About.com Rating

The Bottom Line

The 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania is the second event the WWE is releasing on Blu-Ray. Just like WrestleMania XXIV, this set is available as both a 3-disc DVD set and a 2-disc Blu-Ray set. Both sets feature the same material. While my review focuses on what is wrong with the set, the truth is that while I did enjoy the show I am disappointed with parts of the DVD. Despite the flaws in the DVD, I still recommend buying it.



Pros

• Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels is the best non-stipulation/non-title match I've ever seen.

Cons

• Kid Rock is editied off of the DVD.
• The Hall of Fame Ceremony is rushed and lacks the special feeling of prior years.

Description

• Money in the Bank Ladder Match
• 25-Diva Battle Royal
• Chris Jericho vs. Ricky Steamboat, Roddy Piper, & Jimmy Snuka
• Extreme Rules: Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy
• Intercontinental Champion JBL vs. Rey Mysterio
• Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
• World Heavyweight Champion Edge vs. Big Show vs. John Cena
• WWE Champion Triple H vs. Randy Orton
• Extra: Lumberjack Match to unify the tag team titles - Carlito & Primo vs. The Miz & John Morrison
• Extra: 2009 WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony & 23 Prior WrestleMania Highlight Clips

Guide Review - Review of the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania DVD

While not the most popular opinion on the net, I enjoyed this event more than last year's and explain in detail why in comment three of my recap of the show. Despite enjoying this event more than last year's, this year's DVD got a lower rating.

I have three reasons for this.

I hate edits of live events and this one has lots of them. Minor ones include using a different camera angle to catch Steamboat "skinning the cat" and moving the placement of the ad for next year's event. The big edit on this set is getting rid of Kid Rock. In addition to his performance being edited off the DVD, his name is never mentioned and the ending video package is altered. To make it worse, Santina's dance is to some generic song that doesn't match his/hers moves.

The big reason for the lower rating though is the Hall of Fame ceremony. Instead of letting the wrestlers celebrate and ramble on, the wrestlers were given tight time constraints and this took the heart away from the ceremony.

The other problem with this DVD is that there is no way to watch the 23 prior WrestleMania highlights (IV & V are combined) in one press of the button. You have to click on each event individually.