Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

WWE: SummerSlam 2012 Blu-ray Movie Review

Should WWE fans slam this title into their wrestling home video collections?

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 30, 2012

A Storm is brewing.

SummerSlam may not be the WWE's premiere Pay Per View event -- it does't have the wide appeal and name recognition of WrestleMania, the glamour of Royal Rumbe, the fierceness of Hell in a Cell, or the sheer entertainment value of Tables, Ladders, and Chairs (note that the WWE has yet to release a full TLC event on Blu-ray), but then again, any event that assembles this much sports entertainment talent is worthy of an extra-cable event, some added glitz and shine and stars aligned for an evening of A-grade professional wrestling action. 2012's version of SummerSlam marks the event's 25th anniversary, no small feat and a staying power that places it right up there in terms of longevity with WrestleMania, that showcase event marking its 28th year on the annual WWE circuit back in April. In the WWE, good things tend to hang around, and even if 2012's SummerSlam isn't the definitive Pay-Per-View or even the year's one must-see WWE event, it's packed with great wrestlers and several classic matches that are guaranteed to satisfy fans, whether those watching all over again or audiences checking it out for the first time for a price that's more attractive than the exorbitant cost of the average WWE pay-per-view.

Bright lights, big body.

SummerSlam 2012's event took place in Los Angeles, California on August 19, 2012. The event begins with a Chris Jericho/Dolph Ziggler match that works through a feud storyline carrying over from Ziggler's Money in the Bank victory. Kane and Daniel Bryan battle in match two in a storyline progressing forward from Bryan's failed marriage to RAW General Manager AJ Lee and their subsequent spat. The Miz and Rey Mysterio battle for the Intercontinental Title in the evening's third match, followed by the rescheduled World Heavyweight Title fight between Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio. Kofi Kingston, R-Truth, and the Prime Time Players battle for the WWE Tag Team title in event's fifth match. WWE legends John Cena, CM Punk, and Big Show square off for the WWE Championship in a Triple Threat match in the contest proceeding the evening's top-billed match. The main event sees Brock Lesnar square off against Triple H in an effort to settle a longstanding feud dating back to April and beginning with Lesnar's contract negotiations and playing on through the summer in classic tit-for-tat fashion. Dubbed "The Perfect Storm," the match features two of the WWE's fiercest, biggest competitors in one of the most talked-about showdowns of the year -- perhaps behind only The Rock vs. John Cena -- and one of the premiere in-ring battles of 2012.

Certainly, it's not the WWE's most memorable event ever, but there are some high quality matches -- though perhaps none that stand apart as particularly memorable in the long run -- and a magnificent talent roster on display that make SummerSlam 2012 an event worth watching. That the evening begins with a Chris Jericho-Dolph Ziggler match speaks volumes to the insane amount of talent that appears in the later matches. The WWE's Blu-ray is as straightforward as they come. It's nothing more than a home video reproduction of the PPV event, and once again it's the supplements that truly help weave together the narrative. This package offers half a dozen clips from the RAW episode preceding SummerSlam (it might have made more sense to just include the episode in its entirety) and one highlight from the SmackDown airing the Friday before. Unfortunately, the collection fails to include aftermath footage from the RAW and SmackDown episodes that followed SummerSlam, but all told this is a well-rounded, if not fairly simple, Blu-ray presentation that should please fans either reliving the event or watching it for the first time.

SummerSlam 2012 Matches Include:

• SummerSlam Match: Chris Jericho vs. Dolph Ziggler.
• SummerSlam Match: Kane vs. Daniel Bryan
• Intercontinental Championship Match: The Miz vs. Rey Mysterio.
• World Heavyweight Championship Match: Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio
• WWE Tag Team Championship Match: Kofi Kingston & R-Truth vs. The Prime Time Players.
• Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship: CM Punk vs. John Cena vs. Big Show.
• The Perfect Storm: Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar.

WWE: SummerSlam 2012 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

SummerSlam 2012 arrives on Blu-ray with a sturdy and attractive high definition transfer. The 1.78:1-framed image offers a wonderful barrage of colors. The digital signage, big screens, and wrestler attire offer a myriad of shades -- orange, blue, red, green -- that dazzle with their brilliance and accuracy. Fine detail is quite good, too. Close-ups reveal intimate facial details, right down to every last pore, hair, and bead of sweat. General clarity allows sharp and accurate images all around, whether front-and-center action or back into the many rows of fans. Graphics are sharp, though the image gets a bit unstable when close-up shots of people in front of large digital signage are on display. Skin tones are even, and black levels are solid. The image does suffer through some rather heavy bouts of background blocking, notably across some darker backdrops, but the general image is stable and clear. This image is typical of the average new release from WWE.

WWE: SummerSlam 2012 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

SummerSlam 2012 pounds out the WWE-standard Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. The presentation is mild but adequate. It enjoys a fair front-side presence, dominated by Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler ringside commentary and play-by-play. Ringside announcing and backstage dialogue alike play cleanly and evenly with no clarity issues of note. Music is suitably energetic when present, nicely spaced across the front and finding acceptable clarity through the entire range. Crowd noise remains primarily focused up the front but does lightly spread around to the backs. Listeners will never feel completely wrapped up in the moment and part of the live crowd, but the sound is at least present and accounted for. Typical WWE sound effects, such as wrestlers crashing onto the mat, play with a good, balanced presence that does a fair job of bringing the general sonic sensation of the matches home. The WWE has also included the Spanish announce table track, presented in LPCM 2.0.

WWE: SummerSlam 2012 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc Blu-ray release of SummerSlam 2012 contains the following extras:

Home Video Exclusive:

• Matt Striker Interviews Alberto Del Rio (HD, 0:42): SummerSlam -- August 19, 2012.

Blu-ray Exclusives:

• CM Punk vs. Big Show (HD, 11:27): RAW -- August 13, 2012.
• Piper's Pit with Guest Chris Jericho (HD, 10:42): RAW -- August 13, 2012.
• The Miz vs. Chris Jericho vs. Dolph Ziggler (HD, 12:39): RAW -- August 13, 2012.
• Big Show & Daniel Bryan vs. CM Punk & John Cena (HD, 19:09): RAW -- August 13, 2012.
• Triple H & Brock Lesnar Contract Signing (HD, 11:41): RAW -- August 13, 2012.
• Shawn Michaels Shows His Support for Triple H (HD, 8:03): RAW -- August 13, 2012.
• Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan (HD, 14:46): Smackdown -- August 17, 2012.

WWE: SummerSlam 2012 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

SummerSlam 2012 won't be remembered as the WWE's premiere pay-per-view event of the year, but it's a rock-solid entertainer that assembles a fantastic roster that turns in one great match after another. The story lines are fine but not particularly memorable -- nothing will go down in the annals of professional wrestling as all-time classic dramas -- but fans will get their money's worth and more with each contest, and the main event between Brock Lesnar and Triple H lives up to its billing. The supplements weave together a fairly complete story of 2012's edition of SummerSlam, though certainly some aftermath highlights would have been welcome. WWE's Blu-ray release of SummerSlam 2012 features fine video and audio. Recommended.