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Packaging - ***
Uhm... It looked good, was easy enough to open, everything came out
without issue, and it fit well in my trash can. The bubble was crushed
but the contents were intact. As someone who grew up with the "coffin"
boxes for G.I. Joe, this sort of packaging seems horribly wasteful.
Sculpting - ****
It's incredible how much this looks like "Predator" era Arnie. My
friends were shocked at how uncannily it captures his look, almost as
if he's been taken directly down from the poster and shrunk down to
six-inch size. There's no question as to who this is.
And
that's just the head sculpt. This particular figure has a well-sculpted
"loose-and-hanging" tactical vest that is relatively easy to remove,
revealing the "Austrian Oak" in all of his well-sculpted-80s-physique
glory. Arnie was notorious for having *the* biggest arms, and
this sculpt captures them accurately, as well as every pec, lat, delt,
etc. If you want a tiny Arnie to fetishize, this is the figure for you!
Paint - ****
Those camo pants are simply a wonder! I dunno if they're mostly tampo,
but they look fantastic. Don't know that there's much going on
elsewhere on the body or vest, perhaps a light wash or drybrush, and
the head detailing is, as always, fantastic. But there's simply no room
for complaints on the pain ops; they're perfect!
Articulation - ***1/2
If I didn't have the Hicks "Aliens" figure, I might consider the
articulation here perfect. But Hicks has the double hinged knees, and
Dutch would seriously benefit from those.
Other
than that, he has the same articulation as the previous Dutch figs.
Particular kudos go to the ball-jointed head/neck and the ankles. Both
help when it comes to expressive poses and helping him stay standing.
The
chest-rocker becomes a bit obvious in some of the more extreme poses
when he's not wearing the vest. But when it's on, the way it hangs does
a good job of hiding it. So excellent design work there NECA!
All the joints, it should be noted, are nice and tight, and seem to want to stay that way.
Accessories - ***
Dutch is a wee bit light in the accessories department, coming only
with his tricked-out M-16, his 1911 .45 sidearm, and combat knife. All
are reused from previous figs and are top notch. Dunno what else he
should have come with, but accessories are a bit on the light side this
time. No biggie. Fun Factor - ****
What's not to like? I can't get over how fantastically awesome these
NECA "Dutch" figures are, like something I'd dream up in my wildest
daydreams. Pew pew pew... take *that* you nasty Predator!
Value - ***
I got my figure at the local "educational" toy store at the mall, since
he never showed up at TRU. I paid $18 which, considering that my other
option would be to get him online, or drive the half-hour to TRU a few
times a week (gas is expensive) seems just fine all things considered.
Overall - ****
NECA, you magnificent bastards, if you keep
doing work of this quality, you will continue to get my hard-earned
dollars over many other companies. Seriously, this gives Marvel Legends
a run for their their money. The design work is phenomenal, and the QC
is unprecedented for a small company. SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!
Score Recap:
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ****
Articulation - ***1/2
Accessories - ***
Fun Factor - ****
Value - ***
Overall - ****
Where to Buy -
How do I know? I live in the boonies
and saw this figure exactly *once*, and on the shelves of a store where
I never, ever expected to see him. My local TRU is an utter wasteland.
I would recommend online, perhaps eBay, where he can be gotten in the
neighborhood of twenty bucks with shipping. He's worth it. Discussion:
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