Being the massive Britney Spears fan that I am, I knew straight away that I had to own this DVD. It was just released in the UK two days ago, and I bought it on the day it was released, which was also two days after one of the greatest nights of my life. You see, on Saturday May 1st 2004 I travelled to Manchester in England to see Britney Spears live on part of her Onyx Hotel Tour that is currently sweeping the world! My voice is gradually returning, but losing it (along with my head) was worth it just to see her up close! Currently on a Spears-high, this DVD was my most essential purchase for quite a few weeks, and I am very happy with it, not only because it contains so many brilliant features, but because it is a perfect addition to any true fans' collection!

People have complained that all the material on this DVD has already been on TV countless times before, but not everyone lives in America (I don't), so most of the stuff on here was new to me. The DVD cover is the same as the multi-platinum No.1 album "In The Zone," and this instantly makes the two sort of companions to each other. The first feature on the DVD is probably the best of the lot. It's the ABC Television Special - "Britney Spears: In The Zone" which was broadcast across America on the eve of the release of Britney's fourth album. In an intimate setting Britney performs to some of her biggest fans. She sings "Toxic," "Breathe On Me," "Boys/I'm A Slave 4 U," "(I Got That) Boom Boom," "Everytime," "...Baby One More Time" and "Me Against The Music." Seven great songs there, seven great performances. Woven in-between these performances are some brilliant clips of Britney during the recording process of the album. The best one for me is where Britney is in a Taxi and feeling free for the first time in a while - you can see tears in her eyes too. Very sweet!

After this fantastic feature, we move on to MTV's "Spankin New Music Week On TRL" Times Square Performance. This is yet another brilliant feature because we get to see one of Britney's first public performances of 2003 after her year-long hiatus. She sings "Me Against The Music" and "(I Got That) Boom Boom" featuring Ying Yang Twins Live. Both performances are brilliant and her pants are so cool! And her hat! After this, we move onto the full-length video to "Me Against The Music" featuring Madonna. This really is one of Britney's greatest music videos to date and was very pricey too! Two icons duetting on one spectacular, dance-tastic smash hit is a feast for the eyes! Everyone has seen this video a million times, though!

We then move onto a really cool feature, which is MTV's "Making The Video" for "Toxic." This has been shown before, but it's nice to finally own it for yourself. We see the brilliant production of Britney's true comeback song and we also see a really funny and charismatic superstar at the centre. The best bits are when Britney watches her old "Making The Video" series from years past, and when she breaks the plunger that she uses to climb up the wall, especially when she claims, "I am SO strong!" She's so sweet. Then of course we get the full video to "Toxic," which is absolutely spectacular! If this doesn't win multiple VMA's in August/September later on this year, there's something wrong! This is the song that has rightfully put Britney back on top in 2004 as the world's biggest superstar! A massive No.1 all over the world and one of the biggest radio hits of the past year has made this already an anthemic, classic pop tune. We then get "In The Personal Zone" which is a fantastic documentary in which Britney reveals all on Inspiration, Spirituality, ABC Special, Onyx Hotel Tour, TRL Performance and Toxic. We also get a really sexy photo gallery of Britney!

Also includes along with this DVD is a four-track Bonus CD. I have the UK Region 2 DVD version of this, so the two main songs I have are "I've Just Begun (Having My Fun)" and "Girls And Boys." However, as an American purchaser you get "The Answer" and "Don't Hang Up," which are two brilliant songs (the former R'n'B, the latter Dance) that feature on my version of the In The Zone album! Very confusing indeed, but there's also two fantastic remixes included! These are "Toxic (Lenny Bertoldo's Radio Mix)" and "Me Against The Music (Bloodshy & Avant's Chix Mix)." I personally prefer the Toxic remix, but the remix of Me Against The Music isn't bad either!

OVERALL GRADE: 10/10

In the past we've received some brilliant Britney Spears DVD's. We've had "Time Out With Britney" and "Live And More!" which were both superb. We then had the rather disappointing "Britney: The Videos," followed by the amazing "Britney Spears: Live From Las Vegas" and "Crossroads." Of course, there was the brilliant DVD included with the book Stages that followed Britney around on the Mexican leg of her Dream Within A Dream Tour of 2002. I have to say though, that "In The Zone" is the best DVD/video that Britney has released to date! I suggest that if you're a big Britney fan you buy this straight away, you won't regret it!

