I didn’t have tickets to any of the sold-out Michael Jackson concerts planned for The O2 arena in London, and yet I was still interested in watching “This Is It,” a compilation of interviews and rehearsal footage that shows the pop star preparing for what would have been a major comeback.

I was never a huge Michael Jackson fan, but his death made me remember how great some his music is, and I went on-line and downloaded dozens of songs and listened to them constantly during those first few weeks after his sudden death at the age of 50. (Click here to read the blog I wrote at the time). I pondered such questions as: Which song is better, “Billie Jean” or “Rock With Me?” Why was “Thriller” so revolutionary? Why do I think “The Girl is Mine” is so funny? How did “We Are the World” and the “Free Willy” song become such huge hits? The more I immersed myself in the music of Michael Jackson, the more I regretted that I would never see him in concert. That’s why “This Is It” is so valuable. It offers Jackson’s most ardent fans, as well as casual admirers such as myself, a chance to see a great talent at work.

Thankfully, “This Is It” doesn’t contain any information about Michael Jackson’s personal life, or upbringing. Throughout the film, he comes across as focused and driven, a perfectionist who is concerned with every aspect of performance, and intends to use cinema, dance and music to create a spectacular and unforgettable concert experience. At the same time, he remains an enigma, a distant and detached figure whom session musicians and back-up dancers regard with an almost worshipful awe. News reports indicate that his personal life was a total mess at the time of his death, that his personal physician was supplying him with powerful narcotics. None of that is evident in this footage. I can only speculate, but perhaps the only place where Jackson was capable of functioning well was on stage, or in a rehearsal studio.

In any case, Michael Jackson makes some great music in “This Is It.” I’ve never been that into The Jackson 5 song “I’ll Be There,” but Jackson’s version of it in “This Is It” is elegant, stirring and beautiful. So is the mysterious and soulful ballad “Human Nature.” The rockers — “Thriller,” “Wanna Be Startin’ Something,” “The Way You Make Me Feel” “I Want You Back” — had me tapping my feet throughout the film. The one song I objected to was this dreary thing called “Earth Song,” from Jackson’s 1995 album “HIStory.” I’m not a huge fan of the socially conscious pop ballad, because there’s just something irritating about a super-famous rock star preaching to the rest of us about the importance of saving the world. Lyrics like this: “Did you ever stop to notice/All the blood we’ve shed before/Did you ever stop to notice/This crying Earth, its weeping shores?” generally make me roll my eyes, especially if they’re accompanied by an ultra-sincere video showing a little girl playing with a butterfly in a rain forest. If you’re like me, you might find it impossible to watch the insanely expensive theatrics planned for this song without wondering whether Michael Jackson ever considered the huge amount of resources consumed every night at big rock shows that feature pyrotechnics, state-of-the-art monster costumes and heavy machinery.

In any case, it’s a relief when “Earth Song” finally comes to an end. The film quickly regains its footing by showing us footage of the “Billie Jean” rehearsals, and then segueing into its moving final scenes, where Jackson sings a version of “Man in the Mirror” that, in light of his death, is especially haunting. As I watched him sing, I thought, “‘Man in the Mirror’ — what a great song. I’m going to go home and listen to it right now.” And I did, and it was very good indeed.

I saw “This Is It” with a friend who expressed shock and amazement when I revealed that I think “We Are the World” is actually an awful song. I decided to give “We Are the World” a second chance, and so I played it a couple of times when I got home. And you know what? I felt embarrassed. But whether “We Are the World” is worse than “Earth Song” is open to debate.

Got a comment? E-mail me at sfoss@dailygazette.net.