Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

The Hardcore legend Mick Foley, has left a 15 year legacy of blood, sweat, tears and sweatsocks. In my opinion, Foley is the greatest sports entertainer of all time, sure he may not have kicked of the era of attitude like "Stone Cold" Steve Austin & sure, he may not have the "electricity" of The Rock, but when it comes down to the most dedicated man in the history of sports entertainment, Michael Francis Foley wins hands down.

This DVD is an amazing look at the career of Mick which works its way through his days in WCW(World Championship Wrestling), ECW(Extreme Championship Wrestling), SMW(Smokey Mountain Wrestling) and finally WWE(World Wrestling Entertainment). Most fans who've only seen Mick in his WWE days, will love his matches in the other organisations because Foley's allowed to let his hair hang down ,if you will, and as a result will get to see a very different side of Foley that is so far away from the lovable character of Mankind its not funny.

The character of Cactus Jack, back in his pre WWE days was a deranged maniac. If you thought his early days Mankind character was crazy, you ain't seen nothing yet until you've seen the brutal Texas Death Matches, and most notably his infamous Cactus promos.

Thankfully for us, the wreslting fan, Mick has captured his wildest matches, craziest promos and just to put your mind at eaze, yes, the infamous "Hell In A Cell" match is on this DVD in its entirety.

CONTENTS OF DISC 1:

Match: Cactus Jack VS. Big Van Vader
Event: WCW Saturday Night
Date: 17/4/93
The Action: This match was only included because of the violence of it, not the technical expertise(Mick's greatest asset is not his techniqual ability). This match was basically a brawl with an interesting twist. Before the match, Mick sugested to Vader that "he produce a little swelling under the eyes", and Vader being the monster he is took it on himself to produce more than a little swelling, but instead a crimson mask of the red stuff. Because of Vader literally busting open Micks face with multiple real punches to the head, this otherwise average match made the DVD. It's also worth noting that when WCW broadcast the match a few days later, they cut out every shot that shown Mick bleeding, and as a result preceded to ruin the match like only WCW can!

Match: Cactus Jack & Maxx Payne Vs. The Nasty Boys
Event: WCW Spring Stampede
Date: 17/4/94
The Action: The Nasty Boys at the time had just left WWE(than WWF) for WCW in search of their big break. They are rough in ring workers that will not hesitate to put you through a table. Mick, at the time, had whooping cough and as a result, didn't want to wrestle the match but did so despite the dangers involved. This match saw tables and even a shovel used. Overall, it was a decent match but not a highlight on this compilation.

Match: Cactus Jack VS. Sabu
Event: ECW Hostile City Showdown
Date: 24/6/94
The Action: Mick had just came to ECW fresh out of WCW as part of a talent trade off because the two companies were looking to form a partnership. That sparked a great storyline pitting the craziest man in ECW, Sabu, against the craziest man in WCW, Cactus Jack against eachother. The only problem was the match was sooo hyped up, Mick felt they couldn't have lived up to expectations because of the huge build up. Even with the bulid up I thought the match was great. Sabu has a high flying, hardcore style, similar to Rob Van Dam's style of today(thats understandable though considering that RVD and Sabu trained together). As a result the match was filled with big bumps, tables, outside interference and a whole other host of debauchery. Sorry I can't remember pacific details about this match, they have two Cactus VS. Sabu matches on the DVD and I cant remember what happened in what match.

Match: Cactus Jack VS. Chris Candido
Event: Smokey Mountain Wrestling
Date: 18/11/94
The Action: This would have to be the closest thing to a "wrestling" match on the compilation. If my memory serves me correctly, no weapons were used, and thats rare for a '94 Cactus Jack match. Just in case your interested, The Rock had his second match against Chris Candido and lost via a top rope hurracarana.

Match: Cactus Jack VS. The Sandman
Event: ECW
Date: 4/2/95
The Action: This match started out violently and because of that was effected for the rest of the match. Just after the bell, Sandman took a hard blow to the head, causing a legit concussion. Making things more interesting was the fact that the match was a Texas Death Match, a match where you have to pin your opponent for the 3 count and then have your opponent unable to stand by the 10 count. Because of the head injury sustained by The Sandman he seemed to forget about staying down for the 10 count and got up every time(even when the match was supposed to end). After getting up after repeated DDTs on the outside Foley delivered one final DDT which ended th match. You could actaully see Mick get angry when Sandman kept getting up after otherwise match ending moves.

Match: Cactus Jack & Raven VS. Terry Funk & Tommy Dreamer
Event: ECW November To Remember
Date: 18/11/95
The Action: This match is a classic hardcore encounter which has "legendary" written all over it. Terry Funk and Mick Foley are probably the two most respected wreslers of their style(hardcore/high impact/deranged). This match utilized more weapons then police at a soccer riot in Spain. There was everything from the typical steal chair, tables, fry pans and I think there as even a shopping trolley incorporated in the match. Every single person in this match took alot of punishment that night.

