Review of Trick R Treat Sam action figure

Introduction

Way back in 2008, Sideshow Collectibles released a 15" action figure based on a film almost no one had seen - Trick R Treat. They'd picked up the license early, but delays in the film's release meant the figure actually made it to market before the movie. A few of us bought it anyway - hey, I can be weird like that - and we turned out to be pretty smart.  The film was terrific, and once released drove demand for the Sideshow figure over the top. A figure that was originally less than $60 was selling for more than $600 on ebay, and that extreme demand and elevated pricing has remained consistent in the years since.

The folks at Mezco are no dummies. They saw the demand, and realized that the 15" size and style fit in perfectly with several of their other lines. They picked up the license, and have just released their own Sam, just a little more than 9 years after the Sideshow version.

This guy will run you around $80 - $90 at most retailers, although I have one that's selling some in damaged boxes for a terrific price - see the Where to Buy section for more details.

Packaging - **1/2
Nothing surprising here. It's a very large window box, with some very basic graphics. It does show off the figure well, but there's also a metric ton of twisty ties for you to cut your way through.

Sculpting - ****
There's no way to really discuss this figure without some comparisons to the original Sideshow release, so I'm not going to fight it. I've included some photos of the two together as well, and in each photo the new Mezco version is on the left, while the older Sideshow version is on the right.

If you've seen the movie, you know it isn't a cute little tyke under the hood, but a gruesome pumpkin headed demon who enforces the rules of Halloween. While the design starts out with a basic Jack-O-Lantern look, complete with triangular eyes and nose, it deviates to something more realistic, more human with the actual eyes and even the slightly churlish smile.

You don't get a great look at his true face in the film - it's largely in the shadows, designed to scare through shock value. But the general appearance here is correct, from the shape of the eyes, nose and mouth, to the placement of the 'tears' and the corresponding stitching.

Comparing to the older version (there's a photo of the two sculpts side by side in the next section), you'll see the Mezco release is slightly larger, a little more 'melony' in its shape and texture. If I had to pick a favorite in this category, Mezco would win.

A big difference between the two is in the hands. In the film, it looked like he had burlap gloves or coverings over most of his hands. You can see a bit of that in this photo. The Sideshow version had this covering sculpted over the hands, while the Mezco version has actual burlap coming down out of the sleeves. Here's an area were I think Sideshow got it right. Taking away from their success slightly was the pose of the right hand. I could never get the sucker handle to fit correctly in the hole and fingers with the Sideshow sculpt, but the Mezco right hand works great.

He is advertised as 15" tall, but is closer to 14 1/2", almost identical in height to the Sideshow release.

Paint - ***1/2
I've included a shot of the Mezco next to the Sideshow for this category, because it's an area of real variation between the two.

As you can see, the Sideshow version has a glossy, wet look, while the Mezco release has a more matte finish. Which you think looks more like a pumpkin might vary, but I personally prefer the look of the Mezco.

The quality of the paint work is excellent, with no slop or bad edges. Colors are even and consistent, and about right for a pumpkin. There's a little blood on the tips of the fingers as well, which looks fairly realistic.

One area here where I think Sideshow did slightly better is the shading. There's not a lot on the Mezco release, which allows some of the nice sculpt detail to disappear. The Sideshow had a more aggressive shading which brought out the details. Even with this one positive for Sideshow, I'm giving the overall edge to the Mezco release in this category as well.

Articulation - ***
If you were expecting a super articulated ninja figure, you'll be disappointed. If you've bought this size doll style figure before, you'll get exactly what you expect.

The ball jointed neck is the highlight of course, and there's plenty of tilt and lean action to add personality to any creepy pose. There's actually two ball joints, one at the top at the head, and one inside the torso.

The shoulders are rotating hinge joints, but there's not much hinge movement. The elbows rotate, as do the wrists. The ankles are also cut joints, and the hips are a V style. And yes, that's it. He can kinda sit, he can stand, and he can manage a few arm poses. The neck will be were you create the most unique looks. With both figures having about the same articulation, this category comes out even.

Accessories - ***
He comes with two extras, also seen in the movie. He has his burlap bag for 'treats', and his deadly lollipop.

The sack is, well, a sack. It's about the right scale, and is filled with soft foam. While he can't hold it per se, you can wrap the tie at the top around his hand so he can carry it.

The lolli looks terrific, made from a translucent orange plastic. The bite forms a deadly edge, but there's no blood effects.

This category is a draw.

Outfit - ***1/2
To get an idea on the costume - and in particular, the hood - here's a shot of Sam in the shadows, and one with a bit more lighting. Here's also a shot that shows his hands pretty well.

This is a mixed bag for me. The Mezco hood is more accurate with the smaller stitching and smaller button eyes, but does not have the frayed edge. Instead, it just has loose threads, which don't quite look as realistic.

The footed pajamas are almost identical in style (there's some slight variation in the pockets in front), but there's a huge difference in the amount of dirt and grim. From the hood to the rubber soles, the original was a filthy character. This new Mezco release is much cleaner, with just a little dirt here and there, and a little blood on the soles of the feet.

While the smaller, tighter stitching and smaller eyes on the Mezco version are more accurate, I'm going to give this category to the Sideshow release. I really do love the grimy look, and it adds something to the overall realism.

Fun Factor - ***1/2
The figure might not be super posable, but he makes not only a great all around display figure, but a terrific addition to any Halloween decor. The neck articulation is critical, and he stands fantastic on his own, with no worries about toppling over. With or without the hood, he'll creep out your guests come All Hallow's Eve!

Value - ***
Sideshow's version cost $50 - $60, while this new one will run $80 - $90 at most retailers. That's a 50% increase over the last 10 years, which isn't bad in the action figure market. Remember, sixth scale figures and even regular mass market action figures doubled in price during the same time frame.

And if you consider your only other choice is to spend several hundred dollars on ebay for the older release, you start to really appreciate the price point on this new one.

Things to Watch Out For -
While the sucker fits inside the hole on the right hand much easier than it did with the old Sideshow release, you still want to be careful. It's a tight squeeze, and you could snap the handle with too much pressure.

The movie Sam had the rope around the neck of his hood knotted at the front, but mine came out of the package with it knotted in back. Easy enough to fix of course, but worth noting if you're going for the greatest accuracy in your display.

Overall - ***1/2
This new release from Mezco has a ton of positives, not the least of which is the price point. For years, your only option as a Trick R Treat fan was to go without a Sam, or spend hundreds of dollars to get the Sideshow version. At just $80, this release will be a very welcome addition with a lot of horror collectors.

Of course, it helps that the sculpt and paint work are also superior to the old release.  I'm not thrilled with the hands, and I have to admit to liking the dirtier costume that Sideshow produced. But if you never got the old figure, you can rest comfortable in the knowledge that this is in no way a step down, and in several ways a real improvement.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth has him at $80, but they have a few in stock with damaged boxes that they are selling for just

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
There have been two other standard action figures based on the property - the early Sideshow version I compared through out this review, and the smaller NECA release.

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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