WWE: Wrestlemania XXX Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

WWE: Wrestlemania XXX Blu-ray Movie Review

Dead men tell no tales.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman May 18, 2014

The following review -- screenshots included -- contains spoilers for the event's outcomes and some of its surprises.

WWE's flagship event, WrestleMania, has entertained viewers for three decades now, producing some of the finest moments in professional wrestling history, executed by the biggest names the sport has ever seen, and continually growing the brand by undoubtedly folding in countless thousands of new fans with each and every event. The annual late March/early April spectacular feels as big as the Super Bowl and, even with a hefty price tag for the privilege of watching it live (significantly less to wait a few weeks for the Blu-ray), an attraction quite unlike anything else on the Pay-Per-View docket or within the sports world, for that matter. It's an event of majesty and splendor, pomp and circumstance, adrenaline and muscle, skill and performance, thrills and unbelievable moments, unforgettable history and an always unfolding future. It's the culmination of years of wrestler dedication and a year's -- or sometimes more -- worth of unfolding drama on RAW, on SmackDown, and on other pay events throughout the year-to-year operation of the WWE. Yet for all the history, for all the excitement, for all the great matches, for all the grandeur, the event has been, for many years, overshadowed by one man: The Undertaker, and by one thing: The Streak. Undefeated in 21 matches at WrestleMania, the event had become, in many ways, little more than a wait-and-see game to determine whether Undertaker's streak would live on for another calendar year or be squashed by the latest upstart, rival, or grizzled veteran hoping to make a name for himself or cement his status, forever change the face of the WWE, and rewrite the history books of its greatest event.

Most every fan's reaction to WrestleMania XXX.

From the perspective of the show's historical context -- not only its numerical significance (even-numbered years and all tend to draw a lot of excitement) but considering the stars on hand and the stakes at play -- WWE certainly outdid itself with the technical, exterior presentation. The show is a dazzling, dizzying one, a WrestleMania that's big and flashy and slick but not quite so superficially obnoxious as some previous installments from recent years. Hosted by the legendary Hulk Hogan at New Orleans' Mercedes-Benz Silverdome -- oh, yes, the Superdome, sorry -- WrestleMania XXX finds its stride in its early minutes, hosting Hulk and a couple of friends for twenty minutes worth of Wrestling legend on-stage at the same time that is itself worth the cost of admission, representing one of those classic era-defining moments that will live on for decades to come. The evening progresses with a series of unforgettable matches featuring most all of the sport's biggest stars (notably absent is CM Punk, which has become a rather juicy conspiracy theory for anyone wishing to dig further into the subject) participating in what will be remembered as amongst the best, the most entertaining, the most momentous, or all three, of the decade and, indeed, in the event's history. It features an opening battle between Triple H and Daniel Bryan to determine the third participant for a match later in the night already set to star Randy Orton and Batista for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. John Cena and Bray Wyatt supply plenty of fireworks in an entertaining singles match. A six-man tag team match, a multi-participant Diva's match, and a 31-man free-for-all are also part of the show. The evening will be forever remembered for the annual Underatker match, this year pitting The Deadman against one of his fiercest opponents yet, Brock Lesnar, with 'Takers 21-0 WrestleMania undefeated streak on the line.

More on that streak in a moment. The rest of the event easily lives up to the billing (and the cost) of WrestleMania. As noted above, it's a majestic display for the professional wrestling company, an all-out extravaganza of sight and sound that manages to walk that fine line between gaudy and loud and tasteful with the best of them. Every match is a showstopper, for one reason or another. Triple H and Daniel Bryan are terrific. Bryan's heart and determination, along with Orton's skill and focus and Batista's intimidating size and strength make their final WWE World Heavyweight Championship title match one of the best the WWE has seen in recent years. Cena and Wyatt put on a good show of contrasts, as one might expect, and the rest of the matches provide fun little diversions around which the rest of the night is built. The Diva's match is surprisingly entertaining -- and not bad on the eyes, either -- but as far as all of the craziness goes, the award for the night's most chaotically fun match goes to the 31-man brawl in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. There's practically no room in the square circle when the bell rings -- all of the wrestlers are packed in tighter than sardines -- and while there's certainly a bit of ambling and waiting going on in the background, the sheer amount of movement, volume, and talent on display makes it an instant classic.

