365 Days. 365 Films.

Hysteria is a dramatisation of Def Leppard’s rise to fame and the bad luck they seemed to suffer from in their heyday, including the drummer losing an arm in a car accident and a few alcohol related incidents.

The film doesn’t exactly boast an all-star cast, and although the acting is sometimes a little off, it’s generally appropriate to the film and okay to watch. Director, Mandel (whom I only know from directing The X Files pilot episode), does well with the script and the cinematography is sound – no problems here. One problem I did have, however, is the actual structure of the plot. The film jumps across the timeline, settling only on the most dramatic moments, which is understandable but it doesn’t really give the audience a chance to connect with the characters or understand them properly. And without this connection, the drama and emotion is somewhat lost in a blur of meaningless happenings.

It’s a good film, enjoyable enough, although not enjoyable enough for a second viewing, and people who are not Def Leppard fans probably won’t enjoy it at all.