Iron Maiden Burning Ambition – REVIEW

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It’s a remarkable feat for any band to stay popular for 50 years, and the documentary Burning Ambition celebrates Iron Maiden’s entire history. While focusing on longtime frontman Bruce Dickinson, the film doesn’t shy away from acknowledging the band’s earlier singers, even including archival footage of those who have passed away. The documentary makes it clear that Steve Harris has been the driving force behind the band since its beginnings in the 1970s, consistently prioritizing rock music over financial gain. He wrote many of the band’s songs, and continues to do so, though the film doesn’t address how the songwriting royalties are split – a common source of conflict for bands.

The documentary highlights that the band has a dedicated fanbase and is highly respected by fellow musicians like Tom Morello, Lars Ulrich, Gene Simmons, and surprisingly, Chuck D (though Public Enemy previously collaborated with Anthrax). While many admire them and spoke on camera for the film, the band members themselves preferred to provide commentary via voiceover. They claim this is because they consider themselves “too ugly” – a sentiment Motley Crue’s Vince Neil might relate to, given his reputation! Some parents even used his photo to scare their children.

Burning Ambition chronicles the various lineups of Iron Maiden, and it’s consistently engaging, particularly when focusing on the lead singers. The book gives attention to often-criticized vocalists like Blaze Bayley and Paul D’Anno, as well as Bruce Dickinson, who has fronted the band for the longest period. Interestingly, Dickinson is also a skilled pilot, flying the band’s aircraft around the world, and was once a competitive fencer – details the book doesn’t overlook. It also touches on the band’s fashion choices, with a humorous nod to their fondness for tight spandex trousers. Importantly, the book doesn’t shy away from difficult topics like Dickinson’s battle with throat cancer and the strained relationship between him and former drummer Nicko McBrain.

The growing use of their songs in movies shows that filmmakers are finally recognizing how popular the band is. For example, ‘Run to the Hills’ was recently featured in ‘Get Away,’ and ‘The Number of the Beast’ appeared in ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’.

As a lifelong metalhead, I’ll admit this probably won’t reveal anything new to those of us who’ve followed the band closely for years, and it does skip over some parts of their story. But for anyone curious about the history of such an important band in the metal world, I think it’s a really respectful and well-done tribute.

Here’s the trailer….

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2026-05-06 16:23