2002 MTV Video Music Awards (2002 TV Special) User Reviews

Fallon is just OK and the awards ceremony isn't anything special; but the Guns are back!

[MovieAddict2016 · 5/10 · 27 November 2005]

I don't like Jimmy Fallon so it is hard for me to "review" this program properly. Last time I submitted a review it mysteriously disappeared a few months later so I better be careful what I say this time.

Overall I don't feel this awards show is particularly good. I'm not into MTV to begin with and seeing Eminem and Ja Rule and co. perform doesn't do anything for me. The highlights here were Bruce Springsteen and, of course, what everyone remembers it for today - the comeback of Guns N' Roses. (Well, surprise appearance, anyway.) They kept hying the "surprise" the whole way through the show and they kept playing GN'R music so it was fairly obvious I suppose that GN'R were going to be there. When Axl and his new band come out at first and he starts growling into the microphone it really is blood-chilling...but then he starts singing and it goes downhill pretty fast.

I actually thought it was a good performance in terms of energy but I admit his vocals weren't up to par. We'll have to wait and see what comes of GN'R - it's been three years since the '02 VMAs and we never got a "round two." If you like the artists involved with this, give it a shot. The only reason I'd ever watch it again is for the GN'R performance.

2002 VMA's rock...for once...

[axl2000845 · 10/10 · 18 June 2005]

This was probably the best VMA's since 1992. Fallon was a great host first of all. Why do i say that? Even though Fallon is not the standup that Chris Rock is, but Fallon actually seemed to be having fun...it wasn't a bunch of written one liners pieced together to move the show along...it was Jimmy Fallon having a great time being part of a great show.

Point two is the the show was well divided between the genres of music. You had a few pop acts, a few hiphop/rap acts, and a few rock acts. I'm not a huge pop or rap fan...but eminem and the others put on great performances...white America is a great song...the stage set up rocked.

Point three is obviously guns n roses...axl rose honestly puts everyone else on earth to shame as a performer. he is as real as it gets. he may not hit every note, but its always pushing it to the edge and when he does hit it right it is legendary...and people will remember the 2002 vmas just for that reason.

Great show! But, Where is the essence of it?

[Insomniac_moviefan · 4 February 2003]

This year's VMAs show was better than the past year mainly because there were more live performances, and more presenters. This year Mtv executives spent more time on the nominees and it's reflected on the 21 categories with good quality videos.

The intro of the show was hilarious. Jimmy Fallon parodied Eminem's "Without Me", The White Stripes' "Fell In Love With A Girl", Avril Lavigne's "Complicated", and Enrique Iglesias' "Hero". Jimmy Fallon was a great host overall.

Performances from Shakira, The Vines V.S. The Hives, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, and Puff Daddy with some friends were good. But Eminem's "White America" and "Cleaning Out My Closet" was the best. Guns 'n Roses performance could've been better, but the fact that they performed was amazing.

My complaint is that the winners were decided because of high-sells and controversy. The essence (and spinal cord) of the show is to award THE BEST VIDEOS of the year. Seems like MTV lost the main idea of the show since 1997. The nominees in the BEST VIDEO OF THE YEAR category are great, the best picks since 1996. That's it. 6 powerful and emotionally videos were nominated. Though, I think that N'Sync's "Gone" had nothing to do in this category. It wasn't N'Sync's year! Well, a pop video had to be nominated. Eminem won the best video of the year, and that's because he had the best selling cd of the year. "Fell In Love With A Girl" and "Alive" deserved the award because those are truly great videos.

Eminem and The White Stripes were the big winners of the night, getting 3 awards each. P.O.D. and Missy Elliot were the big losers, before the show both had 6 nominations.

Good job MTV, this year's VMAs were the best since 1996, hope next year will be better.

GUNS N' ROSES! GUNS N' ROSES! GUNS N' ROSES GUNS N' ROSES!

[Hawke-2 · 10/10 · 25 September 2002]

This historically marked the return of perhaps the greatest hard rock band of all time: Axl Rose and his new Guns N' Roses Band! Awesome, totally awesome! It may not be the same lineup, but who cares, Axl Rose is and always will be Guns N' Roses, if it weren't for him, there would have never been any Guns N' Roses!

Absolutely Dreadful

[Britlove · 6 March 2003]

The Worst VMAs ive ever seen. What a big giant yawn! I mean first of all if you were watching at home what did they do to the picture? I mean it looked so screwed up. It doesnt work out. You cant really tell that much the stars faces. And the Michael Jackson thing....ugh... Now I must admit the Guns n Roses performance was very good but Video of The Year...EMINEM! Man.... All MTV does is praise this guy. I mean there were plenty of other better videos. Like The White Stripes "Fell In Love With a Girl". I fell asleep this year. The performances were extremely dull or maybe what made them so dull was the picture on the television. Grade: D-

Jimmy Fallon did a good job but Shakira brought down the house!

[Sherazade · 10/10 · 30 March 2006]

Shakira's performance was by far the major highlight of the night. Nobody moves like her. She performed her hit song 'Objection Tango' and totally rocked out with the remixed version that we were treated to. Jimmy Fallon did a good job hosting the show, but once Shakira came out, you forgot all about him and just concentrated on her. Even the stars agreed, after the show, people like P-Diddy, 3LW and Carson Daly commented on Shakira's performance and how great it was, and it was talked about for days. The year is 2006 now as I am writing this review, and I still remember it like it was yesterday. This is Shakira's domain, LIVE performing! She rocked just like she did at the Latin Grammy awards in 2000 when she performed her best showing of 'Ojos Asi' to date.