Triple H: Thy Kingdom Come

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 429 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: October 14 2013

Depending on your opinion, Triple H is either one of the biggest stars and best performers in WWE for the last 20 years, or he is a manipulative, selfish backstage politician who married his way to the top. The answer is probably something in between; nevertheless, fans are given the opportunity for a greater insight into the life, times and career of The Game with Thy Kingdom Come, although it should come as no surprise that the negative allegations about the real-life Paul Levesque are either only slightly referred to or ignored completely.

Thy Kingdom Come (which has a cool cover, if I say so myself) takes us through many chapters of Tripper's life, such as his upbringing and initial fandom of pro wrestling; his training under Killer Kowalski, debut and travels on the independent circuit as Terra Ryzing; his short WCW stint; his early WWF days as Greenwich blueblood Hunter Hearst Helmsley; the impact of Chyna on his career (their real-life relationship is not discussed for obvious reasons); his various battles over the years with Mick Foley; The Kliq; the original version of D-Generation X, which undoubtedly reversed his career fortunes; his initial rise to the main event level in the WWF; his relationship with Stephanie McMahon, both on-screen and off; his battles with The Rock and The Undertaker; his various quadriceps injuries; Evolution, and subsequent battles with the likes of Randy Orton (with whom he had far too many matches); the reunion of DX; and his ultimate progression into the office, and the early days of him running NXT and the opening of the WWE Performance Center.

It's a well-paced documentary with logical chronology that covers many of HHH's on-screen highlights. Accompanying vintage clips of his career are talking head comments from a variety of performers, friends, colleagues and family members. The Undertaker's links are a highlight, simply because it's so rare to see Taker talking out of character these days on an official WWE release. The most intriguing part of the doc is the discussion of how his relationship with Stephanie came to be, and how Vince tried to block it more than once. Even after getting Vince's approval, HHH felt uneasy, so it was Undertaker who HHH consulted with and, after receiving his blessing, he arguably put his career at stake in an attempt to not only find true love, but to also ensure a lifetime career in WWE; fortunately for him, he succeeded. It's also interesting to hear the back-stories of some major matches, like his WrestleMania showdowns with Taker, as well as acknowledging some matches which didn't achieve their potential (such as the WM 25 main event with Randy Orton).

Triple H fans will really enjoy this documentary, especially since it's been so long coming (we did get a documentary back in 2002, but his career has obviously taken many more twists and turns since then, and his off-screen relationship with Stephanie was only in its infancy at that time), but HHH's critics may find it harder to watch. Very few of his aforementioned flaws when the cameras are not rolling are acknowledged; granted, we weren't going to get an examination as to whether or not HHH purposely damaged the careers of such stars as Booker T and Rob Van Dam, but the documentary feels incomplete without discussing his reputation on some level, even if it's in an attempt to suggest that it isn't warranted. It'd be like discussing Shawn Michaels' career without mentioning his real-life feud with Bret Hart, or talking about Hulk Hogan and not touching upon the many wrestlers who found him to be a pain at times (and that's putting it mildly).

Taken with a grain of salt, and assuming that you don't expect a ton of revelations, Thy Kingdom Come is an entertaining look back at a man who, for all his faults, is one of the most important men in recent WWE history, and given the path that he and Steph are on away from the ring, he may just become the most important man in wrestling period someday.

There are a selection of bonus matches, although their quality varies greatly. Even though there has never been a true Best Of Triple H compilation, meaning that a lot of his greatest matches have never been released on a HHH-specific DVD, this collection somehow manages to ignore classic outings to focus on matches that are rare gems, which sometimes works but in this case is a bit frustrating.

Jean-Paul Levesque taking on Ricky Steamboat in WCW is a good start, and while Hunter vs. Dude Love from One Night Only 1997 isn't the Foley-related match that I would have picked, it's exciting nonetheless. We then get the superb Iron Man match between HHH and Rock from Judgment Day 2000, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise; the ending is brilliant, even if the timing is slightly off (although Undertaker's music being dubbed over is annoying). After that, it's a disappionting match with Kurt Angle from Unforgiven 2000 which ended their infamous love triangle storyline with Stephanie on a low note, while HHH and Steve Austin vs. The Undertaker and Kane from Backlash 2001 is a forgotten battle, but one that is still entertaining.

