Review of Groot - 1:1 Scale Replica Action Figure
Guardians of the Galaxy 2

Introduction

I've loved a lot of the MCU.  Not all of it - there are some real stinkers mixed in there - but the majority have been good with a few real gems. One of those gems is the Guardians of the Galaxy films, and yes, I love both of them.

While characters like Star-Lord or Rocket might get the best lines, the film makers managed to create a truly enduring and endearing character in Groot. He appeals to kids without being stupid (yea, I'm looking at you, Jar-Jar), he appeals to adults thanks to his emotional and comical impact, and he will stand the test of time, thanks to an eye catching design that combines some classic themes (can you say Ent?) with modern CGI.

We've gotten action figures of course, both cheap and expensive. With the outcome of the first film, we ended up going from a big, old Groot to a tiny, young Groot in the second. This gave collectible companies a huge opportunity - unlike some one like Drax, who changed very little, they could come up with all kinds of new Groot merchandise that would appeal to everyone!

Hot Toys took that one step further. Understanding that the character was only about a foot tall in the second movie (and actually varied thanks to being a youngster and growing), they could produce a 1:1 scale prop replica that's really just an action figure. Two birds - one stone.

This replica Groot has just started shipping, and will run you around $190. There's no specials or exclusives, so you can pick him up at your favorite retailer.

Packaging - ****
I discussed the design in the earlier Star-Lord review, but I'll say it again here - I really like this retro tape player look. The more I see it, the more I like it. It's designed to be old school electronics, with a tape deck and equalizer. The top edge has imprinted buttons for eject, fast forward, play...you know the drill. The front has the tape player with equalizer sliders, and the large, round speaker. On the grill of the speaker is a silhouette of Groot. There is some depth to the appearance, thanks to the way they did the tape itself. It's printed on the inside card, behind the clear plastic window. It really does look like there's an actual tape inside!  This inside card is printed up like a circuit board, another inventive touch.  Of course, it's all collector friendly as well.

Sculpting - ****
Groot is a cute little hunk of wood. While it might seem simple to sculpt a wooden character, the detail and realism here is really, really amazing. The tiny 'plates' of bark interconnect and overlap in such a way that the articulation is well hidden but very useful, another example of Hot Toys exceptional engineering.

The proportions are excellent, and they've included three different face plates to provide various expressions. They work great with various poses, and are easy to swap.

There is one permanent 'sprout' of growth on the top of his head. There are eight more tiny sprouts which you can attach to the proper location. That's a smart move, because it means breaking or damaging these tiny twigs is far less likely.

By the way, this is not an MMS figure but rather an LMS - Lifesize Masterpiece Series.  This is the fourth, hence the LMS004 on the box.  The first three were huge characters like Batman and a Stormtrooper, and the price tags were as astronomical as you might assume. This is likely the only member of the LMS series that most of us will ever own, thanks to Groot's size. This figure comes in at about 10 inches tall.

Paint - ***1/2
Overall the paint work is solid - this is Hot Toys after all. It's not particularly complex of course, because there aren't a bunch of tiny details that require unique colors or textures. It is critical to get the paint to marry with the wood sculpt, to create the most realistic appearance overall. With shading and washing, they pull it off perfectly.

The eyes are a critical aspect. The plastic, glassy eyes have depth and life, and the dark color looks fantastic.

My only complaint is with the greener top of his head. The transition from the harder brown wood to the greener, younger growth isn't as subtle or realistic as I'd like. It's a minor nit, but it does pull him down slightly for me.

Articulation - ****
I mentioned the excellent engineering in the Sculpt section, since it effects the score there as well. But it's effects are also seen here, where the sculpt and articulation work together, rather than against each other.

The ball neck is jointed under the head and inside the torso, giving you some amazing tilt and lean movement in every direction. This is so critical to adding personality to any pose, and with a character like Groot, it was essential.

The shoulders are actually two joints as well. There's a ball inside the torso, and a hinge on the arm itself. Again, this adds a tremendous range of movement, and allows for a ton of arm poses.

The rotating hinge elbows and wrists work as you'd expect, but the design and paint hide the joints nicely, but still allow for good movement.

