6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the man behind the black and white face paint with Sting: Into the Light. Go into the mind of "The Vigilante" himself as he reflects on his historic career in sports entertainment and prepares to compete in a WWE ring for the first time ever on The Grandest Stage of Them All at WrestleMania. Hear from his greatest allies and rivals, relive his greatest matches as "The Franchise of WCW" and see "The Man Called Sting" finally emerge from the shadows and into the light.
Starring: Steve Borden, Hulk Hogan, Paul Levesque, Jim Hellwig, Paul WightSport | 100% |
Documentary | 20% |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080i
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1, 1.33:1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English SDH
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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