HHH vs. RVD is next; in fairness, HHH had very few notable matches in 2003 from a quality standpoint, so this Raw bout is actually one of his better efforts from that difficult year. HHH vs. Shawn Michaels is next under Last Man Standing rules from Royal Rumble 2004 and, whilst not their best battle, it is still a strong outing (and the bloodshed from both is ferocious, especially Shawn). Two short matches against Ric Flair and Booker T don't need to be here (even if the latter marked his return from a second quad tear), but his LMS showdown with Orton from No Mercy 2007 is a worthy inclusion; not only is it a great match, but it's the best bout that these two common foes ever contested against one another. The last two matches have a filler feeling to them: a bout with Jeff Hardy, which I attended, is good but by no means their best, and a meeting with Chris Jericho really does exist to complete the DVD's running time. The Blu-ray also features HHH vs. Brock Lesnar from WrestleMania 29, as well as a load of additional stories.

Summing this up, there has never been a truly great HHH DVD collection, and Thy Kingdom Come doesn't achieve that status either. However, it is a very entertaining look back at his highs and lows on-screen in his unforgettable career, and while the match selection could have been a lot better, there are still some real gems on there. The wait to see The Ultimate Triple H Collection goes on, but fans of The King Of Kings should get a real kick out of this set while they wait. HHH's army of critics need not purchase this one.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10 - Good

True Giants

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 429 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: December 1 2014

Following on from the Cruiserweight-themed release Wrestling's Highest Flyers in late 2010/early 2011, True Giants takes the complete opposite approach by focusing on the largest performers in wrestling history (mostly).

You can look at this concept in two ways. On the one hand, it's nice that the mammoths are getting a spotlight (oxymoron, I know), especially since the vast majority have never or will never get a DVD profile of their own, even established names like Vader, Psycho Sid and Yokozuna. Plus, some are genuine major stars, such as Andre The Giant, Big Show and Kevin Nash (incidentally, why hasn't Nash received the DVD treatment on his own yet?). On the other hand, those who stand close to or above the 7-foot mark, and/or weigh in excess of 350 pounds, are rarely associated with classic matches. Some big men, such as Vader, have put on epic encounters on a regular basis, but such performers are generally the exception rather than the norm. A giant's job is generally to perform as a giant would, meaning that most of the stars highlighted on this release have only ever watched fantastic matches as opposed to working them.

Nevertheless, giants have played a vital role in the history of the wrestling business (hell, the most famous wrestling moment ever is probably when Hulk Hogan bodyslammed Andre The Giant at WrestleMania III), and therefore the behemoths are more than deserving of a profile focusing on their careers and - what else? - their size. Whether you find it entertaining is another matter entirely.

Anyway, the main programme provides mini-career profiles on more than a dozen big men: Big Show, Gorilla Monsoon, One Man Gang/Akeem, Haystacks Calhoun, Giant Gonzales, Big John Studd, Kevin Nash/Diesel, Ernie "Big Cat" Ladd, Mark Henry, King Kong Bundy, Psycho Sid, Vader, Yokozuna, The Great Khali and, of course, Andre The Giant himself. The profiles are mostly concerned with in-ring accomplishments and notable matches/feuds rather than their lives outside the ring, with Show and Andre amongst the notable exceptions. Plus, some comments by various talking heads are in-character (e.g. emphasising how one performer is particularly threatening because of his sheer size), which in modern times is rarely a positive.

There are many matches included as bonus features, but as alluded to earlier very few are exactly of a high standard (no pun intended), so I'll just focus on the standout bouts. There's a weird six-man tag from Mid-South Wrestling, which includes the unlikely combination of Andre, Dusty Rhodes and Junkyard Dog (Shawn Michaels pops up in another Mid-South match against One Man Gang). Hogan vs. Big John Studd is a typical Hogan match (tailor-made for Hulk, you might say), and Kamala vs. Andre inside a Steel Cage is a minor dream match (plus, who doesn't love Kamala?). Andre vs. Randy Savage completes the second disc.