I actually purchased the Korean version of this DVD(which is slightly different from but _is_ basically the same as the U.S. version), and I was so impressed with it that I just had to write a review on it here. I initially purchased the Korean version because the Bonus CD includes "I've Just Begun (Having My Fun)" and "Girls And Boys" instead of "Don't Hang Up" and "The Answer" as on the U.S. version. (There is no other way to get an _official_, _authorized_ copy of "Girls And Boys.") However, when I watched the DVD, I was pleasantly surprised and felt like I actually got my money's worth. Here are what I thought were the highlights of the DVD:

1) The ABC Special: I really liked this because all 8 songs are also included in the 16 songs Britney performs on the Onyx Hotel Tour, so you're kind of getting to see a half-version of the "Onyx" concert. The main difference is that the costumes are not the same, but very nice nevertheless. However, I thought there was actually more and better dancing than in the "Onyx" Showtime Special, where Britney surprisingly kind of just stands around swaying her hips a little too often(e.g. "Toxic"). The ABC Special also has an overall better mood, as it is performed in a more intimate setting. The only scenes I really missed that were on the Showtime Special were the "bathtub" scene("Touch Of My Hand") and the "swing" scene("Shadow"). However, the only thing that really would have made the ABC Special better is less lip-synching. Otherwise, good show.

2)The performances of "Me Against The Music" and "(I Got That)Boom Boom" live on TRL are great! Britney looks like she's really having fun onstage and she's really singing and it sounds good! (And, of course, her dancing is great as usual.)

3) On the "Love & Heartbreak" segment of the ABC Special, we get to hear Britney again(albeit briefly) really singing _and_ playing the piano! I wish she would do more of this in her concerts and do it in as relaxed a state of mind as this - she could really impress.

4) The videos of "Me Against The Music" and "Toxic" are a great addition, and the "Making The Video" segment for "Toxic" didn't hurt, either.

The only thing I didn't really like about the DVD was the interview titled "In The Personal Zone." Britney's answers to the interview questions are too vague and thus uninteresting. However, the interstitial segments on the ABC Special definitely make up for this.

All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by this DVD. I would definitely watch it again and recommend it.

I am a Britney fan, and I have Britney Live in Las Vegas, and Britney Spears Live and More! as well as this latest dvd....

While this one is good and very enjoyable, she continues her streak of non-singing, which to some is a turn-off in a dvd, or a plus b/c you can hear the words, and it is clear. Anyway, I prefer live singing on dvd, at least it makes you feel like you are at the concert!

The dvd itself is pretty good. If I had to rank the dvds in order, this one would fit second behind Live and More...

This dvd has both videos out at that time (MATM and Toxic) Making the Video:Toxic, 2 MTV performances (MATM, Boom Boom) and the ABC concert special, intermitent with Britney talking clips, like on live and more...there are also extras, like a photo gallery, and the free bonus cd of mixes and a few new songs!

Over all, for around $10-15 this is a pretty good deal, and a fun dvd, but sometimes the non singing weirds you out, honestly!

I'm not sure what will be on the dvd yet but it will be awesome! Britney is the best artist out there. Her albums keep getting better and better. Her new single Toxic, which will probably on this dvd, is rapidly climbing the charts. She is absolutly the best! Can't wait for this dvd!!!

Britney Spears has reigned supreme as pop music's No. 1 female entertainer since her Grammy-nominated, history-making first single "...Baby One More Time" (1998). She has defined a generation and has become the epitome of what is Top 40 pop: music that is enjoyable to listen to, period. Her fourth studio release In the Zone (2003) coincided with the DVD release here, including less raunchy but still uber-sexy performances of her Grammy-winning song "Toxic," a sweaty girl-girl-tinged version of "Breathe on Me," pant and dance-heavy "Slave 4 U" and more. Between footage shot in NYC in June 2003 are interviews and insights on Britney's life, from Family to Life in the Public Eye. DVD bonuses include two live performances of "Me Against the Music" and "Boom, Boom" on TRL and an entertaining Making the Video for the scorcher "Toxic." In the end, viewers are sure to be left wanting more, but Zone satisfies nonetheless. Good job here.