sees $1 million in sales |access-date=September 29, 2009}}</ref> It was also reported that there were "sell-outs at theaters in France" and that "thousands of fans lined up at The Grand Rex in Paris and quickly bought out the film's first screening there [...] Record-setting sales also were recorded in Germany [...] hundreds of fans lined up outside one theater in Munich at midnight to await the opening of the box office." A German exhibitor said of crowds of people lining up for tickets to the film, that: "Something like this [has] never happened before in Germany." Among other countries, "record sales" and "sell-outs" were also reported in HollandThe Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium and New Zealand.<ref name="alltickets"/> On October 7, 2009, three weeks prior to the film's release, MovieTickets.com stated that the film had entered their "Top-25 Advance Ticket Sellers of All-Time", bumping ''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' from the Number 25 slot.<ref name="sales25">{{cite web |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/2009/10/07/michael-jackson’s-this-is-it-enters-the-top-25-advance-ticket-sellers-of-all-time/ |title=Michael Jackson's This Is It Enters the Top-25 Advance Ticket Sellers of All-Time |first=Peter |last=Sciretta |publisher=[[/Film|SlashFilms.com]] |date=October 7, 2009 |access-date=October 7, 2009}}</ref> By October 27, Kinekor cinemas sold over 24,000 pre-sale tickets in South Africa, tripling the previous pre-sale record.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsonline.co.za/article_detail.asp?Article_ID=1976 |title=Limited Tickets Available in South Africa for Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' |author=Press release |date=October 27, 2009 |publisher=NewsOnline.co.za |access-date=October 28, 2009|author-link=Press release }}</ref>

On August 11, it was widely announced, and later confirmed, that the film would be released to theaters in October 2009, though at the time no specific date was released or confirmed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.movieline.com/2009/08/this-is-it-says-judge-michael-jackson-concert-film-cleared-for-october-release.php |work=[[Movieline|MovieLine.com]] |first=S.T. |last=Vanairsdale |title=This is It, Says Judge: Michael Jackson Concert Film Cleared for October Release |date=August 11, 2009 |access-date=September 22, 2009}}</ref> When confirmed it was reported that the film was set be released worldwide on October 30, 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b138628_michael_jackson_coming_soon_theater.html |work=[[E! Online|E!Online.com]] |author=Serpe, Gina, and Lindsay Miller |title=Michael Jackson Coming Soon to a Theater Near You |date=August 20, 2009 |access-date=September 22, 2009}}</ref> Later in August it was announced that the film's release date was rescheduled two days early for October 28.<ref name="mtvoctober28">{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1619198/20090821/story.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090826123949/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1619198/20090821/story.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 26, 2009 |date=August 21, 2009 |title=Michael Jackson 'This Is It' Movie Opens October 28 |first=Gil |last=Kaufman |publisher =[[MTV|MTV.com]] |access-date=September 22, 2009}}</ref> Sony stated that the film's release date was moved up by two days due to an 'overwhelming demand' for the film."<ref name="mtvoctober28"/> On October 6, it was reported and confirmed by a Sony executive, that the film had been chosen to be one of the last of China's "20 annual foreign movie import slots".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/oct/06/this-is-it-michael-jackson |title=China welcomes Michael Jackson's This Is It |first=Ben |last=Child |date=October 6, 2009 |publisher=[[Guardian.co.uk]] |access-date=October 7, 2009 | location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/michael-jackson-documentary-to-be-shown-in-china/ |date=October 6, 2009 |first=Dave |last=Itzkoff |title=Michael Jackson Documentary to Be Shown in China |publisher=[[The New York Times|TheNewYorkTimes.com]] |access-date=October 7, 2009}}</ref><ref name="chinarelease">{{cite news |url=http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/content_display/esearch/e3i03c5991d65201a60886146b43228a309 |publisher=Film Journal |date=October 6, 2009 |title=China gets Jackson day-date release |access-date=October 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106034524/http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/content_display/esearch/e3i03c5991d65201a60886146b43228a309 |archive-date=January 6, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> China only allows 20 major foreign films to be released in the country every year on a revenue-sharing basis.<ref name="chinarelease"/> Chinese censors had reportedly approved the film before the countries weeklong holiday that started on October 1, clearing it in time for the global release date of October 28.<ref name="chinarelease"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-10/07/content_8766967.htm |date=October 7, 2009 |title=Jackson movie set for Chinese screens |work=[[China Daily|ChinaDaily.com]] |access-date=October 7, 2009}}</ref> Li Chow, manager of Sony Pictures Releasing International's stated that Sony will give the movie as wide a release as possible because of Jackson's popularity in China.<ref name="chinarelease"/>