The torso has a rolling chest joint, and the sculpted bark on the top half slides seamlessly over the sculpted bark on the lower half. Again, lots of turn, lean, and tilt in the torso leads to much more realistic, emotive poses.

The legs include ball hips, rotating hinge knees, and ball ankles. The hips and knees work terrific, and while I couldn't quite get the feet as flat on the ground as I'd like in deeper stances, their huge size makes it possible for him to still maintain just about any stance.

Accessories - ****
There's one extra he's missing...more on that in a minute. But he does come really well packed out, and the inclusion of the three faces drives this higher score.

All three faces look great, and are unique enough to make their inclusion worthwhile. He comes wearing the slight smile, with the big smile and wry grin the extras. The are easy to swap, and there is very little noticeable gap or line where they attach.

I mentioned the extra twigs, and there are eight in all. These pop into tiny holes in various spots on his body. There's a particular place for each, but there's nothing that says you can't get creative or skip some altogether. There is one high on the right hip which can get in the way of the articulation, so take some care there. They also tend to fall out when you're handling him, which I found frustrating. In the end, I suspect I'll only use one or two, and I'll glue those in place.

Like most Hot Toys figures, he comes with some extra hands. he's wearing a normal, relaxed pair. These can be swapped for a pair of growing fingers, which are quite long. Even better, they are bendy, and each extended digit can be adjusted into any pose you'd like.

His outfit is technically an extra as well, since he doesn't have to wear it. But by providing it, they really increased the number of potential looks for the figure, boosting the Fun Factor as well.

Finally, there's the display stand. While the base is pretty standard - and includes the GOTG2 graphic design to match the rest of the line - the bendable metal support rod gives you some jumping, leaping, pose potential.

So what do I wish they'd included? That's easy - a properly scaled severed human toe would be the greatest accessory ever. They missed an opportunity, but I guess I understand why.

Outfit - ***1/2
Groot comes with a one piece jumper, based on the look of his team suit in the movie.

Getting it on and off can be a little tricky, but it's not impossible. You will want to pop off the feet and hands, and all the little twigs, and have a little patience.

It looks great, with high quality materials and top notch stitching and assembly. It fits well, even with his funky tree body. That required some special tailoring, and they pulled it off nicely.

My only complaint is with the large, fake zipper running diagonally on the front. This is plastic, and it shows. This same zipper but made from metal would have looked so much better. It's a minor nit though, and the overall appearance and fit of the costume is excellent.

Fun Factor - ****
Thanks to some great looking face plates and terrific articulation, this guy is a ton of fun. I spent a bunch of time just posing him and swapping faces before I ever started shooting the photos. Put him someplace people can pick him up, and they won't be able to resist. Finding the perfect look is irresistible - and attainable, thanks to the great design.

Value - ***
At $190, he's not cheap, but it is in line from both a sixth scale market perspective, where action figures in this size and complexity run $180 - $220, and in the prop replica market. I actually gave him a slight boost over an average score of **1/2, thanks to the outfit and two additional faces. Hot Toys rarely gives you more than you pay for - and too often, less - but this is one of those positive occasions.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not much. The tiny, permanent sprout on the top of his head is a spot where you should take some care, and if you place all of the other eight twigs on his body, remember that they can come loose and get lost when you're handling him. One of those eight twigs sits pretty high on his thigh, and can get in the way of the articulation. When it's in place, take some care not to damage it when moving the leg.

Overall - ****
This is a terrific figure...or is it a prop replica? Actually, it's both, and it should appeal to collectors across multiple markets. Who doesn't want to have Groot right there with them? Smart Star-Lord cosplayers will find creative ways to attach him to their shoulder, and the size is  perfect for just such a thing.

Great sculpt, great paint, great articulation, great accessories...he's almost got it all, and in a few months I'll start hitting the Halloween stores looking for the perfect severed toe to reach perfection. And let's not forget - I finally get to say I own an LMS figure!

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ****
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ***1/2
Articulation - ****
Accessories - ****
Outfit - ***1/2
Fun Factor - ****
Value - **1/2
Overall - ****

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Sideshow has him in stock at $190.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Hot Toys has done a reasonable job of covering the GotG license so far in sixth scale, with the second Drax, Rocket and Groot, Gamora, the original Star-Lord, and Thanos.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

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