WWE Presents: Hell in a Cell [2008]
Brandon Sears
RATED: M
RUNNING TIME: 5 Hours +
DATE SEEN: October 22nd(the date that I finished it)
DIRECTOR: Kevin Dunn
In 2003, WWE released "Bloodbath: Wrestling's Most Incredible Steel Cage Matches". From the best of my knowledge, this would be WWE's first attempt at releasing a DVD chronicling one particular type of match. Ever since that DVD was released, fans had been asking for a collection of ladder matches as well and in 2007, that package was released. So, what was the next logical step? What other specialty match has had enough matches to fill a three disc set? The answer: the Hell in a Cell match!
Contained within this set are 14 of the most brutal cell matches to ever take place in WWE. In the history of the company 16 of those matches have taken place, leaving two off of the set (Undertaker vs Edge @ Summerslam 2008 and Undertaker vs Bossman @ WrestleMania XV) for understandable reasons. What we get with this release are 3 discs of brutal, bloody and barbaric matches hosted by "The Hardcore Legend" Mick Foley. Foley gives you the introduction for each of the matches, followed by a promo/build-up video that takes you through the actions and events which led to that match in the first place.
There isn't really too much to review with this set as there aren't any special features (understandably) and there isn't much to talk about aside from the matches, which I already did in the first Top Ten Tuesday. If you're a fan of this type of match, it's a no-brainer, pick it up. However, I will say this, after watching the set, a lot of the matches seemed to blend together and use the exact same formula. The matches themselves started to become a lot less special then they originally were. Perhaps I just overloaded myself? My only gripe with the set was that we never really had a chance to hear from any of the participants and their reaction to competing in the cell. I would have loved to have heard from a few people on that note.
In the end, this is a great collection of matches akin to buying a greatest hits package of a particular artist you may enjoy, you've already seen or heard them all but you never get tired of the same stuff.
Brandon Sears is an insurance salesman by day and a superhero by night (not really). He has been writing for Modern Distraction since 2004. He lives in Sydney Mines with his wife, Ashley and his dog Toby.