Before They Were Superstars 2 - DVD Review

Ever wanted to know what the WWE Superstars were like before they joined the WWE? How about knowing the real people behind the in-ring personas? Well now you can in this second volume of behind the scenes information...

The disc is split into two main parts. First are the profiles themselves, featuring 10 different WWE stars and each segment lasts for around 10 minutes, featuring all manner of interviews, home videos, clips from early ring appearances for different promotions, and lots more. Each wrestler talks about their upbringing, and how they got into the business, as well as personal memories from their youth.

There is a mix of Superstars featured on the DVD, namely:- John Cena, Chris Jericho, Brock Lesnar, Shawn Michaels, Christopher Nowinski, Randy Orton, Al Snow, Rob Van Dam, and Torrie Wilson. There should be at least one or two favourites on the disc for everyone, and even if you're not a big fan of a particular wrestler, you'll still find the interviews and profiles interesting and enjoyable to watch.

There are some wonderful moments and some home videos and early childhood photos that many of the Superstars would no doubt be embarrased by nowadays. Imagine Shawn Michaels with a blonde bob hairstyle, compared to his long flowing locks today! Chris Jericho's performances in a band with his friends is worth a look, as are the interviews with Randy Orton's family.

That's not all you get on the disc though. There are a selection of matches featured, each of which were the wrestlers debut or early matches for the WWE, ECW, and WCW including Al Snow's WWE debut as the rather strange and short-lived Avatar. There are also other gems including a young RVD kissing the feet of Ted DiBiase for $100!

There are a lot of great moments on the disc, and some of the Superstars are a joy to watch. Brock Lesnar talks about his amateur background, and RVD talks candidly about his antics at school and practicing his acrobatic at an early age somersaulting into a swimming pool (complete with home footage!). There's so much here and despite the short length of each piece, there is never a feeling that the segments are rushed or lacking in any way.

This is certainly a good DVD and one that's definitely worth watching. My only thought is that I wonder how many times you'd find yourself watching the disc, unlike many of the Pay Per Views available. Not one that I'd put to the top of my shopping list, but if you feel like a refreshing change from all of the matches, you could do a lot worse than buying this.

Reviewer: Simon Plumbe