At the time of Jackson's death, and in its aftermath, multiple reports surfaced that AEG Live purposely tried to hide Jackson's health concerns during preparations for his proposed concerts. Concerns included Jackson's frail appearance due to lack of nutrition that had reportedly caused him to be unable to perform properly, causing AEG to use stand-ins during rehearsals.<ref name="tmzlive"/> On October 23, 2009, days before the film's release, fans of Jackson launched a protest campaign against the film entitled "This Is ''not'' It".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/showbiz/2009/10/26/nr.michael.jackson.cnn/|title=CNN Video: This Is It Controversy|date=October 26, 2009|work=[[CNN|CNN.com]]|access-date=October 25, 2009}}</ref><ref name="pro3">{{cite web|url=http://news-briefs.ew.com/2009/10/23/michael-jackson-this-is-not-it/|publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly|News.ew.com]]|title=Michael Jackson's 'This Is It': Fans launch 'This Is Not It' campaign|first=Tanner|last=Stransky|date=October 23, 2009|access-date=October 28, 2009}}</ref> The campaign's focus was to convince people that Jackson's health was neglected by AEG, among others, and that AEG was partly responsible for Jackson's death which they were now profiting from.<ref name="tisni">{{cite web|url=http://www.this-is-not-it.com/|title=This Is Not It|work=ThisIsNotIt.com|access-date=October 25, 2009}}</ref> The group started a website and created their own 'trailer' for the movie to showcase their point-of-view on the documentary.<ref name="tisni"/> The protestors also inaccurately claimed that Jackson was 108 pounds ([[Kilograms|49 kg]]) at his death, contradicting Jackson's autopsy, which had stated that Jackson weighed 136 pounds (61&nbsp;kg).<ref name="aprep">{{cite web|url=http://editorandpublisher.com/PrintArticle/AP-Scores-Exclusive-With-Michael-Jackson-Autopsy-Results|date=October 1, 2009|first=Thomas|last=Watkins|title=AP Scores Exclusive With Michael Jackson Autopsy Results|publisher=EditorandPublisher.com|access-date=October 30, 2009|archive-date=May 27, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130527051252/http://editorandpublisher.com/PrintArticle/AP-Scores-Exclusive-With-Michael-Jackson-Autopsy-Results|url-status=dead}}</ref> Shortly after the protest became news, ''[[The Guardian]]'' conducted a poll on their website asking users "What do you think of Michael Jackson's posthumous film Is This It?", 51.4% agreed with one of the two options: "I agree with the fans who are boycotting it&nbsp;— it's shameless profiteering".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/poll/2009/oct/28/michael-jackson-this-is-it|date=October 28, 2009|title=Michael Jackson's This Is It: Shameless profiteering or important document of a pop legend?|work=[[Guardian.co.uk]]|access-date=October 30, 2009| location=London}}</ref>

