Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

WWE: Rock vs. Cena - Once in a Lifetime Blu-ray Movie Review

Get well, King.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 18, 2012

It's a match that we never through we would get to see.

If there's an outfit that's proven to be the master of hype, brand marketing, and star promotion, it's World Wrestling Entertainment. The WWE is all about its larger-than-life stars, extravagant spectacle, and giving fans the best bang for their buck, whether at a random Monday Night RAW or Friday Night Smackdown or at the latest WrestleMania, under the brightest lights and in the presence of the biggest stars and most anticipated match-ups all under one roof, or sky, as the case once or twice may have been. In fact, it's that "twice" that concerns Once in a Lifetime, the behind-the-scenes story of the most anticipated matchup from WrestleMania XXVIII's main event from Miami's Sun Life Stadium on April 1, 2012. The Rock-John Cena match might rank as the most hotly-anticipated wrestling event in history. Promoted for a year and pitting the once-retired face of the WWE against its biggest current superstar and arguably its most divisive now or at any point in the past few decades, the event didn't disappoint, not that WWE fans ever thought it might. Once in a Lifetime is the story of the highly entertaining lead-up to that event, seen through the eyes of both combatants and some of the biggest names across the modern wrestling landscape.

It's a date.

The Rock. John Cena. WrestleMania. Need more be said? WWE fans recognize the scope and historical significance of this clash of legends, and to be sure, the wrestlers themselves understand its scale and place in history. On March 14, 2004, The Rock wrestled his last in the WWE, ditching the bright lights of Monday nights in favor of the allure of Hollywood. At the same time, a young wrestler named John Cena slowly worked his way up the charts, emerging as a successor of sorts to The Rock, filling in the void left behind and elevating into the stratosphere of WWE stardom. It would be years later -- on February 14, 2011 -- before The Rock would make his return to professional wrestling and, soon thereafter, it was announced that he and Cena would clash at WrestleMania XXVIII. The buildup lasted a year, time filled in by a war of words that seemed to escalate with every new WWE program. In-ring feuding, Twitter battles, and every name and accusation under the sun were hurled from one superstar to the other at a pace so dizzying only the speed of the ultramodern WWE Universe could keep up. This short film chronicles The Rock's return and looks in-depth at the events leading up to the most anticipated WrestleMania in history. As viewers will see, it was truly a once in a lifetime proposition -- unless the two go at it again someday.

Once in a Lifetime isn't really the story of The Rock and John Cena at WrestleMania but rather the story leading up to WreslteMania. The forty-five minute main feature found on disc one offers a good narrative overview of the yearlong journey, with wrestler biographies woven into the tale of the two men's clashes before the big match. However, this set is largely all about its extras. The main program is fine -- it offers interviews with WWE personalities like Chris Jericho, Sheamus, David Otunga, Triple H, The Miz, Jerry Lawler, and CM Punk sharing their thoughts on the combatants and their stories -- but it's really a shortened highlight compared to the host of "extras" spread across both discs. Fans will want to buy this set in order to relive -- or experience for the first time -- the Rock-Cena feud, to see all of the buildup largely in its entirety. The extras offer plenty of RAW clips and other crucial moments and match excerpts that tell the one-year story of what might be the best build-up ever for a WrestleMania event. There are already focused John Cena and The Rock Documentaries on Blu-ray for those only wanting to understand the personalities more intimately. For the completist, however, or for a detailed look at the newest chapter in each superstar's career, there's no better one-stop-shop release for all things Rock-Cena than Once in a Lifetime.

WWE: Rock vs. Cena - Once in a Lifetime Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Once in a Lifetime: The Rock vs John Cena features a high quality 1.78:1-framed high definition transfer. For the first time in a few releases, there's only a scant amount of SD footage in the set, primarily brief clips from The Rock's 1990s career and Cena's early years. It's been reformatted to fit a 1.78:1 display, as is normally the case with older footage inserted into WWE narrative pieces. Otherwise, it's all HD goodness, and the image largely doesn't disappoint. The RAW clips truly sparkle. There's breathtaking detail evident on skin textures, sweat, and attire. The Rock's tattoo comes through vividly, displaying all its intricacies in several shots with splendid clarity. Colors are bright and bold, particularly Cena's various T-shirts that show off shades of purple, orange, and blue. Some of the interview footage and shots in "uncontrolled" environments out of the wrestling ring can look a little soft and hazy while yielding slightly less brilliant coloring. Minor banding and artifacts are visible in spots, but not to any intrusive extent. Black levels are fine, as are flesh tones. Fans familiar with the latest WWE HD video Blu-ray presentations know what to expect here, and newcomers to the WWE high definition home video universe will be very satisfied with what they see.

