SummerSlam 2002
DVD Review
[3/15/03]


This is a extremely good card with quite a few DVD extras...

Remember when both PPV and wrestler themes were in-house productions? Did we hear a Dio version of Ted DiBiase's theme? Did we hear a Bruce Springsteen re-make of "Real American"? No! And on those same lines, the old PPV themes were much better than the depressing themes of late. The SummerSlam theme is no different. Plus, everytime you enter the Main Menu, it kicks in.

With that small annoyance vented, on to the card...

--Rey Mysterio vs Kurt Angle: Best match of the show ... amazing with Angle winning via submission.

--Ric Flair vs. Chris Jericho: Another good match. Flair came out to his old "Real World Champion" theme. This was odd considering but a nice nod to the good ole days ... that is, if it was done deliberately and not because someone lost the theme from 2001. Flair gets the submission win with the figure four.

Edge vs. Eddy Guerrero: This match should have been much better than it was. With some botched and slow spots, this match failed to live up to the expectations. Edge wins with a spear.

--Lance Storm & Christian vs. Goldust & Booker T.: You know there are too many title changes when you forget that Storm and Christian were tag champs. This match also features the forgotten Un-Americans gimmick. A good, solid, old school match ... the champs retain when Booker gets pinned after Test runs in.

--RVD vs. Chris Benoit: RVD beats Benoit for the defunct I-C belt ... a great match, second only to Mysterio-Angle. The finish was somewhat anti-climatic...

--Undertaker vs. Test: The return of the seldom seen tombstone finishes off Test for the victory. This match was slow and kind of boring. If there is a "worst match" on this card, we have it here.

--Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H: Surprisingly, this match was really good as well. A tad too long--way too long--but surprisingly decent. Shawn wins, setting up the sledgehammer attack by Hunter.

--Trish Stratus and Lillian Garcia Kick Howard Finkel "where it hurts": For those of you wondering ... yes, the WWE has Howard Finkel's name trademarked. Probably the biggest question here is WHY? Anyway ... this ends the brief feud between Lillian and Howard ending with the gals double-teaming Finkel with a low-blow. Note to the WWE ... Finkel is not a character and should not be portrayed as such. Bad, bad acting by Howard.

--The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar: A strong tie with Benoit-RVD for 2nd best match. Lesnar has certainly improved hundred-fold. The crowd was solidly behind Lesnar (the heel) with multiple chants and a monster pop when he wins the match. A great finish as well ... Brock wins with the F-5...

DVD Extras...

--Post-match interviews with Angle, Booker & Goldust, Eddy, RVD and Lesnar. The interviews probably last 20 seconds each. Not a big deal...

--Training videos of both The Rock and Lesnar ... these were well pit together and cool to see again.

--The "HBK" Story along with a promo on the F-5.

--The Trish Stratus SummerSlam commercial...

--Making of the SummerSlam commercial (from Confidential)

--Sunday Night Heat interview with Angle

--Michaels in Byte This!

--Brock vs. Hollywood Hogan from Smackdown ... this was the best of the extras as bonus matches are always nice, especially for those of us who still do not get UPN.

The quality on this DVD is--of course--fantastic. The bonuses, aside from Hogan-Lesnar and the videos, aren't spectacular and could have been better. What about a flashback match from a previous SummerSlam? The matches themselves, however, are all very watchable and enjoyable ... how often do you hear that?







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