In the United States, ''This Is It'' finished first at the box office in its opening weekend with $23.2 million at 3,481 theaters—with a per-theater average of $6,675 over the period of five days.<ref name="boxofficemojo"/> This return was deemed "underperformed" by both Sony and film analysts' expectations—Sony's had originally expected the film to make an estimated $50 million,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.deadline.com/hollywood/michael-jacksons-this-is-it-opens-to-2-2m-for-late-shows-in-north-america/ |publisher=[[Deadline Hollywood Daily|DeadlineHollywoodDaily.com]] |author=Finke, Nikki |title=3RD UPDATE: Disappointing $20.1M Global Bow for Michael Jackson's 'This Is It'; Predictions For Just $20+M Weekend, $-50M Five-Day |date=October 29, 2009 |access-date=November 11, 2009|author-link=Nikki Finke }}</ref> but after the film's "disappointing" three-day gross, due to some fans, mostly in North America, boycotting the film and issuing boycott propaganda in social networks and media, they lowered their expectations to $35 million,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.deadline.com/hollywood/halloween-horror-michael-jacksons-this-is-it-still-disappoints-with-7-8m-friday-paranormal-activity-expands-for-6m/ |date=October 30, 2009 |publisher=DeadlineHollywoodDaily.com |author=Finke, Nikki|title=HALLOWEEN HORROR! Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' Wasn't: Domestic Disappoints With $20.17M Weekend/$31.9M Cumulative; 'Paranormal' Thrills With $16.6M/$84.8M |access-date=November 11, 2009}}</ref> while analysts expected an estimated $30 million for the weekend.<ref name="notlimited"/> In the film's second weekend of wide release, it declined to 43.4%,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=michaeljacksonthisisit.htm |title=Michael Jackson's This Is It: Weekend Box Office Results |work=[[Box Office Mojo|BoxOfficeMojo.com]] |access-date=November 11, 2009}}</ref> making $13.2 million, placing it at second at the box office, behind ''[[A Christmas Carol (2009 film)|A Christmas Carol]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1625792/story.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091112083553/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1625792/story.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 12, 2009 |title='A Christmas Carol' Defeats 'This Is It' At Box Office |first=Josh |last=Wigler |date=November 9, 2009 |access-date=November 11, 2009 |publisher=[[MTV|MTV.com]]}}</ref> The film completed its theatrical run in North America on December 3, 2009.<ref name="notlimited">{{cite web |url=https://www.deadline.com/hollywood/sony-extends-2-week-limited-run-of-michael-jacksons-this-is-it-through-thanksgiving/ |work=DeadlineHollywoodDaily.com |author=Finke, Nikki |title=CON ARTISTS! Sony Extends 2-Week Limited Run of Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' Through Thanksgiving |date=November 1, 2009 |access-date=November 27, 2009}}</ref>