WWE: Rock vs. Cena - Once in a Lifetime Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Once in a Lifetime: The Rock vs John Cena arrives on Blu-ray with the typical WWE Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. As usual, it's effective but largely unremarkable. Dialogue is the name of the game, for the most part, and every syllable comes through clearly, whether in the wrestling ring, out on the street, at events, or in sit-downs with WWE figures discussing Cena and The Rock. Music enjoys acceptable clarity and fine front-side spacing. It's a bit lower in volume, at times, than listeners might expect. Some crowd noise nicely envelops the listener, though like the music it seems to play below what one might expect from a high-energy wrestling crowd. That's pretty much it. The track is fluid and handles all of its elements well enough. It won't set the world on fire, but casual listeners should be happy with the results.

WWE: Rock vs. Cena - Once in a Lifetime Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Once in a Lifetime: The Rock vs John Cena contains all of the following billed as "extras," but in truth they represent this package's main attraction.

Disc One:

• First Class (HD, 1:34): Big Show recounts sharing a flight with The Rock while still a WWE newcomer.
• Tiger Pride (HD, 1:50): The Rock makes a return visit to his Hawaii high school.
• World's Most Famous Arena (HD, 1:20): The Rock shares his thoughts on the importance of New York and Madison Square Garden in his life and career.
• A Funny Person (HD, 1:21): Triple H offers a few thoughts on The Rock's ring presence and natural abilities as an entertainer.
• Comedy Translates (HD, 1:10): The Rock discusses Comedy from high above Mexico City and finishes with a message for John Cena.
• Flat On My Face (HD, 2:41): The Rock discusses the importance of failure in his career.
• Singing (HD, 2:17): The Rock discusses the importance of song in his family and ends with a rendition of the tune he sang at his grandmother's funeral.
• Tonight Show (HD, 1:12): The Rock discusses his appearances on Jay Leno's show and his friendship with the host.
• Merry Christmas (HD, 1:18): Big Show discusses John Cena's role in the gifting of a classic automobile.
• Getting Dad Involved (HD, 0:43): John Cena remembers shared moments with his father.
• Giving Back (HD, 0:38): Cena friend Rob MacIntyre briefly discuss Cena giving so much back to the WWE.
• Unpredictable (HD, 2:31): John Cena discusses his role in the WWE, its unpredictability, getting booed, and more.
• Tickets (HD, 0:55): John Cena's brother Matt remembers a fortuitous encounter with The Rock.
• Clash (HD, 0:54): John Cena offers some insight into his match with The Rock.
• Secret Recipe (HD, 1:59): John Cena fields some questions from a few younger fans.
• RAW Moment (HD, 21:46): The Rock Returns to RAW. RAW -- February 14, 2011.
• RAW Moment (HD, 5:25): John Cena Responds to The Rock. RAW -- February 21, 2011.
• RAW Moment (HD, 9:04): The Rock Confronts "John Cena" at His Home. RAW -- March 14, 2011.
• RAW Moment (HD, 20:44): John Cena Adjusts The Rock's Attitude. RAW -- March 28, 2011.
• WrestleMania Moment (HD, 11:52): The Rock Welcomes the WWE Universe. WrestleMania XXVII -- April 3, 2011.
• WWE Championship Match (HD, 9:56): The Miz vs. John Cena. WrestleMania XXVII -- April 3, 2011. Note that this is NOT the entire match but rather its final minutes.
• RAW Moment (HD, 18:18): Save the Date: The Rock vs. John Cena. RAW -- April 4, 2011.
• RAW Moment (HD, 20:36): John Cena: This is Your Life. RAW -- November 11, 2011.
• RAW Moment (HD, 19:34): Boots to Asses. RAW -- November 11, 2011.
• Never Before, Never Again (HD, 32:49): The Rock & John Cena vs. The Miz & R-Truth. Survivor Series -- November 20, 2011.

