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Info:
- Toy Line: Avatar
- Action Figure: Avatar Jake Sully
- Distributor: Mattel
- Suggest Retail: 14.99
- Includes: Spear, Dagger and i-TAG
- Series:: Avatar Mattel Movie Masters Series
- Series:
Toy Review: Avatar Jake Sully by Mattel
Avatar Toys: They are on the shelf, already? By
Robert T. Trate
October 23, 2009
Jake Sully from James Cameron’s Avatar by Mattel
© Mania/ Robert Trate
It is almost the season, the season where retailers will pack the shelves with tons of toys. In the market today shelf space is everything. Hasbro and Mattel already fill the action figure aisle with DC Universe, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Star Wars, Transformers and G.I. Joe figures. What truly came as a surprise this week was seeing James Cameron’s Avatar figures taking up a large amount of shelf space. The film is slated to be released December 18th, 2009 but here in the second to last week of October the toys are hitting the shelves. If Avatar was a better known property as in something of a remake, re-imagine, comic book, novel or TV show then I could see Mattel capitalizing on the marketing hype that is about to ensue. Releasing toys for a new property months in advance is a huge gamble for Mattel. One that has the name Cameron attached to it so it might not be as big as of gamble as one would expect. Nonetheless there they sit several rows deep and stacked up on the shelves between Star Wars and the DC Universe figures, this new thing called Avatar.
There are various incarnations and sizes for of both humans and Pandora’s natives the Na'vi. Obviously many of the human characters are made to fit into the various vehicles that will be in the film. There are also creatures to be ridden by the Na'vi. There is a contrast between the size of a human action figure and the Na'vi, as it is in the film. Mattel is also launching variations on the lead character, played by Sam Worthington, which will feature him as a human (wheel chair bound), his Avatar in human clothes and his Avatar in native garb. Check out the gallery for several pictures of all the new Avatar figures and vehicles (click the header picture).
Toy Review:
The Packaging:
The package is big and bubbly for Avatar Jake Sully. All of the Na'vi figures are given a more native design in the packaging. The human characters are placed in what appears to be Avatar incubation chambers. There is an RDA science division picture of Jake on the back of the package and a little history entailing his profession and skills. The only other figures appearing on the package are Colonel Miles Quaritch (played by Stephen Lang) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana).
The Figure:
The likeness is fairly decent considering its size, 7 inches tall, and the blending of Sam Worthington’s face with a Na'vi native. The paint job is well done and there is even some fine detailing on his skin that hints at some sort of phosphorescence for the Na’vi, the very same phosphorescence we have seen in the trailers and IMAX previews. Jake Sully’s native Na’vi is complete with a loin cloth that leaves nothing to the imagination. Jake also has a few arm bands and necklaces which are painted onto the character save one.
Articulation and Accessories:
Jake has 14 points of articulation making him easily battle ready. All the Avatar figures do come with stands, probably the best modern accessory to hit toys since Kung Fu Grip, however Jake doesn’t actually need it to stand. Yet one has to wonder why his human action figure, with a wheel chair, actually has hole pegs in his boots (see gallery)?
Jake comes with an 8 inch spear, a dagger that fits into a bandolier around his neck and an i-TAG/ figure stand. The dagger is perfect and will not easily fall out of the bandolier. The spear actually helps Jake take on more ferocious battle ready poses. This i-TAG is the strange little Avatar hook. There is a website to log onto and you will need a web cam to take full advantage of this feature. After you download the information and photograph your i-TAG you will be able to project a 3D image of your Avatar figure. Without a web cam it is just an action figure stand.
Jake Sully’s Na’vi Avatar figure is actually a lot better than I thought he would be just by looking at him in the box. Mattel has really raised the bar over the last couple of years with their DC Universe, Masters of the Universe and Ghostbusters (see article) figures. Jake is cool but right now he just stands there. It is as if it is too soon for the figure. He just doesn’t have any soul. Put as spin on that if you will…
As a collector I have on of the new James Cameron action figures but that is all he is. After seeing the Avatar footage at the San Diego Comic Con and the IMAX sneak preview (practically identical footage by the way) he’s just a figure, an action figure who is nothing more than a big, blue, skinny cat holding an eight inch spear. There is no adventure, yet, to be reminded of. December 18th is a long way off and outside of a few James Cameron faithfuls what kid is going to buy an Avatar action figure? Only time will tell.
To get all the latest updates and check out the rest of Mattel’s collector’s lines visit Mattycollector.com.
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