''This Is It'' made its international debut in 110 territories on October 28–30, 2009. The film's revenue mainly consisted of international sales (72.4%).<ref name="boxofficemojo"/> Throughout the film's international release, it performed strongly at the box office, despite some criticism from other fans in North America. On November 7, the film surpassed the $100 million mark at the foreign box office, reaching block-buster status.<ref name="boxofficemojo"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.variety.com/article2009/biz/box-office/this-is-it-is-a-hit-abroad-1118011008/VR1118011008.html?categoryid=3762&cs=1&query=Michael+Jackson%27s+This+Is+It |date=November 7, 2009 |access-date=November 11, 2009 |title='This Is It' is a hit abroad |first=Pamela |last=McClintock |publisher=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety.com]]}}</ref> Outside North America, ''This Is It'' had its best performance in Japan, where the {{USD|{{To USD|5200|JPN|year=2009}} million|long=no}} earnings made it [[List of 2009 box office number-one films in Japan#Highest-grossing films|the fourth-highest grossing movie of the year]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.eiren.org/boxoffice_e/2009.html|title= 2009|access-date= September 22, 2021|work= Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan}}</ref> At the Australian box office, ''This Is It'' grossed $8.7 million<ref name="boxofficemojo.com">{{cite web|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&id=michaeljacksonthisisit.htm|title=MICHAEL JACKSON'S THIS IS IT|work=Box Office Mojo|access-date=November 23, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/news/a184745/this-is-it-tops-australian-box-office.html |date=November 2, 2009 |access-date=November 11, 2009 |title='This Is It' tops Australian box office |publisher=[[Digital Spy|DigitalSpy.com]] |first=Simon |last=Reynolds}}</ref> and $1.9 million<ref name="ausbo2"/> (in Australian currency).<ref name="ausbo2">{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/news/a185891/this-is-it-retains-aus-box-office-lead.html |title='This Is It' retains Aus box office lead |first=Simon |last=Reynolds |date=November 9, 2009 |publisher=DigitalSpy.com |access-date=November 11, 2009}}</ref> ''This Is It'' debuted at first place at the United Kingdom box office, with the revenue of £4.9 million.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news/a185182/this-is-it-claims-uk-bo-top-spot.html |title='This Is It' claims UK BO top spot |date=November 4, 2009 |publisher=DigitalSpy.com |first=Simon |last=Reynolds |access-date=November 11, 2009}}</ref> In the film's second weekend of release, with the gross revenue of the previous week being down 52%,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2009/nov/10/1 |title=Frugal Christmas arrives early for Disney at UK box office |date=November 10, 2009 |work=[[Guardian.co.uk]] |access-date=November 11, 2009 | location=London | first=Charles | last=Gant}}</ref> with £.4 million, it placed at second at the United Kingdom—having been outgrossed by ''A Christmas Carol'', which, similar to its second week at the North American box office, had been knocked to second place by the film.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news/a186310/a-christmas-carol-tops-uk-box-office.html |date=November 11, 2009 |title='A Christmas Carol' tops UK box office |work=DigitalSpy.com |first=Simon |last=Reynolds |access-date=November 11, 2009}}</ref> The film's international revenue was significantly contributed to within Japan—with $57.03 million, followed by the United Kingdom—with $16 million.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1626207/20091113/story.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091118091455/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1626207/20091113/story.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 18, 2009 |date=November 13, 2009 |title='Michael Jackson's: This Is It' Passes $200 Million Worldwide |work=[[MTV|MTV.com]] |access-date=November 14, 2009}}</ref> With $264267.39 million worldwide, ''This Is It'' became the highest-grossing documentary of all time.<ref name=boxofficemojo/>

}}</ref> [[Metacritic]], which assigns a [[standard score|normalized]] rating out of 100 to reviews from film critics, has a rating score of 67 based on 32 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews.".<ref>{{cite web

| title = Michael Jackson's This Is It: Reviews (2009)

| source = -— Marjorie Baumgarten of ''Austin Chronicle''<ref name="acreview"/>

Joshua Rothkopf of ''[[Time Out (company)|Time Out New York]]'' referred to being a "must-see danceumentary".<ref name="jrtonyr"/> Rothkopf described Jackson as "obviously" having been "shooting for the moon right before his death" based on what he could tell from the "stunning bits of concert spectacle" of "phalanxes of computer-generated dancers, tempo changes on a dime, a bombshell of a blond guitarist who plays Eddie Van Halen's "Beat It" solo flawlessly".<ref name="jrtonyr"/> Rothkopf stated that: "But the true value of this raw rehearsal footage is its emphasis, less known, on MJ's laserlike attention to detail, as he works for his band and troupe up to speed. A firm floor manager himself, he's often exposed—and probably wouldn't have approved of this film. (One on one, ''High School Musical''{{'}}s Kenny Ortega, meanwhile, treats him with kid gloves: "I agree, Michael.") But to see him sweetly lose himself in "Human Nature" ("I like living this way...") is to feel a creature of the stage finally returned home, and possibly on the cusp of redemption."<ref name="jrtonyr">{{cite web |url=http://timeoutchicago.com/arts-culture/film/70243/michael-jacksons-this-is-it |work=Timeout |location=Chicago |title=This Is It Film Review |first=Joshua |last=Rothkopf |access-date=November 24, 2012 |archive-date=February 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130204220634/http://timeoutchicago.com/arts-culture/film/70243/michael-jacksons-this-is-it |url-status=dead }}</ref> Peter Paras, of ''E! Online'' felt that watching Jackson and his performances in a positive aspect is the "genius and the sadness of the entire film".<ref name="parasreview"/> He did note that Jackson's performance of "Earth Song", which consists of using Jackson's voiceover to emphasize his environmental concerns while a bulldozer threatens to eat him, was well-intentioned—because it brought attention to environmental concerns—but felt it was a little over the top.<ref name="parasreview"/> Paras felt the film showed an "exacting and refreshingly funny side of Jackson to be revealed" and "had Jackson lived, we never would have seen those moments" and felt the film was a proper way to "finally say goodbye" to Jackson.<ref name="parasreview">{{cite web |url=http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/movie_reviews/b151142_review_michael_jacksons_this_it_fitting.html |work=[[E! Online|E!Online.com]] |date=October 28, 2009|first=Peter |last=Paras |title=Review: Michael Jackson's This Is It a Fitting Goodbye (Bonus: It's Also a Great Movie) |access-date=October 31, 2009}}</ref>

