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12" Martial Arts Morpheus

The next two Matrix movies are just now shooting, and plenty of folks are looking forward to the sequels.  I count myself one of those folks.

It was a great sci-fi flick, but I know my feelings on that particular subject aren't universal.  Too bad I can't say the same about the 12" figures for this line from N2 Toys.  I can almost guarantee that most people feel the same way I do on these babies.  Currently, they are showing up at Toys R Us for $20.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Packaging - ***
It's a bad sign if I tell you that the best thing about a figure is the box.  But unfortunately, that's the case here.

Okay, it's not the best looking box, but the graphics aren't bad.  You can see the figure easily, and the best part - you can remove him and put him back, with no need to obliterate anything!  As a matter of fact, there isn't a SINGLE twisty tie in sight either!  So why can they do it and no one else can?

Sculpting - *1/2
Who is this?  Lawrance Fishburne?  Uh, I don't think so.  This is a generic, AA, bald man.  It looks as much like Fishburne as it does Samual Jackson or Mike Tyson.

Accessories - Bupkis
Zip.  Zero.  Nada.  Here's a first for me - a 12" action figure without a single accessory.  C'mon folks, you could have gotten at least a little imaginative here.

Paint - *
Those blotchy dark areas on the head sculpt aren't because of the lighting.  I have no idea what look they were trying to go for - perhaps a little hair stubble?  Whatever they were aiming for, they missed it by a mile.

Articulation - **
Very basic articulation for a 1/6th scale figure.  Cut joint neck, ball shoulders and hips, wrists, elbows, knees and ankles.  Oh, and the cut joint waist - yep, not even a ball jointed waist.  This might have been acceptable five years ago, but if you'd be better off switching this figure to a SOTW body, you know there are some serious problems.

On top of the lack of articulation, the joints that you do get are very loose.  I had a very hard time just getting him to maintain a basic pose, let alone anything fancy.

Uniform - ***
The uniform isn't bad.  The stitching is good, and the material is nice quality.  It has that silky feel to it - reminds me of something Hugh Hefner might wear.

The belt is too large, and since there is only the pants, tunic and belt, it's very basic.  It does look just like the source material though.

Value - *
I can buy a SOTW figure, with better articulation, as good of sculpt, and a few accessories thrown in, for eight bucks.  What exactly am I paying twenty bucks for here?  Just because I'm a Matrix fan?  I'm not that big of a fan.

Overall - *1/2
So far N2 Toys have been tremendously disappointing.  The Crocodile Hunter toys showed promise, but the Road Warrior stuff and Matrix stuff have been simply awful.

The new live action Tick show has great promise, but I have a terrible feeling about the action figures.


Figure from the collection of Michael Crawford

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