PWTorch.com - CALDWELL'S DVD REVIEW: Not Quite The Best of Sting

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CALDWELL'S DVD REVIEW: Not Quite The Best of Sting

Oct 8, 2014 - 3:27:24 PM

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By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

WWE's new three-disc DVD release, "The Best of Sting," gets an incomplete grade. The DVD marches through Sting's career just fine, but doesn't add much to the story already known by long-time wrestling fans and experts.

The DVD provides a perfectly fine general outline of Sting's journey from owning a gym knowing zero about wrestling to teaming with Ultimate Warrior to becoming All-American Sting to becoming the dark, brooding Crow Sting most associated with Steve Borden's wrestling career.

But, if you want more than just the basic outline, it's not here. The only on-camera interviews with Sting are from WCW file footage - 1995 pre-Crow and 1998 as Steve Borden. The only new interviews on the DVD are brief soundbytes from the likes of Hulk Hogan, then-WCW booker Kevin Sullivan, WCW announcer Tony Schiavone, and current WWE stars reinforcing the basic talking points about Sting being the franchise player for WCW and how his character changed over time.

This DVD seems to be more aimed at casual viewers or younger fans from the John Cena Era who might not be aware of Sting's career (or even the existence of WCW), but are intrigued by Sting's likeness to Cena and colorful persona.

I've said for a while that Cena is more All-American Sting than Cena's WWF/E predecessor Hulk Hogan. The DVD reinforces that point, whether it's how Sting carried himself, connected with his fanbase, his facial shape, or even closing your eyes to listen to the crowd during Sting's All-American run - lots of kids screaming and women shrieking.

Included in the early 1990s portion of the DVD are some intriguing matches that include Sting against Steve Austin when he was Stunnin', Zeb Colter when he was "Dirty" Dutch Mantell, Mick Foley on commentary as Cactus Jack, and Diamond Dallas Page when he was barely above a bodyguard.

The DVD also hits the obligatory points about Sting's feud with Ric Flair to put him on the map, feud with Vader in true Cena vs. Big Monster form, being wooed by the NWO, turn to the anti-hero as Crow Sting, letting loose again as part of NWO Wolfpack, and eventual return to black & white Sting leading to the WCW Nitro send-off against Ric Flair.

But, you're left wanting to see more insight or depth to the stories. Like most WWE DVD releases, it just skims the surface of a particular topic, aiming more for basic entertainment value over substance, much like WWE Network programming.

The DVD is not only about Sting, though. It's also a story about the rise and fall of WCW.

Disc 1 contains NWA/early WCW matches and moments featuring Sting, which leads into Disc 2's presentation of a dreadful early-to-mid-1990s period for WCW. The last match from this period is Sting against Steve Austin, who people recognized as being grossly under-utilized. The match is worth watching to see Austin's personality and charisma just below the surface ready to burst out in a major way.

Suddenly, the DVD jumps from Sting vs. Austin in January 1994 to the big-arena setting of Nitro in November 1995. It's a jarring change from the small arena/soundstudio set-up to big arenas for a weekly TV wrestling show, capturing the rise of WCW Nitro.

For Nitro to continue rising and filling big arenas, WCW decided they needed a big angle or feud. Enter the NWO. The DVD only briefly captures the build-up to Sting vs. Hogan at Starrcade 1997, though, hitting the basic points in the outline. There is also no follow-up on the botched finish and lack of follow-up angle setting the course for the demise of WCW.

Instead, the DVD shows how Sting eventually dropped the silent act in favor of a new, excitable red & black persona in the Wolfpack. But, the progression of matches that follow on the DVD captures how WCW faded back to smaller arenas trying to find the right combinations with logo changes, new main-eventers like Booker T and Jeff Jarrett in the mix, and a "new attitude."

There is no insight or new commentary on the demise of WCW, which is surprising from a company that won't let Survivor Series 1997 fade into history, but going from match to match at the end of Disc 3 tells the story in visual form. At the center was Sting, whose character continued to be tweaked and matched up with new, less-intriguing opponents while the ship sank.

Eventually, Nitro ended in an outdoor, spring break setting in March 2001, much like an outdoor setting at Disneyworld in Orlando when the NWO began in July 1996.

There is no special interview on how Sting felt about the end of WCW or any real insight on whether he was passionate about saving the company he was loyal to to the bitter end. If comparing John Cena to Sting, one key difference would be that Cena would fight to keep WWE going - even if the situation were as hopeless as it was for WCW - whereas Sting seemed to spend most of his career as a reluctant leader or franchise player.

Like a lot of Sting's career, this DVD leaves people wanting more. More insight, more depth, more than just what's on the surface.

On this particular DVD, Sting's story is told in its most basic form - the colorful persona, franchise status, and exciting, memorable moments are documented - but viewers are left feeling that the story - and perhaps Sting's career - is incomplete.