Iron Maiden: Rock In Rio (2002)

The Worst Film Ever

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

I have seen Maiden seven times. This is not the best video out there. 2008 Porta Allegre is the best video. While this video is live in front of thousands of people, it could have been done better. The camera is all over the place. Many times its as if the camera is out of place. The set list is very good. I saw Maiden last weekend in San Antonio. Stage set is over the top. Set list above avg.

Iron Maiden have a true sense of how to really put on a SHOW (in caps), with their trademark metal brand going out to audience's the world over with the impact of a harrowing horror movie and the gusto of superb theater (perhaps there's a reason why the lead young girl in Persepolis, in Iran of all places, loved Maiden enough to get it off the black market). I was there for their 2003 tour, and comparatively, even at a much smaller venue to see them at, their appearance in Rio in 2000 is no more or less spectacular. They deliver hard-driving heavy metal tunes, some faster than others, with the energetic, awesome Bruce Dickinson belting out the tunes (pretty much, with some minor exceptions in belting out some complicated lyrics) with the same power and vocal range that he had on the original recordings.Now, the music here and there, while usually spot on, does depend on its being effective if you really like their 2000 album, Brave New World. In truth, I didn't think it was quite a Number of the Beast or Seventh Son of a Seventh Son; sometimes even repetitive and loaded with more thought to the words than the music, it's not one of their best, and those songs make up a good bunch that are on this tour. This being said, however (and what a however), when Maiden is dynamite, they are f***ing dynamite squared. They deliver some of their most acclaimed and loved 80s period Dickonson songs for screaming Brazilians all rocking their heads off in the stadium, and the buzz makes up for any of the faults in the actual performance. And, of course, what would a Maiden show be without Eddie! It's a damn hell of a good show, in more ways than one, and it should only be a disappointment to the most purist of Maiden fans (i.e. can only appreciate the 80s stuff).

Maiden's Rock in Rio is a fantastic DVD concert. It depicts them on the last date of their Brave New World tour in front of 250, 000 people at Rio De Janiero's "Rock in Rio" festival. Great set list, and Bruce's energy shows the band's enthusiasm. TThe audio is amazing, if you have it wired correctly you can hear the Guitars and bass from the left and right speakers, Bruce's voice from the sub-woofer, and the drums from the back speaker. The audio DOES rise and fall in a few quick places, but that doesn't distract you from the awesome-liciousness of the film. Yes, the editing was fast but I didn't mind it, and after 12 minutes I barely noticed it anymore, at least not when compared to the AWFUL editing of Death on the Road where you can hardly keep up.From the starting "The Wicker Man" to the ending "Run to the Hills", this DVD holds you in its vicious grip.Some fun facts about Maiden in Rio: -Bruce went fencing in Rio -Adrian went fishing in Rio -The band had began their set at 12:02 AM -This was Maiden's final tour date for the BNW tour -The band had some...fun backstage, as seen on the "Day In The Life" feature on the second discThat said, great DVD! Up the Irons!!!!!!

Iron Maiden has always been about live-shows and Rock in Rio is probably their ultimate live-DVD/album. With the six-piece band now playing in front of the incredible crowd of 1/4 million people you can truly feel Maiden's energy.There are several high-points during the very long concert with a variety of songs from the (at the time) recent album "Brave New World" and even some of their older ones. Definite high-points include "The Sign of the Cross", "The Clansman" and of course "The Trooper" which sounds more aggressive than ever before.Naturally "Blood Brothers" and "Brave New World" rise to the occasion and even after 20 years, "Sanctuary" still packs a punch.