Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

WWE Sting - Into the Light Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 20, 2016

WWE Home Video previously released a Sting match compilation that offered a quality assortment of key matches and moments from the legendary sports entertainer's storied career, mainly in the rival WCW. Vintage matches all in one place is nice, but fans rightly wanted more. Sting: Into the Light is that "more," the release that probably should have just been combined with the previous as a one-stop shop for all things Sting. It would have saved a little shelf space, kept a few dollars in fans' pockets, and felt a little more honest rather than releasing two videos about the same subject only a year or so apart. This release adds a 75-minute documentary that explores Sting's career, alongside about two dozen more matches and moments exclusive to this two-disc set.

Illuminated.

Framed around Sting's long-anticipated -- publicly and, for him, personally -- debut in the WWE, the film looks back on his life and career. Sting goes back home to see his parents where he relives key moments of his youth, primarily his sporting career and the influence his basketball days had on his wrestling career. It looks at the origins of his bodybuilding career and early days in professional wrestling, days in which he skirted by on his size alone. But the wrestler would evolve, from unskilled muscleman to raw wrestler and from fan favorite to sports entertainment legend. The film examines key moments throughout his longtime WCW career, rise in stardom, in-ring persona transformation, consistent personal life values, and some of the behind-the-scenes details of his arrival in the WWE, including his debut at Survivor Series and hotly anticipated match with Triple H at WreslteMania.

Sting: Into the Light never quite finds the triumphant tone of a hero's debut or the emotional resonance found in other WWE biopics, but it's a solid, engaging, and, even as the title suggests, enlightening look at a storied wrestler. It is in many ways reflective of its subject. It's straightforward but a little mysterious, honest, and very good at what it does. While the film follows, mostly, Sting's in-ring exploits, popularity within the WCW (and later WWE) fan base, and career story arc, it rightly spends time looking at the gentle and humble man of faith who lives outside of it. The movie's best moments follow Sting in his home or in interviews with those who know him best outside of the ring, including his parents, his brother, his son, and his (then girlfriend) wife. There aren't many revelations to be found, but as a sincere and well-defined look back on a storied career and told in an agreeably paced fashion, the movie satisfies on all fronts and is a must for all wrestling fans and Sting's biggest admirers in particular.

WWE Sting - Into the Light Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Sting: Into the Light's 1080i presentation comes framed at 1.78:1, perfectly presenting new material but reformatting older match and moment highlights to fit the new screen dimension standard. The image suffers from some uneven contrast, occasionally heavy macroblocking, and severe source noise during a scene inside Sting's trailer late in the feature. Otherwise, almost all is good. Static interview clips show good detail but flesh tones can vary wildly, particularly when looking at a very red-faced Ric Flair. Colors are otherwise strong, whether the sleek WWE corporate offices or a few warmer and more homely locations. Facial textures are intimately complex, and a shot of Sting applying his face paint reveals fine paint definition. Some of the best visual elements come in Sting's "storage barn" where he keeps old costumes, posters, and his motorcycle collection. Black levels hold relatively true, noted particularly during Sting's debut introduction in the WWE. It's certainly not reference grade video, but it satisfies requirements and holds steady with WWE Home Video's general output quality.

WWE Sting - Into the Light Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Sting: Into the Light features the effective but nuts-and-bolts Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack that's the standard for WWE Home Video. Musical clarity is fine and spacing across the front satisfies. The rear channels carry just enough to keep the listener feeling in the middle, but never like the backs are trying to supplant the fronts. Most supporting sound effects emanate across the front, no surprise given the Documentary approach. Dialogue delivery is clear and lifelike, with an exception being a few lines in the film's first minutes when Sting talks from the back of a moving SUV. There, the spoken word comes across as tinny and hollow rather than rich and accurate.

WWE Sting - Into the Light Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Sting: Into the Light contains "stories" and "matches on both Blu-ry discs. On disc one, they're all lumped together under the "chapters" menu option, so skipping to the right one requires maneuvering through all of the main movie chapters first. Individual runtimes are not available; everything plays under the same 4:02:49 disc one runtime. Disc two features additional matches under the "chapters" tab (3:01:14 total runtime) and several more (including two moments) under the "Blu-ray Exclusives" tab (each of these play with individual runtimes). Below is a breakdown of what's included. All extras are presented in 1080i high definition and, unlike the feature film, matches are presented in their original aspect ratios.

