Packaging - ***
The trio comes in a nice little box that is serviceable as far as presentation and protecting the toys, but that's as far as it goes. There's some great photography on the sides of the box though with one side showing the rascals with their masks on, the other side without. Front of the box displays all what's included clearly while the back of the box does the same in picture form. At first I was a bit confused if this was just another one of those cheap knock off PVC sets since it was so small, but sure enough... if it says REEL TOYS on it, that's the ticket.
Sculpting - ***3/4
Almost perfect would be a good way to describe these figures. I mean... they really are PERFECT but because they're so small, they lose some of the little touches of the original puppets. It also might be something to do with the plastic, as it doesn't look as smooth as they should be. But still, these are great little figures that look good with or without the rest of the gang.
Just a note for those wondering, Shock's hat seems to be glued on. I haven't risked pulling it off but I'm just assuming that it's not a removable hat.
Paint - ***
Paint apps here are decent and good, but nothing pops. They look rather flat to me but they're not horrible in anyway. Again, I just think it's the soft plastic used that keeps these figures from looking really good.
Articulation - ***
Each Lock, Shock, and Barrel have the same amount of articulation which adds up to about seven each. Neck ball joint, shoulders, wrists, waist, and legs. It's pretty decent for figures this small.
The bathtub has a bit of articulation too! Four legs that move and the heel of each have articulation also. The crank on the back unfortunately doesn't move.
Accessories - ***1/2
The Nightmare Before Christmas figures always had some great accessories, and we have some good ones here, but there needs to be more, I think. Let's start with what we DO have: REMOVABLE MASKS! The key accessory for each of the gang are their signature masks. All sculpted great with decent paint, they have tabs that fit into place... though the drawback is that they don't stay on incredibly well. They do stay on long enough to take some pictures but any sudden movements will send the masks to the floor.
Other things this box set comes with is Barrel's famous lollipop which he can hold (though not too well), an axe, and a claw trap. Last of course the bathtub that the gang use as a transport to kidnap Sandy Claws. It's a nice add-in and great that it has articulation in the legs. But what's
missing?
There are a few things that would be great to have been included, most notably the large bag Lock, Shock & Barrel use to kidnap Santa, the bug in a cage that Oogie eats, etc etc.
Let's hope that the other accessories come out at some point.
Fun Factor - ***
These aren't designed to be kids toys but toy collectors will enjoy having these characters fill out their displays.
Value - **1/2
This box set is real pricey compared to what you actually get. Compared to the Oogie Boogie $25 set, Lock, Shock & Barrel clocked in about $28-30. This set should have been $20 tops. If you find it for that low, throw the score up to four stars.
Things to Watch Out For:
Paint is probably the only thing to look out for, as the softer plastic is easier to scuff up.
Overall - ***1/2
I had a lot of average scores throughout this review but I can't help but love these figures. Lock, Shock & Barrel were three of the more memorable characters from the film and to have them here in all of their 3D toy glory is just awesome. When I heard that these figures were coming out, I wasn't expecting the bathtub so that's a nice addition. With my value score so low, this really should be a much lower score, but when it comes down to it, these are great pieces to add to your Nightmare Before Christmas collection. It's a must have!
SCORE RECAP:
Packaging: ***
Sculpting: *** 3/4
Paint: ***
Articulation: ***
Accessories: *** 1/2
Fun Factor: ***
Value: ** 1/2
Overall: *** 1/2
Where To Buy:
I've been seeing these puppies at Spencer's Gifts and they should be popping up at Hot Topic as well.
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