Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” opens in theaters worldwide today, and so far it’s getting mixed reviews. No one seems to be totally slamming it, but many watchers point out that Jackson doesn’t seem to have had the same energy that he used to. Well… he was fifty. It’s not often I write “duh”… but… duh. He’s not going to be the same at fifty as he was at 20. Are you? Thought so. Critics point out that there is absolutely no behind-the-scenes footage whatsoever, nor is there any hint at his private life. This isn’t some complex look into Michael the person. It’s very much about Michael the performer, and Michael the professional.

This Is It is a hybrid, half documentary and half concert film – but not quite either. As a documentary, it merely shows process, with little by way of explanation or exploration. As a concert film, we’re offered the practice sessions rather than the finished product. What does come through is that Jackson worked hard, really hard. He looks a tad thin, but otherwise appears healthy and energetic. We see him sweat through difficult dance routines, reach again and again for high notes, and go through complicated production numbers repeatedly until he nails them. He clearly had a vision, and he gently coaxes his musicians and dancers to make it into a reality.

What we don’t see is Jackson letting his hair down (literally, it’s almost always in a pony tail). We never catch him goofing off, blowing off steam or telling stories about his three children. Oh, sure, at times he prattles on about the power of love and his reverence for the environment, but these come off as pop pieties. The real Michael Jackson, at least as seen here, is all business. Ardent fans will be happy to gaze at their idol in action; moviegoers hoping to understand more fully who Jackson was and what made him tick, besides performing, won’t find answers here.

[From People]

Another People writer says it seems like Jackson was just going through the motions, but notes there are “flashes of brilliance.” The film has a 79% aggregate on Rotten Tomatoes, but a lot of the viewer comments come across as major Jackson fans, the kind that are likely to be biased towards him regardless. People also talks about all the big stars who came out for the premiere. Will Smith was definitely the biggest, joined by Paula Abdul, Paris Hilton, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Neil Patrick Harris, and Anne Heche, among others. Jackson’s brothers were in attendance and made mention about how this wasn’t “it,” this was just the beginning. Logically, because we know they’re going to milk every last dollar they can out of Michael’s memory.

Both People and Us Weekly mention that Jackson’s most personal stuff isn’t personal – he goes off about love and the environment, both of which come across as cheesy to the magazines. They also say his performances were great – it’s everything else that seems to be severely lacking. Since his passing, people have truly wanted to understand Jackson better, and this film isn’t going to get them any closer to it. It’s going to remind them why he became famous in the first place. For better or worse, it’s the last we have of him, and I bet it’ll do well anyway.

People choose some really strange stars to mention coming to the premiere – there were definitely A-list caliber celebs there. Pictured below: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Paula Abdul, Ashley Tisdale, Will Smith, Macy Gray, Anne Heche, Jennifer Lopez, Paris Hilton, Jermain Jackson, Rosanna Arquette, Neil Patrick Harris, Lou Ferrigno, and Randy, Marlon, and Tito Jackson. Images thanks to WENN.com .