Yet none of that means a thing under the shadow of the Lesnar-Undertaker match. Again, spoiler alert. Lesnar's victory may go down as the single most controversial moment in WWE history. It's not simply the end of an era and the closure of the most impressive streak in WWE history, it's also a watershed moment for the victor, a shot into the stratosphere that will forever link him to greatness, to finishing off what may be the most beloved record in WWE history. Yet that beloved record had become something of a formality. Nobody really expected Undertaker to lose, and certainly not to Lesnar, and definitely not after The Deadman came out on top in several classic, recent battles with Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and CM Punk, all of which seemed harder fought and significantly more memorable than this, and against a roster of wrestlers many fans believe to be amongst the "proper" choices to end the streak. With Lesnar emerging victorious over one of the aforementioned wrestlers or, even, someone like John Cena, The Rock, Daniel Bryan, or even some sure-thing, can't-miss up-and-coming prospect in search of that big splash to cement a legacy out of the gate, the debate moves away from the streak ending and to the man who ended it, in essence pulling away from The Undertaker's greatness and longevity and pulling towards controversy.

There's no doubt Lesnar is amongst the hardest working men in the WWE -- the man is a physical specimen if there ever was one -- but to be propelled to the top, to be labeled, now, as amongst the elite in the sport, doesn't sit well with a wide swath of fans, and apparently didn't sit well with CM Punk, either. In essence, the WWE has lifted an on-and-off superstar, who may very well, until now, be better known for his time in the UFC than his time in the WWE, into the stratosphere. Now, this is mostly playing devil's advocate here. This reviewer is a Lesnar fan, more so for his work ethic and impressive physical accomplishments than his in-ring persona or skill, yet there's no mistaking that scripting a Lesnar win will go down as pretty much the most controversial decision in WWE history. If nothing else, it allows the WWE to step back, collect its breath, asses its present and future, and most importantly shift the focus back to everything else WrestleMania has to offer rather than seeing it all overshadowed by the future hall-of-famer's undefeated streak. It's juicy controversy to be sure, particularly considering it's the dullest match of the night and the weakest of The Streak in quite some time. But it sure is fun to talk about.

The following matches comprise WrestleMania XXX:

• Winner Enters the WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match: Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H.
• Six-Man Tag Team Match: The Shield vs. Kane & The New Age Outlaws.
• Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal: A 31-man free-for all. Participants include a number of big names, including Rey Mysterio, Sheamus, R-Truth, Sin Cara, Mark Henry, David Otunga, Goldust, Fandango, Dolph Ziggler, Big Show, Alberto Del Rio, and Kofi Kingston.
• WrestleMania XXX Match: John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt.
• WrestleMania XXX Match: Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar.
• Vickie Guerrero Divas Championship Invitational: Participants include AJ Lee, Aksana, Alicia Fox, Brie Bella, Cameron, Emma, Eva Marie, Layla, Naomi, Natalya, Nikki Bella, Rosa Mendes, Summer Rae, and Tamina Snuka.
• WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match: Randy Orton vs. Batista vs. Daniel Bryan.

WWE: Wrestlemania XXX Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

WrestleMania XXX's 1080i, 1.78:1-framed transfer looks virtually identical to other recently released WWE Home Video products that show modern events from 2013 and 2014. It offers a rock-solid basic image, revealing intricate details and vibrant colors throughout. Skin textures, sweat, and tattoos enjoy terrific natural clarity in medium and close-up shots. Strong image clarity reveals crowd faces back many rows and allows viewers to read handmade signs even at some distance. Colors are terrific, whether wrestler attire, flashy digital signage up the ramp and around the arena, or fan attire and handmade signs. Blacks are fair and skin textures show no sign of betraying natural shades. The image does suffer from some blockiness across some darker backgrounds and, frequently, up close by the big electronic signage near the entrance. Otherwise, this is a very strong image that, despite deeper issues, looks very good on the surface.