On disc three, we open with a legitimately p-ss-poor match between El Gigante and One Man Gang from the 1991 WCW Great American Bash; this makes Gigante/Giant Gonzales' later match with The Undertaker from SummerSlam 1993 seem like a masterpiece. Sid Justice (Psycho Sid, obviously) teams with Ric Flair against Hogan and Roddy Piper in a rare gem of a match, and one of the few bouts on the DVD which ignores size as a component of the match psychology. We see Yokozuna dethrone Hulk as WWF Champion at King Of The Ring 1993, and we get one of the most overused DVD matches ever as Diesel vs. Razor Ramon from a 1994 episode of Superstars is recycled once more.

Diesel vs. Isaac Yankem DDS (a.k.a. Kane) is a fun inclusion from an interesting time in both men's careers; Diesel was less than six months away from forming the nWo, whilst Yankem would actually play a "New" Diesel shortly after that (and, of course, he would later be reborn as Kane). Sid vs. Bret Hart from 1997 is pretty good (thank Bret for that), and we then focus on modern big men like Big Show (against Rhyno and Eddie Guerrero), Mark Henry (versus Rey Mysterio) and The Great Khali (who tangles with Shawn Michaels). We then get the Monster Mash Battle Royal between Henry, Big Daddy V, Kane and Khali, which I actually enjoyed, and the DVD appropriately closes with Mark Henry battling Big Show in a Bodyslam Challenge (as part of The Price Of Raw; don't ask me to explain). The Blu-ray includes a few more matches and several additional profiles for Earthquake, Kamala, Bam Bam Bigelow and that madman Abdullah The Butcher. Why The Undertaker and Kane didn't receive profiles here is beyond me.

Is this a contender for best WWE DVD of the year? Of course not. It will actually probably end up being one of the weaker WWE DVDs, at least from a match quality standpoint. However, it is entertaining, and it is cool to see the focus shifted to many performers who otherwise are only rarely acknowledged for their abilities and accomplishments, some of whom are amongst the most memorable characters ever seen for longtime fans (as I mentioned earlier, who doesn't love Kamala?). It's far from a must-own, and fans who have only discovered wrestling in the last five years may be horrified by the standard of the wrestling on display here, but for fans of a certain age, it's an enjoyable nostalgia trip, and a fun chance to look back at some of the legitimately biggest men in wrestling history.

Overall Rating: 6.5/10 - Okay

Night Of Champions 2012

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 167 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: January 21 2013

The very first WWE DVD to be published by Fremantle Home Entertainment in the United Kingdom, the change-over from Clear/Silver Vision explains the delay in the release of this event, which was staged in September 2012. Was it worth the wait to see it on DVD? Kinda.

After John Bradshaw Layfield returns to provide commentary (replacing Jerry Lawler, who had suffered a heart attack just six days earlier during a live Raw show), NOC 2012 begins with a four-way for the Intercontinental Title between The Miz, Cody Rhodes, Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara which is good, but still feels like a disappointment, perhaps because arguably all four should be higher up the card than they presently are (or were at the time of this card). Next, the dysfunctional team of Kane and Daniel Bryan battle Kofi Kingston and R-Truth for the Tag Team Titles; it's the interaction and the mid-match hug between Kane and Bryan which carry this one, although the best part (of the show, actually) is Kane later screaming that "I'm going to Disneyland!" It's funnier to watch this happen than for me to describe it, obviously.

Antonio Cesaro vs. Zack Ryder is okay; Randy Orton vs. Dolph Ziggler, meanwhile, is a strong battle, if not quite their best to date. Layla vs. Eve is more story than match, as it relates to a pre-match assault on Kaitlyn by a mystery assailant, forcing Eve to replace her (hmm, who could have attacked her?). Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio is decent and thankfully ends their feud, and CM Punk vs. John Cena, from a pure technical standpoint, may be their best match to date, despite the somewhat frustrating finish (and why is Paul Heyman at ringside if he doesn't get involved whatsoever?).

In something of an uneven year on Pay-Per-View for WWE, if I'm being honest, Night Of Champions 2012 is not going to win any Best Card awards despite it boasting two really good matches and either title changes or storyline climaxes in other bouts. But there's all-around entertainment to just about warrant a purchase. If that doesn't do the trick, knowing that this show - as the first non-Silver Vision WWE DVD ever commercially released in the UK - is something of a collector's item to own on DVD probably will.