Marjorie Baumgarten of ''[[Austin Chronicle]]'' referred to the film as being "neither a true concert film nor a strict behind-the-scenes documentary, This Is It is, like Jackson himself, a real hybrid" and felt that while the film's "made up of lots of grainy footage, which Ortega has edited together seamlessly" it will also "provide a fitting farewell".<ref name="acreview"/> Baumgarten noted that "the finished film is a fairly complete concert run-through with each song edited" and that while the film will easily show that it was made for a profit, that, the audience will see a "film to be a fitting elegy."<ref name="acreview">{{cite web |url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Calendar/Film?Film=oid%3A896617 |publisher=[[Austin Chronicle|AustinChronicle.com]] |first=Marjorie |last=Baumgarten |title=Michael Jackson's This Is It |date=October 30, 2009 |access-date=October 31, 2009}}</ref> Joe Morgenstern, of ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', felt the film was "expertly packaged—brilliantly packaged", and noted that the film "quite convincingly" had emphasized that Jackson had enough energy to perform, even with his "wraith-thin body".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://online.wsj.com/article/film_review.html |title='This Is It': One Last Thriller |date=October 30, 2009 |access-date=November 1, 2009 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal|Online.WSJ.com]] |first=Joe |last=Morgenstern}}</ref> Ann Powers, of ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' said that while the film offers only a few such "insights into Jackson's artistic process, though enough surface to make this a useful document, as well as a beautiful one" that the film is "a piece with Jackson's body of work: dazzling and strange, blurring the line between fantasy and reality".<ref name="powersreview"/> She described Ortega's editing to make the film feel like a real concert film as being "almost too good to believe".<ref name="powersreview"/> Powers praised the film for showing "intimate views" of Jackson, like his "vulnerable moments" during performances and felt the film was made "to honor not just the memory of Jackson but the hard work of a big cast and crew that never made it to opening night", which she felt mostly is a tribute to the "power of Jackson's body and voice".<ref name="powersreview"/> Powers stated she'd felt the film was such "a tragic teaser for the shows that might have been, 'This Is It' hurts. If Jackson had been able to perform as he frequently does during these scenes, he would have accomplished the comeback for which he was so hungry."<ref name="powersreview"/> She noted that Jackson's "total lack of engagement with the cameras adds to the unreal mood" because he was always performing—"but for the imagined masses, not for the filmgoer" and that the film doesn't "entirely acknowledge that reality, and that's a little odd".<ref name="powersreview">{{cite web |url=https://articleswww.latimes.com/2009archives/la-xpm-2009-oct/-28/entertainment/-et-this-is-it28-story.html |title='Michael Jackson's This Is It' |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=October 28, 2009 |first=Ann |last=Powers |access-date=November 24, 2012}}</ref>

