Review of I, Robot 1:1 scale head blu-ray case

Introduction

Some fans of Asimov's short story collection I, Robot had negative feelings on the film starring Will Smith. I was not one of them, not because I thought the Smith film was all that true to any of the stories - it isn't - but because I understand that it's largely an original work, only incorporating the Three Laws.

I think if you approach it from that angle, you'll find it much more enjoyable. It's a reasonably good sci-fi story, and Smith's acting and the robot Sonny make for some interesting scenes.

This last summer at SDCC, FOX was taking pre-orders for their new release of the film, which is on blu-ray, DVD and the big seller - 3-D blu-ray. No, the film wasn't originally in any sort of 3-D, but FOX decided to convert it to the format. Whether or not they were successful is not the point of this review. Instead, I'm checking out the Sonny 1:1 scale head that comes with the release as a case.

They only produced 250 of these cases, so that qualifies as an actual limited edition. That being said, this isn't the first time this head has seen release - there's a UK and Japanese release as well, done back when the movie first hit. Those runs were larger (I believe the UK release was in the 4000 range), but it still makes the 'only 250 produced' a little misleading.

The head was originally available through FOX for $100, but it appears as though they've sold out. Heading to ebay is your next best bet at this point.

Packaging - ***
The bust comes in a nice, large box, with a cool window so that you can easily see what you're buying. It can be a little tricky getting him out though, so take care.

You'll want to untie both twisties and then get some clippers to snip the thick white band holding him in. Then slip out the small rectangle of Styrofoam at his base, which will allow you to grip the bottom and slide him out.

This is a numbered limited edition, but the numbering is NOT on the head itself, a big mistake. There's also no Certificate of Authenticity, but the box front has the number located on the bottom left. I'm 190 of 250.

Sculpting - ***1/2
This is not a tiny head - it's a full size 1:1 replica that stands about 15" tall. That makes it quite impressive on the DVD shelf!

This is a very nice Sonny likeness, and word is that the case was cast right from the actual prop. There's some excellent detail work on the internal gizmos, which can easily be seen from the back. The back half of the 'skull' pops off, allowing you to view the cavity and inner workings.

There's also some great detail on the neck area, and I suspect that there's some interesting details lost under some of the white paint. Other versions (like the Japanese release) had a little less white paint on the face, allowing some more of the underlying detail to show through, and I'm a bit disappointed that this is not the case here.

The eyes could also be a shade more life-like considering the price point, but that's a pretty minor nit.

In fact, my biggest nit here is the slots for the discs themselves, located on the back of the bottom. The slots are designed for just the discs - not the plastic case. That means you can scratch them sliding them in and out, either on each other or on the case itself. Not easy to do, but still possible, and not cool. I won't actually be using this to store my discs.

Paint - ***
As I mentioned above, the white paint on the face is a bit too much, hiding some of the cool details, especially on the sides of the face.

That's really my only major issue in this category, however. I do think a little more detail work could have been done on the inside of the 'brain', or at least some different finishes could have been used to make it appear a bit more realistic and less plastic-ky. 

Another nit for me that may effect you less is the lack of any edition numbering on the head itself. I would have preferred had they included the number on the bottom of the base, as do most statue and bust manufacturers.

But overall the quality is very good, and the white color and coverage is very clean and consistent.

Articulation - Bupkis
This is an information only category this time around - it has no effect on my overall. But you might have expected something to move (other than the opening head and disc slot), and that's not the case. Likewise, there's no sounds or lights of any kind.

Value - **
Amazon has the 3-D blu-ray release at $25. That makes this case $75. assuming you get it for the initial retail price. This is a much nicer case than the recent Walking Dead head, and much, much larger. But it's also $45 more, and that's a pretty big hit. With the edition size, had this been another $10 - $15 lower, I would have gone with an average value.

Things to Watch Out For -
The back of the head tends to come loose, so be careful handling it over hard surfaces.

Overall - ***
As I mentioned earlier, I won't actually be using this to store my discs, unless I pick up a few of those plastic sleeves to protect them. Add in the fairly high price tag, and I can't give this guy an unconditional recommendation.

But for the big fans of the film - and I know you're out there - it's a nice addition to the shelf.

I haven't watched the actual 3-D conversion of the film, however, so I can't guarantee they didn't screw the pooch on that one. I'm not a big fan of older movies being reformatted and converted, but I'll let the movie disc reviewers handle that aspect.

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

Where to Buy 
While this was available from FOX originally, you're best bet now is probably to search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Other DVD/Blu-ray cases reviews include Walking Dead, and the Indiana Jones case. And they weren't a case, but one of the earlier Universal Monsters DVD releases came with some great busts.

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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