When I first saw the add for this movie I could not wait to see it. After seeing it I have to add my take of it. As far as factual goes it,s 50/50. It would have interesting to see the events how they really happened not how they are shown in the movie. First any Def Leppard fan knows Pete Willis was let go from the band wile they were in the studio recording Pyromania not after a show. Second, they knew Phil they did not see him in a club playing in a band (alough I really thought that was a cool scene if not factual)Over all this is a story about a band who overcame incredible odds and came back with an album that stands the test of time.I would have liked to seen more in the film such as how the band got through the death of Steve Clark and the addition of Vivian Cambell. In my opion the movie should have ended with Def Leppard playing at the tribute to Freddie Mercury at Wembly Arena in 1992.I had hoped that when this film was released on DVD that there would have been deleted scenes included sadly there were none.

Back in 1990 when I was 14 years old, Def Leppard was my entire existence. My locker at school was covered with logos/pictures/etc. If your a fan of the band and know the rocky history you will really enjoy to see it all played out on the screen. Especially the saga of Rick Allen. Even if your not a huge DL fan, this movie can still be enjoyed for everyone likes a good rags to riches to insanity and then back to normal. If you have no interest in the band, you'll probably think this movie is a bit lame. While the acting is good, it is easily identified as a made for TV movie. I've never heard of any of the actors (which are all good) until I came across the familiar face of Anthony Michael Hall, playing Mutt Lange. Again just another character that if you don't know the story of the band (or the music industry) it will probably do nothing for you. Pete Willis and the early Sheffeild days were cool to see, and like I said if your a fan and know the material before you actually watch the movie, you'll love it, otherwise it makes for a good watch when nothing better is on.

When Def Leppard returned to MTV with Hysteria, it was a revolution. The band members were adolescent friends who aspired to leave their Sheffield lives behind them. Instead, they became a leader in the music industry. Hysteria's legacy still lives on to those of us who remember it. The film reminded me of their ability to triumph over tragedy. They were all young when they rose to success. Of course, they hit obstacles like alcohol, drugs, and money. When Rick loses his arm in a car accident, he is determined to return to the band. I admire the band for not turning their backs on their friend. When Steve Clark is battling alcoholism, his friends are there for him as well. The film is not great but I bet it could have been better. I liked the flashbacks in the end to show the change in their appearances. They have grown older, wiser, and better for it. The road to Hysteria was marked by tragedy and triumph at once. The song "Pour Some Sugar On Me!" was a hit video on MTV. I must have seen it a hundred times or more. In the 1980s, musicians and bands like Def Leppard created lyrics with music. Today, all there is vulgarity, sexual references, obscenity, and violence in the most popular music today. Gone are the music videos that inhabited MTV all those years. It was once a music station. I saw this film on VH-1 which was also begun as an alternative to MTV. Both now dedicate themselves to reality shows and other programming. I miss MTV and the videos like Def Leppard's Pour Some Sugar On Me, Hysteria, Photograph, Love Hurts, Animal, etc. Of course, young actors who play larger than life band members do a superb job in portraying. For a minute, I believed the band was actually playing themselves. I had to see the credits. I bet they could have marketed and released this film in the theaters and they would be rocking to the sound of Def Leppard. Too bad they placed it on television as documentary. To Def Leppard, keep rocking on.

Having grown up in the steel city (Sheffield) I thought this movie might be a trip down memory lane. How wrong I was. The X Files has proven that Canada can substitute for nearly all of the US, and even Russia. However this movie shows it can't replicate Sheffield and South Yorkshire. Sheffield, like Rome, is built on 7 major hills. Sheffield in this movie, like plot, was very flat. Other laughable elements include - the accents (not even vaguely close), - the 'pubs' (oh dear), - the high school (so 'american' in build I don't know where to start), - London and Sheffield became interchangeable towards the end.But my favourite bit was the cars. The production obviously had limited access to right-hand cars, with stick shift, as we drive over here. However to have the band 'sharing' a clapped-out Volvo estate, even at the peak of their success was just too funny. If the plot/characterization had been stronger I could have forgiven this. But it just wasn't.