Disc Two:

The following matches and moments are presented in high definition and run a combined 2:41:55.

• RAW Moment: John Cena Calls Out Dwayne Johnson. RAW -- February 20, 2012.
• RAW Moment: The Rock & John Cena Face-to-Face. RAW -- February 27, 2012.
• RAW Moment: The Rock's History Lesson #1. RAW -- March 5, 2012.
• RAW Moment: John Cena Returns Home. RAW -- March 5, 2012.
• RAW Moment: The Rock's History Lesson #2. RAW -- March 5, 2012.
• RAW Moment: The Rock's History Lesson #3. RAW -- March 5, 2012.
• RAW Moment: The Rock & John Cena Live in Boston. RAW -- March 5, 2012.
• RAW Moment: The Return of Thuganomics. RAW -- March 12, 2012.
• RAW Moment: Rock Concert. RAW -- March 12, 2012.
• RAW Moment: The Final Confrontation. RAW -- March 26, 2012.
• WrestleMania Moment: WrestleMania XXVIII Press Conference. Miami -- March 28, 2012.
• Once In a Lifetime: The Rock vs. John Cena. WrestleMania XXVIII -- April 1, 2012.

Disc Two Blu-ray Exclusives:

• Typewriter (HD, 1:05): The Rock remembers making use of an old, heavy typewriter to gauge his strength.
• A Dozen Eggs (HD, 0:46): The Rock tells a story of throwing eggs at lines of moviegoers.
• Hungry? (HD, 2:32): The Rock recalls his daily theft of a Snicker's Bar.
• Blaisdell Center (HD, 1:24): The Rock recounts the importance of local events and discusses the true fabric of professional wrestling.
• Instant Gratification (HD, 1:11): The Rock discusses his enjoyment of social media.
• Billboard (HD, 0:32): The Rock recalls the first time he saw himself on a billboard in Times Square.
• Electrifying Mexico City (HD, 1:44): The Rock greets fans.
• Evicted (HD, 1:41): The Rock remembers his family's eviction from his home when he was fourteen years old and how it shaped his future.
• Tattoo (HD, 2:18): The Rock shares the story of his massive left arm and shoulder tattoo.
• The Kidman Spot (HD, 2:47): John Cena, Hornswoggle, and others tell jokes.
• Enjoying the Moment (HD, 0:46): John Cena discusses the importance of seizing the moment.
• Tribute to the Troops (HD, 1:41): John Cena's mother Carol discusses her son's visits to troops serving overseas.
• "U Can't See Me" (HD, 0:38): John Cena discusses the origins of his famous slogan.
• Grilled Cheese (HD, 1:01): John Cena and his mother remember serving grilled cheese sandwiches to John and his friends.
• Bad Advice (HD, 0:31): John Cena remembers taking William Regal's bad wardrobe advice.
• Rise Above Hate (HD, 2:09): John Cena speaks on his role in the WWE's anti-bullying campaign and shows off his "Rise Above Hate" attire.
• Film Cut -- Once In a Lifetime (HD, 41:01): The Rock vs. John Cena. WrestleMania XXVIII -- April 1, 2012. The wrestling match presented from film stock rather than the broadcast HD video.
• RAW Moment (HD, 14:51): The Rock Comments on His WrestleMania Match. RAW -- April 2, 2012.
• RAW Moment (HD, 8:33): John Cena Comments on His WrestleMania Match. RAW -- April 2, 2012.

WWE: Rock vs. Cena - Once in a Lifetime Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Once in a Lifetime: The Rock vs John Cena is a must-own for all WWE fans. It expands greatly beyond the WrestleMania clash itself, which is but a backdrop for what is an equally compelling journey towards a classic moment in WWE history. The main program is disappointingly short at well under an hour in length, but it's a high quality supplement to the main attraction of this collection, which is all things John Cena and The Rock as they pertain to the year-long buildup to their one-night showdown. Fans who expect mostly RAW excerpts will appreciate the value inherent to this collection. As usual, the video and audio qualities are just fine. Recommended, and here's wishing a speedy, full recovery for Jerry Lawler.