Directed by Kenny Ortega. Featuring Michael Jackson. Rated G. Opens Wednesday, October 28

Anyone fearing that this compilation of full-scale rehearsals, special-effects footage, and backstage chatter would be little more than a crass cash-in, be reassured right now: at the end of his life, Michael Jackson had as much of It as he ever had. This captivatingly well-crafted movie also makes the case that the sold-out London shows he was prepping for would have constituted the comeback of the century.

Let’s start with the core issue. MJ on stage (on various days at L.A.’s Staples Center) exhibited little of the frailty or weird remoteness you’d expect of him by age 50. Although sometimes trying to conserve his voice for the U.K. concerts, Jackson here sounds pitch-perfect when running through big numbers like “Beat It”, “Black or White”, a show-stopping “Thriller” featuring 3-D effects, and a film-noir version of “Smooth Criminal” that has our white-suited hero cavorting with Humphrey Bogart and Rita Hayworth.

Speaking of movie faces, it seems clear in this context that Jackson’s relentless rhinoplasty was always intended for appreciation from a distance—that is, under floodlights before tens of thousands of adoring fans. Here, the worshipping is done by director Kenny Ortega (who also put together celluloid background material for the bigger production numbers), technical crews, and a cast of talented young dancers, who are consistently stunned by MJ’s ability to outhoof them at every turn.

There are also quick visits with his impressive band, including duelling guitarists Tommy Organ and Orianthi Panagaris. But the most amazing musician on display in this nearly two-hour keepsake is Michael Jackson, who is so far inside every beat and every wisp of melody, he simply can’t make a wrong move. On-stage, anyway, he was free.