Review: NECA Dark Crystal Skeksil, the Skeksis
God I miss puppetry.
Unlike computer animation, puppetry tends to steer clear of realism, instead allowing the fantastic to exist on its own terms. And, also unlike CG, puppets actually exist and can therefore interact with their environment.
Personally, I don't consider The Dark Crystal the best of Henson's fantasy work. I prefer both Labyrinth and The Storyteller overall. But both of those use a combination of humans and puppets, while The Dark Crystal managed to construct a world entirely of fantasy creatures.
Well, NECA made a Jareth action figure a while back, so, when I heard they were releasing a Skeksis, I figured they'd look good together on the shelf.
NECA figures don't usually make it to mass market retailers, though from time to time they show up in unlikely places. If you're looking for Skeksil, I suggest checking comic and collectible shops or, if all else fails, shopping online.
Unlike computer animation, puppetry tends to steer clear of realism, instead allowing the fantastic to exist on its own terms. And, also unlike CG, puppets actually exist and can therefore interact with their environment.
Personally, I don't consider The Dark Crystal the best of Henson's fantasy work. I prefer both Labyrinth and The Storyteller overall. But both of those use a combination of humans and puppets, while The Dark Crystal managed to construct a world entirely of fantasy creatures.
Well, NECA made a Jareth action figure a while back, so, when I heard they were releasing a Skeksis, I figured they'd look good together on the shelf.
NECA figures don't usually make it to mass market retailers, though from time to time they show up in unlikely places. If you're looking for Skeksil, I suggest checking comic and collectible shops or, if all else fails, shopping online.
Appearance: 9/10
Those of you with long memories may recall my review of NECA's Conan: The Barbarian, which I reviewed as a statue rather than an action figure. As I'll explain in the Play and Display section below, this wasn't necessary this time.
The figure is awesome, but the head isn't quite screen accurate. Sure, it's close, and if you've ever seen the movie you'll know exactly who this is supposed to be. But the differences, while subtle, are easy to spot.
The most notable change is the lack of hair on the Skeksi. In addition, there are no teeth visible in its mouth, despite it being partly open. Finally, the skin looks a little less droopy than it does on screen. I also want to add that the beak is a little disappointing: it really needed some paint to avoid looking like plastic.
But those are, fundamentally, minor issues. The expression on Skeksil's face is character specific and accurate, and the eyes are very well executed.
The figure is awesome, but the head isn't quite screen accurate. Sure, it's close, and if you've ever seen the movie you'll know exactly who this is supposed to be. But the differences, while subtle, are easy to spot.
The most notable change is the lack of hair on the Skeksi. In addition, there are no teeth visible in its mouth, despite it being partly open. Finally, the skin looks a little less droopy than it does on screen. I also want to add that the beak is a little disappointing: it really needed some paint to avoid looking like plastic.
But those are, fundamentally, minor issues. The expression on Skeksil's face is character specific and accurate, and the eyes are very well executed.
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Moving on, the rest of the figure is even better. The hands look great, and the outfit is even better. I popped in the DVD, and his rags look almost identical. The twisted, useless arms on his back are great, as are the spikes.
Where NECA really went above and beyond, though, is with the figure beneath the robes. If you pull the soft plastic aside, they've sculpted and painted the naked form of the character as he appeared during his banishment. It's a level of detail they easily could have skipped, but I respect them for the effort. I'm giving Skeksil a nine, which is pretty much par for the course for NECA. |
Packaging and Extras: -1
The Packaging makes a large deal about this being the character's "Action Figure Debut". Okay. I don't care.
I do like the design work that was put into the packaging, though, which does capture the feel of the film.
Moving onto accessories... there are none. And, frankly, that's not cool. There should be SOMETHING, a knife, some food, or maybe a Podling or something. I'd also have liked an alternate head or hands.
What's more, Skeksil has some issues balancing - more on that below - that call for a base. I can overlook omissions like these on cheaper toys, but I expect better from figures aimed at collectors.
