Review of John Carver - Thanksgiving
Action Figure

Introduction

I'm a huge horror fan, but I'll be honest - I'm not an Eli Roth fan. I find most of his flicks lazy, although I appreciate how much he loves the genre.

So I didn't go into his latest release, Thanksgiving, with high hopes. But I was happy to report I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, with its over the top kills and wild origin story. It didn't break any new ground (beyond hitting up the particular holiday in a unique way), but it was fun and worth the watch.

I'm also always down for a new killer on the shelf, and when NECA announced almost immediately that they were doing several figures in varying scales for the movie, I ordered pronto. While the 7" Ultimates hasn't hit regular retailers yet, the NECA story shipped him a few weeks ago. Expect to pay around $35 to $40 depending on the retailer.

Packaging - ***1/2
It comes in the standard Ultimates box with the fifth panel that opens up to reveal the figure and accessories. Best part, it's quite collector friendly. Oh, you might have to cut a piece of tape or snip a twisty, but that's about it, and you can remove the figure without any real damage to the package. So why wouldn't you free him?

Sculpting - ***1/2
There are three masks that you can swap on the face, each from a different point in the film.

There's also a face, covered with a ski mask, under the Carver masks. The masks attach with a rectangular post that fits into a hole on the forehead. Yea, while it's nice they gave him a face and painted it, you won't be displaying him that way. I included a photo later in the review so you can see what I mean.

The standard mask is clean, with simple lines. It looks exactly like a plastic mask, basic and cheap. In the film they were handing these things out for free, and it looks like the Halloween masks of the 70's.

The second version is blood splattered, and I think you know why. This will be the look I go with on the shelf, but it's nice to have the options. Each fits tightly, and the swap easily.

The final version is slightly melted and burned. Again, if you've seen the movie, you'll recognize this very scene specific look.

The sculpted body is no surprise, but the folds and wrinkles of the costume look realistic, and the boot sculpt is great.

Paint - ***1/2
The majority of the paint work is on the masks. The costume is pretty much serial killer standard - coveralls in a dark color. While the costume color is consistent and clean, there's little in the way of detail.

The work on the mask matches the sculpt - it's just like an basic mask with simple designs, sharp lines, and minimal detail. It looks exactly like what it's supposed to be, and you can't ask for much more.

The paint enhances the look of the alternate two masks, especially the burnt version, highlighting the damage and texture.

Articulation - ***
The body has the usual articulation, with a ball jointed neck that allows for some tilt and lean to add some personality. The shoulders are rotating hinge with the sculpt covering them nicely - once upon a time, these were commonly called 'NECA shoulders'. The rotating hinge shoulders and wrists work great, and you can get good arm poses with the accessories, both one and two handed.

The ball hips work better than I expected, and you can get some pretty deep stances. The ankles work well enough to keep the feet flat on the ground in deeper stances as well. They've used the sculpt to cover and hide the hips, knees, shoulders, elbows, and ankles, and it's very effective.

Accessories - ****
Along with the two additional masks, he has a very good variety of weapons.

There's extra hands, more than we usually get with an NECA figure. There's seven extra hands to go with the set he comes wearing, and they are designed to work with the different accessories. They swap easily, but they stayed in place while I was working with the figure.

He has his big hat too, which fits neatly over the head and mask and looks great. Often, hats look awful in this scale, but they nailed this one.

This is a guy with one goal, and he has the tools to get there. He has two knives, different sizes and sculpts, along with a dart handgun, a sledgehammer, a meat tenderizer, a musket or blunderbuss, and the key weapon, the old school axe, stolen from the historical site.

The hands allow you to use any of these easily, with different grips for different needs. The articulation allows for good one and two handed poses as well, especially with things like the axe or musket.

Fun Factor - ***
With the solid articulation, this is a really fun figure. You can pose and re-pose, and you can add him to your Jason collection, or put him with the Miner from My Bloody Valentine for the perfect coverall trio.

Value - **1/2
He'll run you the usual Ultimates price, mid-30's or so at most places. I haven't seen them pop up at an Target or Meijer stores yet, but I assume it's just a matter of time.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing. All the parts are sturdy, the joints tight and solid, and I had no worries when swapping hands or masks.

Overall - ***1/2
After seeing the movie, I knew the character would make for a great addition to the 7" horror shelf. Considering how new he is in the serial killer family, it was surprising to see NECA jump on him, but I'm glad they did. They did a nice job across the board, and I suspect he'll be even more popular once the obvious sequel comes out.

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

Where to Buy 
I picked mine up from the NECA online store, but shipping is always a killer. I'm assuming these will eventually hit Target and Meijer, and your local comic shop may have them as well. Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth is at $37. If you wait til they're in stock, you can use my link and get an additional 10% off, plus free shipping!

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
This is the only Thanksgiving related review I've done so far!

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