Disc One:

• Stories: These are essentially "deleted scenes" from the main feature that further flesh out the subject. Included are Talker, Inner Circle, Hulk-a-Bear, Getting Chased at the Mall, WCW SuperBrawl '91, SharpDeathShootingLock?, Rappelling, Shake, IGN Visit, Behind the Scenes: ID Shoot, Preacher, and WrestleMania 31 Axxess.
• Career Match: Freedom Fighters vs. David Johnson & The Invader. Memphis Wrestling -- November 1985.
• Career Match: Blade Runners vs. Tracy Smothers & Ricky Gibson. Mid-South Wrestling -- March 2, 1986.
• UWF Tag Team Championship Match: Sting & Rick Steiner vs. Brad Armstrong & Tim Horner. Universal Wrestling Federation -- May 29, 1987.
• NWA World Heavyweight Championship Match: Sting vs. Ric Flair. NWA Clash of the Champions -- March 27, 1988.
• Career Match: Sting vs. Great Muta. WCW Japan Supershow -- April 1991.
• WCW World Tag Team Championship Match: Sting & Lex Luger vs. The Steiner Brothers. WCW SuperBrawl -- May 19, 1991.
• Submit or Surrender Match: Sting vs. Cactus Jack. WCW WorldWide -- November 1991.

Disc Two:

• King of Cable Tournament Match: Sting vs. "Ravishing" Rick Rude. WCW Clash of the Champions XXI -- November 18, 1992.
• WCW International World Heavyweight Championship Match: Sting vs. Vader. WCW Slamboree -- May 22, 1994.
• Career Match: Sting vs. Stunning Steve Austin. WCW Saturday Night -- April 8, 1995.
• Career Match: Sting vs. Hulk Hogan. WCW Nitro -- November 20, 1995.
• Winner Gets Both WCW Tag Team Championship Titles: Sting vs. The Giant. WCW Great American Bash -- June 14, 1998.
• WCW World Heavyweight Championship Match: Sting vs. Goldberg. WCW Nitro -- September 14, 1998.
• WCW World Heavyweight Championship Match: Sting vs. Diamond Dallas Page. WCW Nitro -- April 26, 1999.
• WCW World Heavyweight Championship Match: Sting vs. Bret Hart. WCW Nitro -- October 18, 1999.
• Career Moment: Sting's WWE Debut. WWE Survivor Series -- November 23, 2014.
• Career Match: Sting vs. Triple H. WrestleMania 31 -- March 29, 2015.

Disc Two Blu-ray Exclusives:

• NWA World Tag Team Championship Match: Sting & "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes vs. Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard. NWA Clash of the Champions -- June 8, 1988.
• King of Cable Tournament Match: Sting vs. Flyin' Brian Pillman. WCW Saturday Night -- November 7, 1992.
• Career Match: Sting vs. Scott Steiner. WCW Nitro -- May 27, 1996.
• US Championship Tournament Match: Sting vs. Booker. WCW Spring Stampede -- April 16, 2000.
• Career Moment: Triple H & Sting: Face to Face Confrontation. WWE FastLane -- February 22, 2015.
• Career Moment: Sting Speaks! RAW -- March 23, 2015.

WWE Sting - Into the Light Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Sting: Into the Light doesn't break new ground for the standard-fare WWE Home Video assemblage, shatter any illusions of its star, or portray him in a completely new light, but it's a compelling entry centered on a star who is just as likable outside the ring as in, even as he's a completely different individual on either side of the ropes. The movie is well done in all areas of concern, the only drawback being the need to buy two packages for what should have been one Sting retrospective and match compilation set. Still, fans can't go wrong. Video and audio are fine by WWE Home Video standards, and a heathy allotment of extra content in the form of deleted scenes and matches are included. Recommended.