| source = -— Alex Fletcher of Digital Spy<ref name="digitalspy"/>

David Edwards, of ''[[Daily Mirror]]'', stated that while he felt that the film is a "success" he overall disliked the film, having felt that "as an exercise in wringing every last penny from Jackson's legacy" the film "most certainly isn't it" a tribute.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/the-ticket/2009/10/film-review-michael-jacksons-t.html |title=Film review: Michael Jackson's This Is It |date=October 30, 2009 |work=[[Daily Mirror]] |first=David |last=Edwards |access-date=October 31, 2009 |archive-date=October 31, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091031113746/http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/the-ticket/2009/10/film-review-michael-jacksons-t.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Alex Fletcher, of [[Digital Spy]] described the film as having been an "essential viewing" and praised the film for showing "the real Michael Jackson"—which consisted of "difficult, odd, kind, obsessive and funny". He cited Jackson's best performances as "Thriller" and "Billie Jean" and the "worst material", "Earth Song".<ref name="digitalspy"/> However, Fletcher did feel that, while based on the rehearsal footage, Jackson "falls short of his groundbreaking [[Dangerous World Tour|'Dangerous']] and [[Bad (tour)|'Bad']] world tours", he noted that Jackson's age and thinness was mostly likely a factor in his performances and described Jackson as having more "star quality and charisma than a million Simon Cowell factory-line production pop singers".<ref name="digitalspy2">{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/moviereviews/a184266/this-is-it.html |date=October 29, 2009 |title=This Is It |work=DigitalSpy.com |first=Alex|last= Fletcher |access-date=October 31, 2009}}</ref>

''This Is It'' was released on [[DVD]], [[Blu-ray Disc|Blu-ray]] and [[Universal Media Disc|UMD]] in North America on January 26, 2010. It sold over 1.5 million units in the U.S. alone within its first week of release, setting a new record for the first week sales of a music DVD.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/it-dominates-sales-blu-ray-20251|title=' This Is It' dominates sales, Blu-ray charts|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=February 3, 2010|first=Thomas K. |last=Arnold|access-date=February 20, 2010}}</ref> By the end of 2010, in the US alone, DVD sales stood at 2.8 million, with gross earnings of $45 million.<ref name="US-2010">{{cite web|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Michael-Jacksons-This-Is-It|title=Michael Jackson's This Is It (2009) - Financial Information|website=The Numbers}}</ref> The film was released on the same day in Japan, also breaking records, with $18 million in sales on the title's first day of release—$11.3 million in [[DVD]] and $6.7 million in Blu-ray—breaking ''[[Ponyo]]''{{'}}s record of $6.2 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.variety.com/article2010/biz/markets-festivals/dvd-blu-ray-records-for-this-is-it-1118014387/VR1118014387.html?categoryid=19&cs=1&ref=bd_int|title=DVD-Blu-ray records for 'This Is It'|work=Variety|date=January 27, 2010|first=Mark |last=Shilling|access-date=February 20, 2010}}</ref><!-- [REMOVING UNTIL AND IF SOMEONE CAN CLARIFY WHAT THIS REFERS TO] ''This Is It'' (home video) has sold 12,500,000 --> In Ireland, the DVD became the joint-third best-selling music "record" in terms of units, going [[Music recording certification|five-times Platinum]] by the end of 2010.<ref name="IRMA">{{cite web|url=http://www.irishcharts.ie/awards/multi_platinum10.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112173359/http://www.irishcharts.ie/awards/multi_platinum10.htm|archive-date=12 January 2021|url-status=live|title=The Irish Charts – 2010 Certification Awards|publisher=[[Irish Recorded Music Association]]|access-date=31 January 2021}}</ref>

{{Certification Table Entry|type=video|relyear=2010|relmonth=01|region=Japan|nocert=yes|salesamount=358,000|salesref=<ref>{{cite web | url=https://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/658244.html | title=「アナと雪の女王」発売初日でBd歴代1位の66万枚。「ヱヴァ 破」、「This is It」超え | date=July 16, 2014 }}</ref>}}