WWE: Wrestlemania XXX Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

WrestleMania XXX features the standard WWE Home Video Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. It offers all of the basic ingredients in good working order. Wrestler intro music plays with a quality, immersive stage presence, not blaring loud but very clear and focused with a quality sense of immersion into the arena. Whether deeper, penetrating crashes and heavy riffs accompanying Stone Cold's early entrance theme or AJ Lee's spunky, peppy walk-in song, the track handles a wide range of elements with commendable accuracy and placement. Crowd cheers and the general background arena din are nicely filling and frequently help draw the listener into the Superdome, whether in the midst of raucous screams or the hush of stunned silence. In-ring dialogue is smooth and focused, ditto ringside commentary. Listeners should find no major qualms with this presentation, even despite the absence of lossless audio.

WWE: Wrestlemania XXX Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

In addition to the following supplements, this Amazon.com exclusive release of WrestleMania XXX contains a Topps John Cena chrome promotional trading card as well as an attractive full-color book, 30 Moments for 30 Years, a 64-page look back at 30 of the best moments from WrestleMania history. The soft back book is around the size of a Blu-ray case, slightly less tall and a little less deep but nearly the same width. Note that it's all housed in a flimsy outer "slipcover" box that may be damaged upon receipt.

Disc One:

• Fatal 4-Way Tag Team Championship (HD, 25:39): The Usos vs. Los Matadores vs. The Real Americans vs. Ryback & Curtis Axel. From the WrestleMania XXX Pre-Show.

Disc Two:

• 2014 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (HD, Dolby Digital 5.1, 1.78:1, 3:25:05): Inductees include Lita, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Mr. T., Paul Bearer, Razor Ramon, Carlos Colón, and Ultimate Warrior. Fans may jump to each introduction via chapter select.
• Top 30 Greatest WrestleMania Moments (HD, 19:10): A highlight reel of 30 great WrestleMania moments, which are not necessarily the same as those outlined in the included book.
• Hulk Hogan Discusses WrestleMania (HD, 4:51): The legendary superstar speaks with Michael Cole and covers his personal history and return to the event for its 30th anniversary.
• Triple H & Stephanie McMahon Reveal the WrestleMania Set (HD, 1:49): The married couple introduce a look at the massive and impressive set piece.
• Batista reflects on His Return to WWE (HD, 4:32): As the title suggests, this piece features the superstar discussing with Booker T his return to the company.
• Randy Orton Speaks on Becoming the Face of the WWE (HD, 6:29): In an interview with Booker T, the superstar discusses his success in the company, his thoughts on fellow wrestlers, and more.
• The History of Andre the Giant (HD, 3:04): A short look back at one of the WWE's greatest superstars.
• The Streak vs. The Beast (HD, 1:50): A short promotional piece looking at WrestleMania XXX's clash between The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar.
• A Look at Hulk Hogan's Storied Career (HD, 3:28): A brief recap of Hogan's time in professional wrestling.
• John Cena Confronts His Fears (HD, 4:08): The Superstar speaks with Michael Cole about his WrestleMania matches with The Rock and shares his thoughts on WrestleMania XXX opponent Bray Wyatt.
• AJ Lee vs. The World (HD, 2:17): The Divas champion speaks about her title defense match at WrestleMania XXX.
• All That's Left Is the Game (Blu-ray Exclusive) (HD, 2:36): A promotional piece hyping Triple H.
• Bruno Sammartino Unveils His Statue (Blu-ray Exclusive) (HD, 1:36): The superstars shows off his statue in the ring.

WWE: Wrestlemania XXX Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

WrestleMania XXX is nothing less than an instant classic, for good reasons, questionable reasons, and some bad reasons. It's a heck of a show, a flashy but classy display of how the WWE does "big," and none before have looked and sounded this polished. All of the matches are entertaining at worst, though there's a surprising lack of energy to the Lesner-Undertaker match, which may be more a result of mood in hindsight or, experiencing it for the first time, waiting for the inevitable only to be shocked by the outcome and later left wondering if Lesnar is really the right man for the job. Still, it's WrestleMania, and by extension, the WWE, at its finest. The stars may not be the brightest the sport has ever seen -- those individuals appeared at the beginning for a few words and a few beers -- but the level of talent, will to perform well, and fan attraction is undeniable. Even though it represents something of an end, this is a great place to start for wrestling newcomers, and there won't be a more hyped and interesting WrestleMania than the 2015 edition, all fallout from 2014 considered. WWE Home Video's Blu-ray release of WrestleMania XXX delivers the typically solid picture, sound, and supplements. For wrestling fans and anyone interested in pro wrestling, this release earns my highest recommendation.