Leaving Neverland (2019)

Born into the extensively business of show business, Michael Jackson is still a legendary artist and dancer when it comes to his music. He expression and style of music raised to higher demand for his music. The King of Pop they say when his name is even mentioned. Even now, almost then a year after his sudden death, he is still a name down to be reckoned and to be remembered by. His lifestyle did also bring many headlines to the negative side of his life, which is the main object for this documentary.

The documentary, sadly, only showed one part of these stories. These are quite graphic and detailed stories about how Michael Jackson tricked two families to join him and his life in Neverland. A fantasy land where it was like at Disneyland. A place, very imaginable one.  Although this documentary, showcase a completely different side of each person by the time it becomes rather repetitive. It’s the same angle, same sort of archive footage that is referred to in the interviews. All the interview is one-sided.

I really would like to be more invested emotionally in these stories, but the camera work and editing make it hard for me to allow myself to get that drawn into it. The second half of this two-part documentary works better as it had so much better flow and variation to the interview in terms of editing and progression.  The most difficult with these sort of documentaries is that its subjective perspective that is required. The content of the matter, in this documentary, is brutal and eerie to watch and experience. The progression of the storyline and how it’s created fulfills the ambition to step forward a long time after it was even current news. That one of the reasons this documentary has become so destructive to the legacy of the artist, as he can’t’ speak out.

Then again, it might as well be true.  As a viewer, you wouldn’t know what happened behind the closed door on Jacksons Neverland. Michael Jackson appears to be a boy trapped in a full-grown male’s body as his paradise home is even named after a place in of the Peter Pan stories. If it’s true or not, you’ll have to decide for yourself. But the simplicity of the documentary makes it somewhat hard to make it believable but truthful. It has an uncomfortable and sunken feeling that grows on you.