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DVD Review: "Shawn Michaels: My Journey"
Produced By WWE Home Video
Written By "Wild" Bill Brown
****
Content: 9.5
One of the strongest productions put out on DVD has got to be "Shawn Michaels: My Journey" from WWE Home Video. This three-disc set features over twenty classic wrestling matches that will blow away almost anything put out there when it comes to professional wrestling matches. The skills, the ability, charisma, & energy are all shown at maximum levels here in many moments during this fantastic journey through the times & trials of "the Heartbreak Kid."
Hosted by Michael Cole, Shawn Michaels is also put into a "hot seat" style interview throughout the breaks of every match shown, and talks about his career as the matches go through from being a green kid in the locker rooms in Kansas City, Texas, & Las Vegas to hitting the big time and making all the adjustments necessary to survive with his peers. In the early days, it was party hard, and everything happened so fast that all of the sudden he is in the ring with grizzled veterans in the WWE rings across the entire world and picking up tons of knowledge & serious confidence. Listen to Shawn as he transitions from a rookie to the world of tag team wrestling, then singles competition, & to the top of the WWE. Shawn will take you through the stress, the difficulty, the pressures, & anxiety that ultimately burned him out, as he was always in a war with himself to achieve the monarch of being the greatest entertainer that ever lived. Shawn will share candid stories and be asked about the challenges that he went through in his life that ultimately metamorphosed himself from the crazy teenager to a father that loves his wife, kids, & lifestyle away from the ring. A true transition will be detailed throughout the nine hours of footage shown, which tributes whom we now call "Mr. WrestleMania," as he gets ready to ride off into the sunset and possibly end a storied career in the very near future. The flow of these segments with the matches inserted throughout really blends perfectly.
****
Audio/Video: 10
Nothing better can be produced the way it already has. The WWE sets the bar for the most magnificent, well-produced, & perfectly clear video productions in high-definition & Dolby surround sound that you can rarely find better anywhere else.
****
Special Features: 9.0
There are no special features really in the latest WWE Home Video, but there are three options with alternate commentary with Michael Cole & Shawn Michaels that really provide a different look & understanding of some of the greatest wrestling matches in the WWE ring. These are definitely worth taking a listen to with your free time.
****
Moments & Matches:
Disc I
A Boy In A Man's World
Shawn Michaels vs. One Man Gang
World Class Championship Wrestling -- January 11, 1985
The Gang gives Shawn a World Class beating.
Our Big Event
The Midnight Rockers vs. "Playboy" Buddy Rose & "Pretty Boy" Doug Summers
AWA WrestleRock -- April 20, 1986
The veterans bring out the best in the charismatic tag team.
Rockin' All Night
AWA World Tag Team Title Match
The Midnight Rockers vs. The Nasty Boys
AWA Championship Wrestling -- March 5, 1988
Best friends & party animals in Vegas take the fun in the ring together.
"They Wanted Us"
The Rockers vs. The
An absolute clinic in tag team wrestling.
Tag Team Success
The Rockers vs. The
The legendary Hart Foundation show The Rockers all about tag team wrestling.
Going Solo
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Shawn Michaels vs. Bret "Hitman" Hart
Alternate Commentary: Michael Cole/Shawn Michaels
An unseen match that is a lot of fun to see for the first time ever.
Always Having Fun With Davey
Shawn Michaels vs. "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith
WWE Monday Night RAW -- March 6, 1995
Another great match that you would forget about, but displayed for you here.
Contrasting Styles
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Shawn Michaels vs. Sid Vicious
WWE Monday Night RAW -- September 11, 1995
Shawn shows us no matter what the style of his opponent, he still makes the best out of any situation he's put into.
High Flyers
Shawn Michaels vs. The 1-2-3 Kid
WWE Monday Night RAW -- March 4, 1996
The Kliq members go all out.
Disc II
The Champion
Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind
WWE Monday Night RAW -- August 11, 1997
Another unique blend of wrestling styles that compliment one another greatly.
D-Generation X
WWE European Championship Match
"The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith vs. Shawn Michaels
WWE One Night Only -- September 20, 1997
The heat in this match back in
This Is Going To Be Art
WWE Championship Casket Match
Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker
WWE Royal Rumble -- January 18, 1998
A great match, but Kane wants to make sure his brother doesn't get the gold.
Ups & Downs
Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho
WrestleMania XIX -- March 30, 2003
Michaels is back on track after a lengthy hiatus away from the ring.
My Friend
Shawn Michaels vs. "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair
WWE Bad Blood -- June 15, 2003
Alternate Commentary: Michael Cole & Shawn Michaels
Anytime Shawn & Ric are in the ring the respect & satisfaction are easily displayed.
High Expectations
Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle
WrestleMania 21 -- April 3, 2005
What a match...One to remember! Totally a classic WRESTLING match.
Shawn Michaels Promo In
WWE Monday Night RAW -- August 15, 2005
And we also find out how difficult it was to work with "The Immortal One"
Disc III
Tribute To The Troops
Boot
Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H
WWE Monday Night RAW -- December 19, 2005
Alternate Commentary: Michael Cole & Shawn Michaels
Shawn came from a military background, so he dedicates this one to all those who serve like no other man can do.
The Veteran
WWE Championship Fatal Four-Way Match
John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels vs. "The Rated-R Superstar" Edge vs. Randy Orton
WWE Backlash -- April 29, 2007
Michaels gets close, but not enough to prevail with the gold here.
Legend Killer
WWE Championship Match
Shawn Michaels vs. Randy Orton
WWE Survivor Series -- November 18, 2007
Orton gives Michaels a run for the money here.
The Family Man
Unsanctioned Match
Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho
WWE Unforgiven -- September 7, 2008
A great wrestling feud that culminated with a fantastic wrestling match.
Mr. WrestleMania
The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania XXV -- April 5, 2009
Who can forget one of the most recent historical ring classics ever witnessed in the squared circle in the biggest wrestling event of them all.
Greatest Ever?
Final thoughts & lasting memories coming directly from "The Showstopper" himself.
****
The Verdict:
Solid Wrestling, great analyzing, & in-depth interviewing make this one of the strongest choices out there for any true wrestling fan of the last 25 years. This DVD not only takes you through the evolution of the all-time greatest entertainer ever, but perhaps provides closure to the final chapter possibly upcoming in the professional career of "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels.
****
Overall Recommendation:
Buy this DVD & absolutely enjoy what you have purchased. There is no need for a remote control to skip around here: just watch, listen, & be entertained.
****
Final Thoughts:
We all remember many great
classic matches with "The Icon" and the likes of Mankind, "The Nature Boy" Ric
Flair, Triple H, "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, & Bret "Hitman" Hart
among others, but this DVD will dig up some unique matches that they may have
had that you do not necessarily remember, as well which are great calls. Surely
everyone might remember Survivor Series '97 (where "The Hitman" got screwed out
of the WWE Championship with Shawn Michaels), or maybe even Survivor Series '92
(where Bret wrestled Shawn in an incredible WWE Title defense), but in this DVD
you will be treated to matches just as good, but not really seen. The match
chosen is a dark match from
Overall Rating: 9.0
