Review of Ultimate Gizmo - Gremlins action figure

Introduction

I'm putting together my next Captain Toy Picks right now, around my Top Ten Movie Based Action Figure Series.  In the running - Gremlins by NECA. They've been putting out a few here, a few there, for years now and have built up quite a nice set. They've recently added one more Gizmo to the mix, this time in his 'ultimate' set up.

The 'ultimate' is all about the extras of course. There's quite a bit here, and all those extras drive the price up slightly. You can expect to pay around $25 at most online retailers for this guy, although you can also find him at your local Toys R Us if you're lucky.

Packaging - ***1/2
Rather than the usual clam shell set up, this guy comes in a box. This is similar to many of their recent video game themed figures, although Gizmo has nothing to do with that line.

The box makes it easier for them to pack all those extras, and the fifth panel design gives them plenty of real estate for photos and text.  The plastic tray is designed like many of the Tamashii Nation releases, with the top lid snapping down over the bottom tray. It's all collector friendly of course, with no damage necessary.

Sculpting - ***1/2
I've generally been very happy with both the Mogwai and Gremlin sculpts on these figures, and of course Gizmo follows that trend.  If you already own the earlier Gizmo, you'll have a good idea of what you're getting here, and the detail work on the fur, ears, and exposed skin looks great.

One of the big selling points is that you get four - four! - different face plates, allowing you to swap the expression on his mouth and eyes. There's the normal closed mouth smile, the determined frown (which includes the red head band), the big frown, and the open mouth smile. The faces swap easily, and the shape of the eyes is different on each, matching the mouth appropriately.

The one down side to the swappable faces is the deeper set eyes. Because of the design, the eyes end up a bit further back inside the face than the normal release.

These are in a 7" scale, which makes them about 3 1/2" tall at the top of their head. Depending on how you pose the ears, the will be slightly bigger than that.

Paint - ***
The paint work is solid, if a little less detailed in some areas (like the ears) than we've seen on some releases. The white is quite clean, and the brown is consistent and even. The skin color looks good as well, but there's the impression of less detail with this particular release. There's some minor clumping on the fingers and toes as well, but these are merely minor issues.

In the photo below, I somehow missed including the open mouth smile expression, but you'll see that in several of the other photos.  And you will also note how terrifying this guy looks sans any face plate.

Articulation - **1/2
These little guys have about all the articulation they could, but there's one area that continues to frustrate me.

The ball joints at the ears are extremely useful, as is the ball jointed neck. These joints allow you to add quite a bit of personality and attitude to the poses, which is all the more critical with the multiple faces included in this release.

The shoulders, elbows, hips, and wrists are pretty much restricted to just turning. You can get a little bend out of them, but not much, due to the sculpted fur around the joints. It's all good enough to get some cute poses though, and create some different looks with the different expressions.

As with the other Mogwai, the eyes are adjustable as well. There's a roller ball on the back of the head which allows you to move the eyes all around, but they move together, not independently. However, that togetherness only extends to movement, not direction. Getting both eyes to look in the same direction took a step back with this release, and I found it to be a frustrating experience once again.

Accessories - ****
Here's the money!  You're buying this guy for all the extra goodies, and the 'ultimate' experience.

As I mentioned earlier, there's four face plates in total.  They swap easily, and add a ton of value to the overall package.

One of these face plates has a red bandana attached. This goes with the paper clip bow, pencil arrow, and rope belt that also come in this package. This warrior look is a classic, and while he certainly can't pose shooting the bow, he can hold the accessories well enough in either hand.

I do wish the bandana fit on the head a bit better, however. I think you'll need to use some hot water to help form it over his head, then cool it down quickly again to get a better fit.

Speaking of the head, there's also a Santa hat, which fits perfect and looks great.  To go along with it he has a candy cane, perfect for the holiday season. Remember, Gremlins is a Christmas movie!

Finally, there's a trumpet, and like the other accessories, with a little work he can hold it in one hand or the other. Overall, it's a great assortment of goodies that are all screen specific and well executed.

Fun Factor - ***1/2
Thanks to all the great accessories and extra face plates, you'll have plenty of fun posing this guy over time. Kids will enjoy him as well, since swapping the face plates is quite easy. Your kids do watch the movie every December, right?

Value - ***
The Gremlins line has been one of the better values at Toys R Us the last few years, and this guy remains a solid buy. At $25, you're getting a lot of extras, and he provides quite a bit more play value than the previous releases.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing!

Overall - ***
The moving eyes remain the biggest issue with these figures. If they could get them to work well consistently, every release would be a home run.

While you might already have a Gizmo or two from them, getting this version provides you several new variations for the display, and also gives you the option of changing up those looks over time.

Obviously, if you haven't picked up one of the earlier Gizmos, this guy is the way to go. I'm hopeful that NECA continues with the license, even if it means only getting one or two figures a year.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth is also at $25.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
The last Gremlins review covered Penny, Doo Dah, and Brownie. Before that, we had the cuddly versions of Haskins and Stripe, the evil versions of Lenny and Phantom, the Mogwai versions of George and Lenny, gremlined out versions of George, Daffy and Flasher. And don't forget that NECA started with these years ago, and before that they did one in their Cult Classics line.

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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