Looking at the match listing, I thought 'well, gee, another generic WWE PPV'. So I'm pretty glad that isn't what we got and there was a solid, if not spectacular, event in there instead.

Basically, the Backlash compromise is sold on a 'triple main event' with all three 'main' titles on show in some gimmick match or another. In some capacity all three 'brands' would be showcased. Undertaker would rematch with Batista (whom he had had a critically successful match with at the previous Wrestlemania). Cena would continue his sparkling feud with Shawn Michaels, with the recently split - and extremely hot - Randy Orton & Edge team thrown in to add some variety. And then you've got McMahon utilising Shane and Umaga to try and get some revenge for the Wrestlemania humiliation where ECW Champ Bobby Lashley's actions left him bald. Believe me when I say the third storyline there is the least entertaining.

Working through the matches, the opening tag with the Hardys is a generic curtain jerker - good match, nice spots and it warms the crowd up. If anything, there are some really good moments - at one point Trevor Murdoch goes to do an aerial move, which Matt Hardy blocks, but Murdoch is ready for the block, but Hardy is ready for the block-counter etc. - really novel and amazing moment. The match is memorable only for this, where the guys throw a couple of non-generic moments in. Otherwise the match is solid and decent enough - there seems to be no heat and (R.I.P) Cade, whom I am not much of a fan of, isn't at his best anyway. Still good though.

I'd like to add that some of the promos on this show are fun - you got a McMahon one which is too long and a bit bland, but you've also got an Edge one which is AMAZING (Watch it and see why). Then Cena / Orton have a bit of a... 'fun'... promo (ironic seeing as all the trouble WWE are in to these days with certain groups!). So yeah, these are memorable, good.

Melina vs. Mickie is next. I have to admit, I came in to this match feeling 'yawn, it's gonna be rubbish'... but it wasn't. Both women put on a solid performance and a very good match, proving why they deserved to be on this card and in this spot. There are a couple of 'ropey' moments (they do the same moves a few times, and at one point Mickie totally signposts an elbow reversal), but there are some amazing moments too - when both women do the splits and start hitting each other, for example. This is one of those matches that deserves to get onto a 'best of Diva' DVD if they ever do one based on the wrestling, and not the sex appeal. It's really that good.

I haven't (and won't) watch Benoit / MVP so I can't comment. I'm sure it'll be good as both men have a reputation for good matches.

The ECW Championship match is the let down here. It's just not good. It's a hard sell from the start, but Lashley is still green, Umaga is wasted, Shane is annoying and Vince is... Vince. I 'get' what they're trying to do - by having Vince do what happens in the conclusion of this match (no spoilers), it's to get some heat and to have people hate him. It works, fine, but it doesn't work in quite the way they meant it to. You hate it not because it is a 'nasty, bad guy' thing to have happen, but because it cheapens the belt and further emasculates the identity of ECW. Yep, I know it's deliberate on WWE's part... but it's tasteless and a not very good idea. Not WWE's best moment. Not by a long shot. If not for this, the PPV would be four stars.

The Last Man Standing is as good as it goes. The conclusion is extremely memorable, and worth the price of admission, but the match leading up to it is just okay. I'm one of an extremely small minority who didn't rate Batista / Undertaker at Wrestlemania, so perhaps I'm the wrong person to ask about this match. I suppose if you liked them at 'Mania, you'll like them here. As I said, I loved the ending, but was a bit humdrummed out by the rest to be honest.

And then the Fatal Four Way. I don't generally rate these kinds of matches as the storytelling gets a bit crazy and I don't generally enjoy them. This is an exception. All four men were doing a good job, there were good spots, and the match felt meaty and 'main eventy'. Orton vs. Cena hadn't reached generic boring levels yet, and anything with HBK is worth the price of admission. The fans correctly guessed who was going to win - which is a shame, as wrestling is best when it's unpredictable (please listen to us, WWE!!!). But it's still a solid match, albeit one which doesn't really matter in the scheme of things.

Extras are okay - Kennedy mouthing off about Money in the Bank (who cares?) and a scathing Rob Van Dam shoot that you get the feeling is from the heart (and even if it was filmed 'from a company standpoint', RVD has made it clear elsewhere that this is how he feels in real life). The RVD shoot just brings home how bad an idea Vince's ECW storylines were (although I'd argue against that ECW was as successful as RVD makes out!). I'm glad they put some extras on here, it takes you back to the days of 'Coliseum Video exclusive footage' and gives you a bit more of a reason to buy this on DVD instead of watching it live and then never coming back.

So I feel a bit harsh giving this three stars, but the problem is, as good as some matches are (Mickie vs. Melina, the Fatal Four Way), some are just 'good' or 'okay' with moments of awe (Batista vs. 'Taker, Hardy's vs. the Hicks). But the overall disgust of the ECW storyline really brings the event down a notch. You also get the feeling that the event would have done better with a shorter curtain jerker match and maybe putting another mid-card match onto it. So I can recommend this as a solid PPV with one one bad match, but beware that it won't have anything you haven't seen elsewhere.

a very very strong outing for backlash...the last man standing match was truly awesome and it was such a shame that the taker-batista rivalry had to take a hiatus. the fatal fourway was as brilliant as you'd expect it to be. vince winning anything always wins me over

I loved the 2007 Backlash. To me its the best Backlash so far. It was brilliant that Mr. McMahon captured the ECW Title, hilarious with Shane running round with the belt in hand. The Last Man Standing match with Batista and The Undertaker was absolutley amazing and the Fatal-4-Way match for the WWE Championship was a stunner. Was hoping for Shawn to win. This is one of my fave PPV's of all time so I reccomend it to anyone!