Overall Rating: 7/10 - Respectable

Hell In A Cell 2012

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 166 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: January 28 2013

Unlike previous years, where WWE would overload the Hell In A Cell card with too many HIAC matches (there were three in 2009, none of which were particularly necessary), the 2012 event kept things simple with just the one Cell bout, a well-built collision between longtime WWE Champion CM Punk and the undefeated, Goldberg-like Ryback. That being said, it is another match which stands as the main reason to see this DVD.

Starting chronologically: Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio is a good opener, if not the best match that the two could put together, followed by an entertaining yet forgettable bout pitting Team Hell No (arguably WWE's hottest act at the time of this PPV) against Team Rhodes Scholars. Kofi Kingston vs. The Miz is good, though, and a reminder that both men can deliver a thrilling contest despite each man's reduced status in recent times. Conversely, while well-executed, Antonio Cesaro bvs. Justin Gabriel isn't a PPV-calibre match, nor is Rey Mysterio & Sin Cara vs. The Prime Time Players

Fortunately, we get quite the unexpected treat in Sheamus vs. Big Show, which ends up being the best or second-best World Heavyweight Championship contest of 2012. The finish is a shocker, but in a good way, and Sheamus enhances his reputation by being able to get such a great match out of Show at this point in the giant's career; however, Show deserves credit for his performance, which rounds off what has been his best year in a long time. Eve Torres vs. Kaitlyn vs. Layla is a flat follow-up to Sheamus vs. Show, and despite the exciting build-up and intrigue as to who would win, WWE was in a no-win position to book CM Punk against Ryback in a Cell match (Ryback replaced the injured John Cena), as a defeat for neither man sounded particularly useful. As it is, WWE delves into its back of tricks to try and enhance both men's characters regardless of the result, but suffice it to say, Ryback's momentum hasn't quite been the same since he was fast-tracked into losing a PPV main event, just three months after beating Curt Hawkins and Tyler Reks in a PPV filler attraction. Match quality is okay, but it's nowhere near as memorable as The Undertaker vs. Triple H in the same structure nearly seven months earlier at WrestleMania XXVIII.

Mind you, Hell In A Cell 2012 is still an adequate show. Would I recommend buying it on DVD? Erm, not really: Sheamus vs. Big Show is well worth watching, and there are some good bouts elsewhere on the card, but I would only suggest that you buy this DVD if you see it at a discount price. A fun event, but not a must-own.

Overall Rating: 7/10 - Respectable

Survivor Series 2012

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 163 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: March 11 2013

Compared to last year's Survivor Series, held in Madison Square Garden and hosting the in-ring return of The Rock as well as the beginning of CM Punk's historically-long WWE Title reign, Survivor Series 2012 is a more low-key event, with some of its content indistinguishable from typical action on Raw or SmackDown. Mind you, it features some good bouts and a major development at its climax, so it is also far from a dud either.

The opening 10-man Survivors match, whilst unannounced and feeling like filler, is enjoyable and contains some nice spots, all of which make it a fine way to start proceedings (although it demonstrates how far Rey Mysterio's star has fallen since his return from a long lay-off in July). Eve Torres vs. Kaitlyn is superior to typical Divas Title matches in recent times, whilst Antonio Cesaro vs. R-Truth really does exist solely to fill PPV time.

Big Show vs. Sheamus isn't as good as their corker at Hell In A Cell, but it is still a strong effort by both men, and despite the frustrating finish for a card of this significance (it's the third year in a row that the World Heavyweight Championship match at Survivor Series doesn't have a proper ending), the post-match scenes at least keep the crowd engaged and distract them from the fact that this was only a bridge to extend the feud between Show and Sheamus. The following Survivors match pitting Team Foley (although Mick is only a manager) against Team Ziggler is rather entertaining, but since this was originally meant to see CM Punk captain the heel squad, one wonders why the match really has reason to happen. It does see Dolph Ziggler achieve a major moment in his career, though.

The main event between CM Punk, John Cena and Ryback for the WWE Title is no better or worse than any three-way that you're likely to see, despite it being arguably the strongest match that WWE can present involving its full-time stars at present. What makes this match stand out is the arrival of Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose (since named The Shield), who make a huge impact in their WWE main roster debuts. If their fortunes since then have told us anything, it's that the trio represent the future of the company, and so this could one day be looked at with the same fondness as Survivors debuts for the likes of Rocky Maivia, Kurt Angle and The Undertaker.

