WWE In Your House 12: It's Time (1996)

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

1st Match: Al Snow vs 2 Cold Scorpio. Both these guys are under different personas, but I'm using these names because that's what I'm more familiar with. A pretty good match to start, I wasn't expecting much from these guys, but they both do a good job. Good spots, there's a pretty sloppy botch at the start, but other than that, this is a solid opener. Rating: 3.5/52nd Match: Owen Hart and The British Bulldog vs "Diesel" and "Razor Ramon", WWF Tag Team Championships. An OK match, Fake Diesel and Razor do OK, and Owen and Bulldog just kind of exist. The match does get a little interesting when Austin comes down and Bulldog jumps him, but other than that this is just standard fare. I guess the match was just here to further Austin's feud with the Harts. Rating: 3/53rd Match: Marc Mero vs HHH, WWF Intercontinental Championship. Another stellar match between these two, typical spots, but both guys do a good job. The biggest problem the match has is that it ends in a countout, maybe they'll have future matches, but the ending puts a sour note on a good match. Rating: 3/54th Match: The Undertaker vs The Executioner, Mexican Death match. Basically you have to pin your opponent and then they have to stay down for a 10 count. Executioner has been a thorn in Taker's side for a few months now, so it makes sense these two would have a match, the problem is that it's just a brawl with no substance. Foley comes down and tries to stop Taker, but he gets thrown through the set twice. It kind of felt like this was made just so Foley could have the night off. It's OK for a brawl, but not much else. Rating: 3/55th Match: Sid Vicious vs Bret Hart, WWF Championship. This was the start of Bret going full heel, the whole match has hints that he's slipping to the dark side. Sid's alright, but his style doesn't work with Bret's all that well. Even for 17 minutes, the match doesn't drag on though, so it's watchable. The big story at the end is that Bret's in the middle of Shawn and Sid's feud, so it'll be interesting to see how Bret does for his final year in the WWF. Rating: 3/5Fina Rating: 6 out of 10. Not a very strong end to the year for Vince and company, but entertaining enough I suppose. WWF certainly had a better year than 1995 though, and that's a plus in my book.

1. Rocky Maivia Vs. Salvatore Sincere - Dq ending in a normal match 6/10 2. Leif Cassidy Vs. Flash Funk - FF with boringly long dance before match... Move list was decent but I really don't get into FF's gimmick. 6.5/10 3. WWF Tag Team Title Match: Diesel/Razor Ramon Vs. Champs-Owen Hart/British Bulldog - At least the very end of the match was well coordinated. 6.5/10 4. WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Wildman Marc Mero Vs. Champ-Hunter Hearst Helmsley - Mero won by Count out in an decent match. 6.5/10 5. The Executioner Vs. The Undertaker - Nothing special occurred except fight "In House" and backstage 6/10 6. WWF World Heavyweight Title Match: Bret Hart Vs. Champ-Psycho Sid - I was very surprised, when Sid retained the Belt, couldn't say a word. Real animosity between Hart and Michaels there is noticeable. 6.5/10

