WWE // 2008 // 170 Minutes // Not Rated
Reviewed by Judge Franck Tabouring // September 5th, 2008
It's the bash everyone's been waiting for.
Unfortunately, everybody will soon regret the wait.
Once again, the stars of Raw, Smackdown, and ECW face each other in WWE's The Great American Bash 2008. But before we get into the individual battles, let's take a brief look at the general lineup of the show: Matt Hardy goes one on one with Shelton Benjamin; Mark Henry faces Tommy Dreamer; Shawn Michaels takes on Chris Jericho; and four teams battle each other for the tag team titles. Additionally, Michelle McCool fights Natalya; CM Punk goes head to head with Batista; and JBL seeks revenge against John Cena in a parking lot brawl. In the main event, Triple H puts his title on the line against Edge.
Here's the complete lineup of the event:
* John Morrison & The Miz vs. Finlay & Hornswoggle vs. Jesse &
Festus vs. Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder in a Fatal 4-Way Match for the WWE Tag
Team Championship
The rules for this one are simple: the first team to
score a pinfall or submission will win the title. Having eight athletes fighting
for one championship at the same time sounds like an exciting PPV battle, but
this match is not exactly a memorable opener. Bold, fast moves are scarce in
this 9-minute tag team match, and some of the eight participating wrestlers even
barely get in on the action. Festus is always fun to watch and the only one
offering a solid show here, but his time in the ring is too limited to captivate
the fans. Let's quickly forget about this one and move on.
* Matt Hardy vs. Shelton Benjamin in a United States Championship Match
Although not spectacular but certainly better than its predecessor, this
title match features at least a series of quick kicks and risky moves. Hardy is
definitely someone who has got what it takes to put on an entertaining show, but
his opponent is not fit enough to appear in such a major event. At 9 minutes,
this is a decent but unsurprising fight that quite simply lacks the energy and
suspense we're used to in this kind of match-up.
* Mark Henry vs. Tommy Dreamer in an ECW Championship Match
This may
indeed be one of the year's worst matches. I really don't know what the show's
writers are thinking sometimes, but they were obviously convinced people would
buy a match like this one. At 5 minutes, this is a short but boring match during
which neither of the two wrestlers offers us anything worth remembering. Tommy
Dreamer is not exactly the ideal opponent for a guy like Mark Henry in the first
place, and although he tries his best to showcase his athleticism, he doesn't
quite save the day. We're three matches into this pay-per-view already, but we
have yet to see any solid wrestling action.
* Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho
The feud between Shawn Michaels and
Chris Jericho continues, as the two wrestlers go head-to-head in this satisfying
18-minute battle. We usually don't see such long matches this early in a PPV,
but, much to my surprise, this brawl is clearly the best of the night so far.
Jericho and Michaels are two of WWE's toughest stars, and they both prove their
skills via a bunch of risky moves. The show they put on is obviously not as
interesting as a solid main event, but they keep the action moving at a fast
pace and offer their viewers enough variety. It's about time!
* Michelle McCool vs. Natalya in a Divas Championship Match
The only
thing I can say about this match is that it's a joke. Clocking in at only 4
minutes, this title match couldn't be less exciting. McCool and Natalya barely
take any risks and don't deliver any impressive moves, opting instead for a
bunch of lame, boring submissions. In short, this match is an unnecessary
disaster.
* CM Punk vs. Batista in a World Heavyweight Championship Match
Most
of the matches at this pay-per-view are pretty disappointing, and this battle
for the World Heavyweight Championship is no exception. Both CM Punk and Batista
start off well and are not afraid to use their skills to put on a tough fight.
Punk, especially, manages to deliver several impressive kicks and technical
moves that reaffirm his great flexibility. It's interesting to follow for about
11 minutes, until an unexpected twist pretty much ruins it all. Again, what in
the world were the WWE writers thinking?
* John Cena vs. JBL in a New York City Parking Lot Brawl
Backstage
matches are always a nice change of pace if you're willing to do without bold,
risky moves. In this 14-minute brawl, JBL and John Cena fight their way across a
backstage parking lot, using any kind of tools they can find to cause each other
harm. Unfortunately, you won't get to see much exciting stuff in this match
except a little bit of car action and several strong kicks. That's all there is
to say about it, really.
* Triple H vs. Edge in a WWE Championship Match
Now that Triple H
ruined Edge's ridiculous marriage to Vickie, the two wrestlers go head to head
in the main event. At 17 minutes, this is definitely the best match of the
night, even though it features less action than most main events in previous
pay-per-views. Triple H and Edge deliver a fast-paced show with a variety of
solid moves and several strong kicks, using their technical skills to show
viewers they both got what it takes to lead a closing match. In the end, this is
a decent enough battle to conclude a surprisingly disappointing night.
As usual, I have no complaints as far as the disc's technical aspects are concerned. The picture quality is solid for a television event, and the image is clean and sharp throughout. The audio transfer is just as fine.
I know I say this over and over again, but WWE DVDs are usually very weak when it comes to special features. This one, of course, is no exception. Besides the Spanish-language track for the main show, the bonus material includes two short clips from backstage. One shows Vickie flipping out over Edge, while the other one shows Kane flipping out over who knows what.
Too many interventions and unnecessary twists wreak havoc on most of the event's matches, making The Great American Bash the weakest WWE PPV of the year so far.
Guilty!
Review content copyright © 2008 Franck Tabouring; Site layout and review format copyright © 1998 - 2012 HipClick Designs LLC
Scales of Justice
Video: 88
Audio: 89
Extras: 40
Acting: 69
Story: 55
Judgment: 59
Perp Profile
Studio: WWE
Video Formats:
* Full Frame
Audio Formats:
* Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (English)
* Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (Spanish)
Subtitles:
* None
Running Time: 170 Minutes
Release Year: 2008
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distinguishing Marks
* Edge is Gonna Pay
* Kane Needs to Know
Accomplices
* IMDb
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt1272437/combined
* Official Site
http://www.wwe.com/shows/thegreatamericanbash/