That being said, their run-in is not enough to justify the purchase of this DVD, since on the whole it's an insignificant chapter in the history of Survivor Series. There's some good action for sure, but on the whole, the show (which, by the way, makes an error with its match listing on the back cover; see if you can spot it if you pick up a copy) is one that only die-hard fans and collectors will be interested in reliving. An entertaining show, but by no means WWE's best of the year.

Overall Rating: 6.5/10 - Okay

TLC 2012

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 169 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: March 25 2013

TLC 2012 could end up being remembered as one of the most significant events of its kind in the years to come, as it featured a stunning debut for three men who could one day rule the roost, so to speak, in WWE. If that isn't a recommendation for the DVD of this show, I don't know what is, but I will elaborate nonetheless.

The action kicks off with a fun Tag Team Tables match pitting Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara against Team Rhodes Scholars, which has a sweet-looking finish. The next two matches are standard fare, with Antonio Cesaro facing R-Truth again and Kofi Kingston battling Wade Barrett once more (the latter is the best of the two bouts). The event really turns around, though, with an incredible TLC Match pitting the new group of The Shield against Team Hell No and Ryback. What initially seemed like a basic substitute for the planned TLC scrap between Ryback and CM Punk (Punk's knee injury put paid to that, although he does appear on this card to cut a promo from the stands) ends up being an absolutely stunning brawl with loads of memorable spots (some of which appear to be extremely painful), and which puts over the new unit of Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose in superb fashion.

Eve Torres vs. Naomi was never going to be able to follow that, but it is decent nonetheless, and Big Show vs. Sheamus under Chairs rules is another surprisingly good battle between the two, even if the result is a head-scratcher. An impromptu six-man tag serves the multi-purpose of giving 3MB some Pay-Per-View exposure, turning Alberto Del Rio babyface, solidifying The Miz's own face turn, and bringing back The Brooklyn Brawler for one night. It's totally skippable, but the Brooklyn crowd (which were mostly hot all night) do give it a respectable response. Lastly, John Cena and Dolph Ziggler graft in their Ladder match for Ziggler's Money In The Bank briefcase, but it feels unnecessary and should have been earlier on the card, allowing the TLC match to main event, erm, TLC. The finish is a surprise (and a welcome one, judging by the crowd reaction), but it still doesn't feel like a worthy headline attraction.

Nevertheless, TLC is one of WWE's top shows of the year (not for the first time), boasting a Match Of The Year contender along with strong support elsewhere on the card. Even if you don't usually buy PPV events on DVD, I would suggest that you add TLC 2012 to your collection to witness the phenomenal debut match - maybe the best "first match" for anyone on the main roster in WWE history - of The Shield.

Overall Rating: 8/10 - Very Good

Royal Rumble 2013

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 169 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: April 15 2013

Kicking off the year in WWE on PPV, Royal Rumble delivered a memorable main event with an outcome that seemed inconceivable just a short time ago, and some decent action elsewhere which makes for a fun DVD to watch.

The opening Last Man Standing match between Alberto Del Rio and Big Show is perhaps slightly inferior to their previous LMS meeting on SmackDown a few weeks earlier, but it's still entertaining nonetheless. Team Hell No vs. Team Rhodes Scholars is okay, and we then jump ahead to the Royal Rumble match itself. It's not the best Rumble by any means, but it does deliver some nice surprises and is overall superior to the 2012 effort.

Whether you appreciate CM Punk vs. The Rock depends on you as a fan, really. Some will understand that the match itself and its outcome were sensible, business-wise. Others will cry foul that Punk's historic 434-day reign gets - well - Rocked, so to speak, due to his part-time status. Assuming that you just take it for what it is, Punk vs. Rock is enjoyable and has a pretty dramatic finale, and is a historic and star-studded attraction after all. Also included is the pre-show match, pitting Antonio Cesaro against The Miz.

To be fair, most fans will get the DVD of Royal Rumble anywa, due to its legacy and its rich history. That being said, the 2013 edition should definitely entertain you, and similar to the match of the same name, it is an improvement on what we saw in 2012.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10 - Good