7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
John Cena is the face of the WWE, its most popular star and a crossover sensation. So what is it like to be "The Prototype"?
Starring: John Cena, Steve Austin (IV), Paul Levesque, Vince McMahon, Mark CalawaySport | 100% |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080i
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
None
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The John Cena Experience isn't The John Cena Life and Career. It's not a classic retrospective Documentary in the same category as the excellent features covering the lives and careers of wrestling superstars like Mankind, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and The Rock, but it does in some ways feel like one. While it's not a linear story of birth, formative years, early career, dominance, and life post-wrestling, it does paint a vivid, rather complete picture of a man by way of a series of highlights that define his life, a life in which his clashes in the square ring are but a small portion of his greater existence. From charity work to workouts, from signing autographs to singing songs, the superstar's days are so packed it's a wonder he has time to think about wrestling, let alone perform at the highest level in the world. Yet if it wasn't for his skill in the ring, none of the other things would be occupying his time. It's a beautiful circle of completeness, one that allows Cena to find success and give back to the people who see in him a hero, not simply a champion wrestler but a caring individual whose smile is worth more than a slam, whose generosity is more valuable than his gigantic stage presence.
Everyday.
The John Cena Experience arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080i, 1.78:1-framed transfer that's largely typical of a WWE HD presentation. Generally, colors are lively, detailed, and well defined. Cena's bright orange and blue attire nicely stands apart from some dull gray-heavy backdrops on a cargo plane and against the earthy Iraq terrain. An explosion of hues appear balanced and accurate in several additional locales, including the Fiesta Bowl parade and the 7-11 store seen later in the film. Black levels are never too problematic, and neither are flesh tones. The image produces a nice bit of fine texturing, from Cena's facial features to the stitching in his ball cap. Military uniforms are crisp, and background details in that same 7-11 store appear effortlessly defined. There are moments when the image takes on a rather flat appearance, indicative of an HD video source that's not quite up to par with the best the format has to offer. Light noise dots some darker backdrops, and minor compression artifacts are occasionally visible. Overall, this is a solid Blu-ray image, not the best either the format has seen or the WWE has produced, but wrestling fans should be satisfied with the effort.
The John Cena Experience features the WWE standard-issue Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. Frankly, it's a bit dull and flat, rarely flexing even its rather diminutive muscles. It does produce a nice little bit of surround support in the opening music in addition to decent front-end space and adequate clarity, but music seems always in the background and never much exploding out of the speakers. Supportive sound effects are adequately presented; gunfire in a trip to a shooting range pops nicely enough, but not to any sort of ear-splitting realistic level. The soundstage opens up a bit more during the boisterous Fiesta Bowl parade segment, with a livelier volume and more activity. Otherwise, the track proves largely straightforward and lacking much in the way of legitimate vigor and presence. Dialogue does play clearly and consistently from the center channel.
The John Cena Experience contains the following bonus matches on discs one and two and several additional supplements on disc two.
Disc One Matches:
The John Cena Experience may not be the definitive John Cena Documentary -- that will undoubtedly come when the megastar hangs 'em up somewhere down the line (and hopefully not for a long time) -- but it's a terrific, albeit condensed, glimpse into his life, a life which is more about his work outside the ring than it is about his time inside of it. It's frequently fun and genuinely heartfelt; Cena's contributions to charity work and time with the troops are invaluable to the recipients and obviously necessary for his soul. After watching, Cena fans will become bigger fans, and even those who dislike his ring persona will undoubtedly fall in love with who he is in the real world. This is an excellent Cena film that needs to be in every WWE collection and that should tide fans over who are eagerly awaiting the bigger retrospective. WWE Home Video's Blu-ray release of The John Cena Experience delivers quality video and audio to go alongside a nice selection of bonus content. Highly recommended.
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