Review of Stripe, Haskins - Gremlins Mogwai action figures

Introduction

Unlike many people, I have nothing against movie remakes. It depends on the movie, how well they did it the first time, and whether there's anything potentially new that modern film technique can bring to the story.

That being said, sometimes remaking a movie is just a bad idea from top to bottom. Such is the case with the rumored remake of Gremlins, a classic that isn't going to be improved upon. While a sequel might be a bit more tolerable than a remake of the original, I just can't believe that CGI Gremlins would have the heart of the original puppets.

NECA continues their line of great figures based on the original films. The third series of Mogwai cuties is now out, including Haskins, Stripe, and a sad version of Gizmo. I skipped Gizmo for now, but grabbed the other two for $13 at the local Toys R Us.

Packaging - ***1/2
If you're looking for something different, you'll be disappointed. But if you're like most MOCers, the consistent style of insert and bubble will make you happy.

The white insert is simple in design, but the evil Gremlin shadow adds just the right touch. Simple, when done right, is often better than complex. That's a lesson Michael Bay and the judges on Face Off still haven't learned.

Sculpting - ***
Stripe sports a cool fur top, a nice way to handle his famous feature. It's very well attached and doesn't look simply glued on, although it is. This is a terrific example of how to integrate fake fur with a plastic figure in an almost seamless way.

I am slightly disappointed with the detail on the furry torso. The previous versions had lots of detail in the strands and layers, but this time it's almost a smooth block, especially on the white chest. Even the arms and legs seem slightly less detailed than previous releases, but it's not as obvious as the torso.

Add in some weird air bubbles in the body as well, and you get a lower score this time around. Those air bubbles indicate a manufacturing problem, never a good sign.

The head sculpts make up for it a bit though - once again, they capture terrific expressions. Stripe might be cute, but you just know he's evil underneath. And Haskins? What a smug little bastard.

These guys are fairly small, although they are considered a 7" scale. Each stands about 3 1/2" toe to top of head, but the ears do add a little height in certain poses.

Paint - ***
The ops are relatively clean, and the colors are consistent in coverage. There's some minor blips with some of the edges, but that's just what they are - minor.

My biggest issue is with the same torso and chest I complained about in the previous category. The thick paint appears to be covering up what little fur detail there is, and those air bubbles...it's tough to tell if they're a plastic manufacturing problem, or a problem with the paint operation.

Articulation - ***
Although the sculpted fur tends to block some of the joints, there's more articulation here than you'd expect.

There's a good ball jointed neck, ball jointed shoulders and hips, and cut wrists. The ears are also ball jointed, and work surprisingly well.

Accessories - Bupkis
As has been the case so far with all the Mogwai versions, there's no accessories. Thankfully, the price is a bit lower as well.

Action Feature - ***
The moving eyeballs haven't been a big favorite of mine so far. This time around, they work much better, staying together in most poses and actually taking a pose without slipping back. On previous figures, the eyes tended to just roll around, with one not really tracking with the other, and they didn't hold position. Both issues are better, but it's still not perfect.

Fun Factor - ***
Unlike some classic 80's flicks, Gremlins is still one that plenty of parents share with their kids today. That means most know who these are, and with both the cute factor and the decent articulation, they make solid action figures.

Value - **1/2
Although there's no accessories here, I bumped the Value score up a half star over the previous wave of the Mogwai style figures. Why? Because I paid a couple bucks less each for these at Toys R Us, and it's so rare these days for prices to drop. These were $13, rather than $15.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing.

Overall - ***
I love me some Gremlins - and these figures do a terrific job of capturing the individual personalities of the critters, whether in their Mogwai or Gremlin state. The articulation is surprisingly good for the furry style of character, and size and scale work well with other movie figures.

I'm pleased with the slight reduction in price with this series, but I'm hoping that the slightly lower quality in sculpt and paint aren't indicative of an on going issue.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth has a case for $190, if you have friends looking to go in together.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Other figures included the gremlined versions of the Phantom and Lenny, the Mogwai versions of Lenny and George, gremlined out versions of Lenny, Daffy and Flasher. And don't forget that NECA started with these years ago.

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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