WWE ensured that they maintained their momentum from Survivor Series with another solid show here.The VHS starts off with what was actually a pre show match pitting Rocky Maivia against Salvatore Sincere. Sincere was accompanied by Jim Cornette, but he turned out to be a liability rather than an advantage as he interfered in the match and got his charger disqualified.The night officially got under way with Flash Funk (wow, I'd forgotten that guy existed) defeating Leif Cassidy with a 450 splash (wow I'd forgotten that move existed). Not great execution there Flash, but it wasn't the worst splash I've seen, or the worst match for that matter.Next we saw Owen Hart and British Bulldog successfully defend their tag team titles against the new Deisel and Razor II. This was not a great match, Owen and Bulldog double teamed Razor II to get the pin. The new Razor and Diesel were introduced by Jim Ross as part of a silly storyline, which was soon dropped. Razor and Diesel stayed on for a while longer though. In the end both guys were dropped, but the New Diesel went on to become Kane.Next came the big rematch for the Intercontinental Championship between former Champion Marc Mero and Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Helmsley had defeated Mero to win the title on RAW after Mero's mentor Mr Perfect had turned on him. He was unable to get revenge tonight, winning by disqualification after Goldust interfered by attacking Helmsely. At least he had Sable to cheer him up once he got back to the locker room. Passable match.Now it was time for the Undertaker to face The Executioner under Armageddon Rules. Armageddong Rules takes care of count outs and DQs, and gives a wrestler 10 seconds to get up after being pinned. The Executioner had earned the ire of the Undertaker when he assaulted after his Buried Alive match with Mankind at In Your House 11. Taker and Executioner brawl around the place a little and Undertaker gets the win following a tombstone. Interesting match, but just not a great stipulation.Finally came the big WWE Championship match with Sycho Sid, capitalising on an appearance from Shawn Michaels to hit his powerbomb and defeat Bret Hart. Hart had looked in control until Michaels climbed the apron distracting him. Hart was then sling shot into Michaels and ate the pin. This was a good match. Hart was very upset after the match, feeling Michaels had cost him the title. This was a subtle beginning to Hart's heel turn.So there you have it, an entertaining PPV with a good main event, some rivalries resolved and a nice set up for the year ahead. A positive end to a disappointing year in the WWE.

This is one of the best In Your House WWF PPV's that I have ever seen.We first start off with Free-For-All action with Salvatorie Sincere Vs. Rocky Miavia (who later was known as The Rock).A very good match which kept my attention until the very end, when Jim Cornette interfered and gave Rocky the DQ Victory over Sincere.We then go onto our first match of the actual PPV.Flash Funk w/ The Funkettes Vs. Leif Cassidy.Very good entertaining match with some good unique High Flying moves, and really showed what a real wrestling match was suppose to be.Flash finally got the double flip star press from the top and got the 1-2-3 on cassidy.The next match was the Tag Team Championship match between - Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith (the champs) Vs. Fake Diesel & Fake Razor Ramon.This was dead beat to start off, but things got interesting when a UN-invited Stone Cold Steve Austin made his presents felt. Davey got the pin of Ramon and remained tag team champions!Our next match was a very big grudge match that had been going on for a very long time in that era and was for the Intercontinental Championship.Hunter Hearst Hemsley (The Champ) Vs. Wildman Marc Mero w/ Sable.The match went from outside to inside, a very grueling and intense match for both of them. The match finally wounded up again on the outside when gold-dust came out, and knocked both mero and hemsley out. Mero got in the ring just before the 10 count and won, however a title change can't change hands on the 10 count.Now it's Semi-Main-Event time with the Armegeddon Rules match.The Undertaker Vs. The Executioner w/Paul Beare and very shortly MankindThe undertaker took it to the Executioner quickly when mankind came out and attacked the undertaker!The undertaker then started beating up on both exe and mankind when it started to escalate out into the aisle way.It was a first when i saw the undertaker throwing MANKIND Through THE WALL OF THE IYH LOGO!!!!!! AND THEN THROUGH THE DOOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!.But anyways the undertaker got the tombstone on the exe and the executioner could not answer the 10 count afterward, so the undertaker won.Main Event Time - WWF Championship - Psycho Sid (champ) Vs. Brett "Hitman" Hart. (Remember, Shawn michaels was doing color commentary during this match.)This was one of the best IYH Main events in my opinion.It stayed clean and very intense all through the match.At the end of the match Sid was outside of the ring and had face pushed michaels into the guardian rail.HBK with anger and rage got onto the ring apron and Sid whipped hart into the ropes and hit HBKSid then POWERBOMBED hart for the 1-2-3After the match hart took his frustration out on HBK, by violently kicking him, and thats how the show ended.The reason i like it so much, is because it was before all this crap about DX and the HART Foundation and sh*t like that.It was very clean and traditional wrestling.