Match: Cactus Jack VS. Mikey Whipwreck
Event: ECW Big A$$ Extreme Bash
Date: 9/3/96
The Action: Micks last match before leaving for his career with WWE. This was an exceptionally good match which as usual saw many weapons used, including the ones the crowd brought exclusively for the wrestlers to use during the match. Mikey Whipwreck is the ultimate underdog character but held his own more than once throughout the match. Mick went into the match as a heel and left as a babyface because of a match(and career in ECW) well done. He gave an emotional speech after the match which also shouldn't be missed.

END OF DISC 1

CONTENT OF DISC 2:

Match: Mankind VS. Shawn Michaels
Event: WWE Mindgames
Date: 22/9/96
The Action: We kick off the second disc in a big way with what Mick calls his "favourite" match. He considers it his greatest match because he was in perhaps the best shape of his career and was able to go full tilt with an athlete of Michaels calibure for around 25 minutes. The match it self was a hardcore match before there were hardcore matches because both wrestlers hit eachother with everything but the kitchen sink. There were many higlights in the match including the back suplex of the ring apron onto the anouncers table and the Sweet Chin Music delivered after jumping of a chair.

Match: Cactus Jack VS Hunter Hearst Helmsley
Event: WWE RAW IS WAR
Date: 22/9/97
The Action: One of the early encounters between Tripe H and Mick Foley. This was a "Falls Count Anywhere" match, basically a hardcore match and it turned out to be a good one because of the build up and the video clip which feature Mick's three personas'(Dude Love, Cactus Jack & Mankind) at once thanks to a few TV tricks. The match was originally schedualed to be Dude Love VS Triple H but after the video Cactus came down to the ring to a great reaction from the fans.

Match: Terry Funk VS Mick Foley
Event: WWE RAW IS RAW
Date: 4/5/96
The Action: This is the only time Mick and Terry fought one on one in the WWE. It was a taste of what they did in the Japanese Death Matches. The match saw these two hardcore legends batter eachother with what wasn't tied down. Terry Funk at the time was 53, and he did a moonsault of the crowd control barrier among other high risk moves that could end a career if done improperly. All in all this match was a true "hardcore" performance.

Match: Dude Love VS Stone Cold Steve Austin
Event: WWE Over The Edge
Date: 31/5/98
The Action: This happened to be one of the only times Mick wrestled under the "Dude Love" moniker. This match was hyped up and had Vince McMahon as special ref, Undertaker at ringside and also Pat Patterson and Gerry Brisco to make the odds against Stone Cold all the more great. Fortunately Undertaker was on Austins side but even then the rules changed several times during the match to benefit Dude Love. Mick was currently working as a heel after joining up with McMahons corporation. Besides the likelyhood of getting cheered while versing Austin in '98 was extremely low seing so Austin had become the most popular wrestler to ever work for the WWE.

Match: Mankind VS Undertaker
Event: WWE King Of The Ring (Hell In A Cell)
Date: 28/6/98
The Action: Here is the most talked about match in wrestling history. The infamous Hell In A Cell. As far as I can remember this is the match with the most replays ever shown, not just that night but for years after it. This match to alot of people, and im willing to bet the farm, is one of the biggest reasons to get this compilation. This is the match which i fell best shows Foleys dedication to his business. He came of the aprox 15 feet cell twice in the same night and still finished the match. He suffered broken bones, knocked out teeth, a bruised kidney among many other injuries that night. I know he wont hear it but please have a round of applause for Foley if you're reading this as a show of respect for everything he's done.

Match: Mankind VS The Rock
Event: WWE RAW IS WAR
Date: 4/1/99
The Action: This isn't the best match these two have had together but it important for what it meant to Mick. It was the first time Mick captured the WWE title. The match was still good, with the corporation with The Rock and DX with Mankind. Mick won the match when Stone Cold came down to the ring and laid out The Rock with a thunderous chair shot. The emotion in the air that night on 4 Januray 1999 was running high at the area and at my place (the motley kid had just got into wrestling a few months before this and wanted to see Mankind win). This match is fondly looked back on by many fans including me.

Match: Cactus Jack VS Triple H
Event: WWE Royal Rumble
Date: 23/1/00
The Action: Just over a year after first capturing the WWE title Mick was having one of his last matches against Triple H, now the biggest heel in the company. This match is one of my personal favourites. Its classic Foley material with big bumps, 2x4 wrapped in barb wire then set on fire and thumb tacks. It took two pedigrees to beat Mick, the final being where all the thumbtacks were. Truly a match to remember.

EXTRAS EXTRAS READ ALL ABOUT IT!!
(Extras Running Time, 90 mins)

Bonus Matches: Cactus Jack VS Sting, Cactus Jack VS Sabu(rematch), Jack Foley & Les Thornton VS The British Bulldogs(Micks second WWE match).

Bonus Material: The Birth Of MR Socko, Vegas Vignettes With Al Snow, Classic Promos from his pre WWE days & a feature from WWE Confidential.

Total Running Time: Aprox 6 hours 30 mins.

Thanks for reading my longest review yet(1995 words)

Until Next time
The Motley Kid

P.S
Check out my other reviews on WWE related products
WWE Smackdown Here Comes The Pain (PS2)
http://www.epinions.com/content_144451866244

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older