Moving onto accessories... there are none. And, frankly, that's not cool. There should be SOMETHING, a knife, some food, or maybe a Podling or something. I'd also have liked an alternate head or hands.
What's more, Skeksil has some issues balancing - more on that below - that call for a base. I can overlook omissions like these on cheaper toys, but I expect better from figures aimed at collectors.
Play and Display: ----
First, like I said before, at least this has enough articulation to qualify as an action figure. In fact, there's enough inspired design elements to qualify for a bonus point; pity that's wasted making up for the figure's shortcomings.
Lets start with what's good. Skeksil has a ball joint connecting his neck to his body. This gives you a decent range of posing options which don't interfere with the figure's appearance. The tail is soft plastic covering a wire, allowing it to bend. While it's a good idea, you are still limited by the sculpted robes, which really only give you one spot the tail can poke out. Still, I guess you can have the tip laying flat or raised.
The wrists are cut joints, though there's a downside to this that I'll get to in a moment. The elbows are pin joints, with an additional cut above them - this is probably the high point as far as articulation is concerned. In fact, NECA has done an admirable job engineering these, along with layered robes, which work well in several positions.
Lets start with what's good. Skeksil has a ball joint connecting his neck to his body. This gives you a decent range of posing options which don't interfere with the figure's appearance. The tail is soft plastic covering a wire, allowing it to bend. While it's a good idea, you are still limited by the sculpted robes, which really only give you one spot the tail can poke out. Still, I guess you can have the tip laying flat or raised.
The wrists are cut joints, though there's a downside to this that I'll get to in a moment. The elbows are pin joints, with an additional cut above them - this is probably the high point as far as articulation is concerned. In fact, NECA has done an admirable job engineering these, along with layered robes, which work well in several positions.
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The last point of articulation is on the shoulders, and this is where we run into trouble. Rather than provide a ball joint, NECA went with the simpler pin. Sure, they look a little better, but a small ball joint would have been a small price to pay for some of the poses we could have gotten. Backtracking to the wrists, I should add that one of mine keeps falling off. I'm not sure if part is broken or just loose, but every other time I move it, I find myself reattaching the thing. That said, it's not a huge deal: the hand only comes off when I moving it, so it doesn't hurt the display potential. I could probably fix it with glue or something, but I don't know if it's worth the hassle. Finally - and this is the big one - Skeksil is front heavy. He's not so bad that he tips over, but he certainly feels like he could with a little help. This could have been corrected if the legs were articulated, but NECA has sculpted the body as a single unit. Alternatively, some heavier plastic in the robes could have fixed this problem. The problems and merits cancel out, so there'll be no change to the score here. |
Price Tag and Final Analysis: 8/10
The verdict on this figure is good - very good, in fact - but short of great. Even with his serious paint problems, my Jareth figure is a bit more impressive than Skeksil.
But Skeksil is certainly cool, and he looks beside the Goblin King. Personally, I'm hoping NECA will follow this up with some more characters from both properties, but I'm less than optimistic: NECA hasn't exactly been pouring out figures recently.
I paid sixteen bucks for Skeksil, which isn't a bad price for work of this caliber. The lack of a base or accessories makes the price tag seem a tad high, though. If you find him cheaper, you can count yourself lucky. Don't hold your breath, though: I don't often see NECA's toys on clearance.
But Skeksil is certainly cool, and he looks beside the Goblin King. Personally, I'm hoping NECA will follow this up with some more characters from both properties, but I'm less than optimistic: NECA hasn't exactly been pouring out figures recently.
I paid sixteen bucks for Skeksil, which isn't a bad price for work of this caliber. The lack of a base or accessories makes the price tag seem a tad high, though. If you find him cheaper, you can count yourself lucky. Don't hold your breath, though: I don't often see NECA's toys on clearance.
I don't have much more to say about Dark Crystal, though I hope that rumored sequel doesn't fall through. I've got a retrospective on Labyrinth in The Middle Room, if you're interested. As for the next picture... I maintain there's a family resemblance:
