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Packaging - ****
The package looks terrific, with original poster artwork on the
cover. It has a very reminiscent look because of the style and graphics,
and it's also fairly collector friendly.
Do be careful though removing the dive rig. I accidentally broke one
of the small plastic arms, because a twisty tie wraps through them, and I got
a little rambunkscious.
Sculpting - ***1/2
This is a solid version of Connery, although it's not quite perfect.
Of course this is a much younger Connery than many folks are currently accustomed
to, but it's quite accurate to the film.
The mouth is sculpted to allow for the regulator to fit in his mouth, and
it works perfectly for that. However, that means that without the
equipment on he looks a tad...odd. It's not terrible though, and they
really did go out of their way to try to make it look like he's in
mid-sentence, talking to you.
If you have the exclusive version, you'll find it a little tough to get the
rebreather to fit in his mouth, but it's doable. Just don't snap off the
sides trying to force it.
The hand sculpts work well with the spear gun, but the trigger guard is
very thin. I broke mine when putting it in his right hand, so be extra
careful.
And the sculpt is so good, it doesn't even look like a toupee!
Paint - ****
The paint ops are extremely good, highlighting the terrific sculpt rather than
detracting from it.
All the small detail work, particularly the eyes, is extremely clean and
neat. The skin tone is even and consistent, although the matte finish
does clash with the shiny legs. That's fine by me though, since I much
prefer the matte face paint.
The hair has a glossier finish, but that works well with the matte face,
making it more apparent that they are two different parts of the body.
And since these were the days of BrylCream, nice shiny hair was the standard
look for all styling men.
Articulation - ****
If you're a fan of the usual Sideshow body, you'll be happy here. The
neck could have had a greater range of motion though, since it would have been
nice if he could have brought his head back further in the swimming position.
The joints are nice and tight, and he stands great on his own, even with
the heavy dive rig on his back.
Accessories - ****
Bond is loaded up more than usual, with a spear gun, complex dive rig, diving
mask and diving knife with sheath. The exclusive version goes one better
and includes the very small but detailed rebreather.
The knife and sheath fits nicely on his leg, and you can easily slip the
rig on his back. There's lots of small detail and nifty paint ops on the
rig as well, making it one of the better accessories we've ever gotten from
Sideshow.
Like most Sideshow figures, James also comes with a display stand.
It's designed slightly differently though, and is intended to hold him in a
swimming position. It works pretty well, although you'll have to play
around with him to get it just right.
Outfit - ***1/2
Along with the spiffy accessories, 007 comes with a very cool outfit that
includes his wet suit upper, white shorts, and flippers.
The flippers slip on and off cleanly, and don't get in the way of his
ability to stand. In fact, they help him stay standing with the rig on
his back.
The red 'wetsuit' is really a pleather type material, but the tailoring is
great. There's no buttons, zipper or velcro though, so it must have been
sewn shut over his body.
His shorts are, well, shorts. Only Bond is cool enough to run around
in a pair of white boxers and still kick butt.
Fun Factor - **
For the Bond fans, this is a terrific figure, but it has way too many easily
broken or lost pieces for kids to enjoy.
Value - *1/2
At $65, this is one of the most expensive Sideshow sixth scale figures so
far. While I appreciate the uber-cool dive rig, I'm hoping that this
figure selling at this price doesn't give Sideshow any ideas.
There are some retailers with better prices, and you can find this for $50
without too much trouble (if you visit my sponsors!). At that price you
can add another star.
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