By: Jesse (Jesse James) McCracken
I just nabbed this unique figure a scant few weeks ago at one of my local
Wal-Mart stores. I’m happy to say I was not unpleasantly surprised by this new
style of figure either though.
This Mace Windu was not exactly a figure I had originally been looking
forward to, but I my opinion changed some after I got him out of his plastic
cocoon and toyed with him for a while. He may not be all a $4.99 action figure
is cracked up to be, but he’s not deserving of all the negativity people
slapped on him when his pictures first surfaced either.
Read on if you dare… Or if you’re bored… Or if you simply want to see
someone NOT totally bash this figure (There’s some bashing in there though, so
don’t fret folks!)
Pros
:
Action Feature: (Oddly
enough!)... In general, I'm the first person to denounce action features as the
work of Satan, Sadam Hussein, Hitler, and basically anyone else you probably
wouldn't like. I despised almost all of the action features we've seen in the
Saga line-up, but for once Hasbro really surprised me. While I still say a
nicely articulated and neutrally-posed/sculpted Mace (Basically a super Mace
Windu) is desperately needed, I really sort of have some love for this figure as
a novelty. The feature isn't pretty, but it works really well, and there's a
look of realism to it when it's in action. The figure's not ever going to be
ranked in my top 10 (Or even 20) items from Hasbro, but I like the feature
enough that it put a dumb grin on my face when I first messed with it.
Sculpt: As Hasbro figures go in general,
this one isn’t too bad really. The figure’s sculpt is crisp, all new parts,
and the likeness of Sam Jackson (Although giving a weird smile) isn’t the
worst I’ve ever seen though either… It’s solid. Mace’s arms blend well
with the fabric cloak well in my opinion also. I like this since the fabric
cloak was a major part of the figure and its pose-ability. The weave of the
fabric is fine, and there’s a hint that Hasbro tried to match some of the
fabric’s textured qualities in the arms, which is a nice step to take to keep
the figure looking decent.
Deco: Much like the figure’s sculpt,
this figure’s overall deco isn’t overly complex, but it’s done well for
what it is. The eyes are clear and clean on my Mace, no major flaws I can see.
Mace’s belt has small silver highlights for things like the buckle and
gadgets. So far, he looks clean with no overspray that I’m noticing, or eyes
misplaced/off-centered, "which is a good thing" as Martha Stewart
would say. J The arms are a perfect brown for the
cloak’s brown as well, so the sculpt didn’t go to waste with a weak effort
in matching colors there. For a simple deco, this one can’t be knocked so it
gets good marks from me.
Cons
:
Articulation: Like I said above, this guy
just ain't gonna cut it as that "definitive" Mace Windu everyone REALLY
wants that can be posed in multiple action poses as well as posed in a
neutral/non-aggression pose. Basically, he's not much action for an action
figure.
His legs are articulated at the standard hip socket oddly enough, but he
really can't use these points of articulation for much of anything but the one
pose. He's a "gimmick figure" as I like to refer to those laden with a
large obtrusive action feature, and gimmick figures aren't high on my list of
"wants" from Hasbro so I really just have to list this as a con. The
gimmick works well though, and shows creativity... Keep that in mind. You throw
a super-articulated Mace Windu out there and this Total Control figure would get
a tad higher marks from me… I actually think the upcoming Screen Scene Mace is
partly what has me more accepting of this figure even.
His Head: This was the one sculpt area I
felt they lacked some effort on. Mace just can't ditch the dumb faces between
this year and last. Honestly my favorite Mace is the E1 Mace, and that's pretty
insulting when you think about it. This Mace's face has an interesting
sneer/giggle face... Maybe even a snarling look to it actually (the sculptor’s
intent I believe). It's unique, to say the least. The expressions just are out
of control from Hasbro though. They’re as bad as any exaggerated action pose
is, and just as limiting in my book. For a guy that I remember as being rather
collected in the films though, Hasbro sure has an interesting way of sculpting
Mace Windu's mug. His figure(s) certainly portrays him as something of a madman.
BIG UGLY stick out his back:
This isn’t a knock against the action feature, as it does work
well, but the control stick out Mace’s back isn’t pretty at all. It’s a
negative thing any way one slices it. It’s a necessary evil with the action
feature, but had Hasbro gone the extra mile and made the stick removable, I do
believe the figure would be better received… Under close inspection I could
see a way (though complex) that the post could be made removable from the saber’s
lower hilt, had Hasbro seen fit to do so, and this would leave the figure a tad
more playable in this reviewer’s opinion. Still, hindsight’s 20/20, and
being this is a first attempt at this "style" of action feature, I
think they did somewhat ok.
Tad Fragile: Being that Mace’s saber
blade is removable, this leaves him prone to possible breakage. I personally
have yet to break him while I’ve had him cutting down battledroids and
Geonosians like they’re piniatas, but there’s no doubt in my mind that a kid
could easily break the purple blade off quickly. Break the blade or lose it
anyway. Action features are for kids, but kids are likely to break the figure’s
feature almost immediately. While the feature works great, this kind of product
development faux pa is going to cost this figure some points. It looks good
aesthetically though, so that’s good for us grown-up folk who still play with
the toys. J
This figure’s been getting slammed heavily since the day his pictures first
arrived online. I even laughed off this figure some at first due to the terribly
ugly stick protruding from his back, but I’ve since had a slight revision of
my opinion.
While I can’t give this guy props as being in my top 10 figures of all time
(or even the top 20), he definitely isn’t the HUGE flop I’d predicted a
while back. Not to me anyway. I’m not going to be picking up 2 of these guys,
one will suffice, but I’m content with the one, and got some enjoyment out of
him before he went onto the ole E2 collection shelf.
If you can’t get past the looks of the figure due to the ugly knob out his
back though, I highly suggest you save your $4.99 for something better. If you
think knocking the battledroids over with his "total control" feature
might be kind of fun though, then by all means pick up this Mace. Just think
that Screen Scene Mace looked pretty pose-able and fun, so maybe we have a near
perfect Mace on the way anyway.
I give Mace Windu (Arena Confrontation) a hesitant thumbs-up though,
and hope you have as much fun with the figure as I have already.
JJ
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