ECW December to Dismember (2006)

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

When WWE, then WWF (World Wrestling Federation) bought, the bankrupt wrestling promotion, ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling) in 2001, after ECW was unable to secure a new national television contract. Many of its hardcore fans hope that new-owner, Vince McMahon would be able to sell the idea of another promotion to the network heads to the best of his abilities. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case, as McMahon couldn't get anywhere to aired the promotion, as a whole, due to ECW's somewhat ultraviolent & offensive content & their past rocky relationship with Spike TV, then TNN, which at the time, was WWE's parent network, despite, the promotion sharing many similarities that made WWE, into a money-making machine. Instead, McMahon went with another plan to get ECW, some airtime, by having a lucrative head to head cross-promotion storyline, call 'the Invasion', which sadly, didn't get over, as it should had. By the end of that year, the idea of ECW as its own brand, was canned. It wasn't until 2005, ECW was once again, revived by the WWE with the success of its one-off reunion pay-per-view, 'One Night Stand'. With that success, McMahon was able to get a national television contract with Sci Fi (now known as Syfy) in 2006, and the rebirth of ECW was in full swing with their first PPV back, call "December to Dismember', whom name was taken from an event held by the original ECW in 1995. Unfortunately, ECW's relaunch had problems. In order to reach the largest amount of audiences to make the show, a success. WWE had to do some drastic changes. First off, they had to town down, the violence & the raunchy nature of ECW, by making it more family-friendly. Second off, they had to fit in, certain elements to get Sci-Fi channel, key audiences to tune in, such as having more supernatural characters. Because of the negative reactions from old school fans to these changes & WWE's marketing team, being too busy, with promoting one of its biggest PPV, 2006's 'Survivor Series', one week prior to this PPV. It was looking like, ECW's first relaunch PPV, following their first couple of weeks of show on Sci-Fi, might end up, turning into a disaster; which it did. Not only was the PPV panned by critics, but it was the lowest buy rate in WWE history. Let's see, why. First off, the dark match before the show, between Stevie Richards and René Duprée, didn't generate any excitement in the crowd at the James Brown Arena in Augusta, GA. The reason for this, was, because Richards, on his own. Without his BWO buddies or the Flock, he was never that entertaining, with his limited wrestling abilities. Second off, Dupree hasn't been seen in, nearly a year, before this. So, nobody knew or care. This brings us to the opening match. The tag team match between 'the Hardy Boyz' (Matt & Jeff) Vs 'MNM' (Johnny Nitro & Joey Mercury with Melina) was a little too slow for my taste. It didn't held my interest. Their rematch at WWE 'Armageddon' (2006) was a little more memorable with their infamous face buster ladder match. This night, contest, could had, been better. The next match between Balls Mahoney vs. Matt Striker was equally as boring. Not only, was both men, limited in what they could do, in the ring, but the stipulation really didn't help, make the match, exciting, as both wrestlers, never once try to break those rules. Plus, Striker's tights were too tight. It was very distracting. Nevertheless, it wasn't the worst match on the card. Nor was, Elijah Burke & Sylvester Terkay VS. F.B.I. (Little Guido & Tony Mamaluke with Trinity). It was just a squash match with a monster, who couldn't wrestle. Only good thing to come out of this contest, was seeing Trinity with her lovely red dress. Sadly, the selling of monstrosity & awful outdate, semi offensive racist foreign gimmick would continue, with the next match, between Tommy Dreamer and Daivari, as well. The match was forgettable. Great Khali's presence didn't really add much. The mix tag match between Mike Knox & Kelly Kelly vs. Kevin Thorn & Ariel was next. It was the worst. Since, the match was mostly fill with heels, than babyfaces. The fans were not really, into this match, as nobody in this contest, had any skills in the ring. Even the women being extremely hot, gave, this match little to cheer, about. It was awful. That's brings us to the main event, the Extreme Elimination Chamber for the ECW Championship between the champion, Big Show & his challengers: Rob Van Dam & CM Punk & Test & Hardcore Holly & Bobby Lashley. Without spoiling too much the match, Sabu was originally supposed to be part of this, but he was written off, viva la 'injury', off-camera, earlier the night, effectively showing how, untrustworthy WWE think of the ECW Originals, after the RVD drug possession arrest scandal, from June 6. Nevertheless, despite being a huge bully in real-life, I didn't mind, Holly in this match. I just wish, he didn't have to replace Sabu. That's all. If anything, Test should had been replace. That steroid junkie is very limited in the ring. Better yet, Big Show. He looks very unhealthy. He's really out of shape, here. Regardless, WWE misused the younger talent, big time, here, by barely using Punk & given, Lashley, too much, leeway, despite having a bland personality. Add the odd order of elimination, how little, the weapon were use, and the limiting sets of moves by the competitors & you got a really disappointing main event. It was so bad, that fans start chanting 'we want refunds'. I don't blame them. Overall: It was an atrocious show with little build up & way too many short matches. This event help killed ECW for a second time, & nearly destroy, Paul Heyman's WWE career. I really don't recommended watching it. It's really that bad. Watch original ECW, instead.

Brands like Raw and SmackDown get their own pay per views, but once ECW was released as a third brand we were awaiting the day it got it's own special event. In tradition to the December to Dismember 1995 original ECW event we get this horrible event that gives the new ECW and even the original ECW a bad name.Match 1: The Hardys vs MNM - This was the only match that was watchable on this lame event. The Hardys put on a fantastic performance against MNM. Both teams have a man from Raw and a man from SmackDown, which really makes it sad that Raw and SmackDown guys can out perform ECW talent on their own event. Johnny Nitro really shined over Joey Mercury in this match, possibly leaning more towards a huge singles push for him. In the end The Hardys take the win, predictable but a fantastic match.Match 2: Balls Mahoney vs Matt Striker - Striker can be a decent wrestler, but Balls on the other hand is more of a hardcore guy. His wrestling skills are terrible to say the least. Well we see Striker in the beginning make his own match rules and stating that this match will be held under 'Striker's Rules'. Well Striker the truth it that we would rather see 'Extreme Rules'. Balls in the end fights off all of Striker's rules to pick up the win in the end.Match 3: Sylvester Terkay & Elijah Burke vs The Full Blooded Italians - Nunzio and Tony Mamaluke just fell into this crap squash match. This could have really been their time to shine in the new ECW, but they get squashed pretty good by Terkay & Burke. Terkay for one isn't interesting, Burke on the other hand is a good wrestler. This match in particular was his worst. This had no excitement added to it at all. Burke and Terkay win. Tremendously lame match.Match 4: Daivari with The Great Khali vs Tommy Dreamer - Just like Balls Mahoney, Tommy Dreamer is a better hardcore wrestler instead of regular mat wrestler. Daivari is strangely dominating the whole time. Dreamer tries to fight back, but Daivari takes the cheating win with a hand full of tights roll up on Dreamer. After the match Khali slams Dreamer on the stage. Dreamer is an ECW Original, he shouldn't be getting owned by small guys like Daivari like this.Match 5: Kevin Thorn & Ariel vs Mike Knox & Kelly Kelly - The worst match of the night and possibly of 2006. These four have absolutely no wrestling ability. Knox and Thorn really stunk it up for most of the match with lame, botched maneuvers. Kelly Kelly and Ariel are hot, but they didn't do anything exciting when they took their turn in the ring. In the end Thorn & Ariel get the win. Thorn goes to attack Kelly, but surprisingly Sandman makes the save. The crowd goes wild for it, but honestly Sandman should have been in the main event replacing guys like Test or Hardcore Holly instead of doing this crap.Match 6: Big Show (c) vs Rob Van Dam vs Test vs CM Punk vs Bobby Lashley vs Hardcore Holly in the Extreme Elimination Chamber Match for the ECW Championship - Sadly this was a horrible main event. Entertaining guys like Rob Van Dam and CM Punk left way to early in my book and that really made the fans turn their head. Test is a crap wrestler and so is Hardcore Holly, who shouldn't even have been in this match. They shot a poor promo showing Sabu being taken out backstage. So basically Heyman awards Hardcore Holly with Sabu's spot. That was complete crap, Sabu would have ruled this match. Heyman told reporters that his vision was to see CM Punk with the title raised over his head in the end instead of Lashley, which I would have loved to see go down. Instead Lashley takes the win much to the displeasure of the ECW fans. Lashey never even earned this. The guy is a horrible wrestler and will sadly go on to have a 500 day run as ECW Champion, because that is Vince's vision. CM Punk would have been my candidate to take the gold, but Vince really thinks like a jack@$$ sometimes.Poor event, poor matches. All of it equaled to the worst pay per view of all time.

Sure, this may have had maybe two decent matches. The Hardys defeating MNM was cool, but it does NOT belong on an ECW ppv. The elimination chamber match had to have been better than that crappy one at Survivor Series '03.Sure, I think Ariel is ultra hot, but does she make me want to go out and actually buy this garbage? I think even if I got it for free, I'd give it away to someone else. The two ECW One Night Stand ppvs were awesome, with '05 being the better of the two, even though the DVD version is a total abomination.If you're a real fan of ECW, not this lame and tired WWECW garbage, then you'll avoid this like the plague.

December to Dismember was/is by far the worst Pay Per View that the WWF/WWE has done. Let down by crap feuds, strange commentery from Tazz and Joey Styles and a weird speech cut by Paul Heyman this was a proper shambles. The best match was between The Hardyz and MNM but WWE put these two teams on the card because they realised that the card stank even before it got aired.The Elimination Chamber Match was supposed to have Sabu taking part, but WWE shot a p*ss poor angle were we meant to believe that Hardcore Holly had attacked Sabu backstage which was met by chants of "bull s*it" from the crowd.Joel Ross and Simon Rothstein from The Sun (www.thesun.co.uk) conducted an interview with Paul Heyman about this fiasco and Heyman stated that his original plan was to have CM Punk defeat The Big Show with the Anaconda Vice to lift the ECW Championship which meant perfect sense right? Well not in the eyes of Vince McMahon and Kevin Dunn, as we all know they wanted muscle man Bobby Lashley to lift the gold which he did, some fans actually turned their backs on Lashley when he won and rumour has it Rob Van Dam's wife Sonia was one of these fans.And what gets me is that McMahon has fired Paul Heyman for this but McMahon is the one who makes all the decisions about PPV outcomes. Results from the show: The Hardy Boyz defeated MNM in a thrilling match.... Daivari defeated Tommy Dreamer in a boring match.... Balls Mahoney defeated Matt Striker in a mediocre match.... Elijah Burke and Sylvester Terkay defeated The FBI in a crap squash.... Kevin Thorn and Ariel defeated Mike Knox and Kelly Kelly in a p*ss poor match which was the worst match of 2006.... Bobby Lashley won the ECW championship defeating Test, Rob Van Dam, Hardcore Holly, Big Show and CM Punk in a poor Elimination Chamber match.Overall Grade - E