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REVIEW: Sideshow Collectibles Lord of the Rings RINGWRAITH Polystone Statue
Evil Has Never Looked So Good...
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J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings novel series has entertained and fascinated readers for almost 50 years, but it reached a massive worldwide popularity with New Line Cinema’s trilogy of films released from 2001 to 2003. The cinematic masterpieces brought the fantasy epic to life in a way no one ever thought possible, complete with all of the unique characters, iconic locations, and of course spectacular battles. In turn, Sideshow Collectibles has partnered with New Line to create a series of amazing polystone statues and premium format figures celebrating the heroes, villains, and more from the trilogy. Currently available is one of the most impressive statues yet that captures a chilling and relentless threat to the survival of Middle Earth, the murderous Ringwraith!
In Frodo Baggins’ quest to bring the One Ring to Mount Doom to destroy it he would face a number of challenges, but none were quite so chilling as the servants of Sauron. While the One Ring was made “to rule them all” there are other rings too; nine human kings received nine rings of power that corrupted them and bent them to Sauron’s will as wraiths. Known as the Ringwraiths, or Nazgul, these black riders would follow Frodo to the ends of Middle Earth to retrieve their master’s property. Mere shadows of the former selves, the Ringwraiths are seemingly tattered black robes with nothing underneath but heavy armor.
Sideshow Collectibles is known for its amazing array of statues, large-scale figures, and other high end products. Like many of those the Ringwraith comes packaged in a suave, sophisticated box that’s almost minimalist in design, black with crisp decoration. It’s also enormous, nearly two feet high, 12 inches wide, and 13 inches long. The front and back panels are identical, with four logos on a black space. At the top is Sideshow, followed by the Lord of the Rings movie title two-thirds of the way down. Immediately below that is the Ringwraith statue nameplate in a really cool font, and finally a tiny New Line Cinema logo at the very bottom. Each side of the box has movie title and character name along with a photo of the statue in cool mood lighting. Inside the box the statue is held securely in a massive styrofoam coffin with four easy to assemble parts.
The Ringwraith is a fearsome monster straight out of your nightmares. Tall and imposing, the Nazgul of the films appear as little more than long tattered black robes in the shape of a man. Sideshow’s version captures the onscreen villain perfectly, with voluminous sculpted fabric. Extending from within are the Ringwraith’s armored boots and gloves, the latter wielding a deadly longsword. The Ringwraith stands a massive 19 inches tall, striding forward with his right foot. He brandishes his sword in his left arm, held up across his body for a backhand slash. The Nazgul stands on a detailed round base. At the statue’s feet is a broken, rock-strewn surface; below that is a bronze disc engraved with a swirling decorative pattern. Underneath the base is the statue’s nameplate and edition number (out of 1,000).
The Ringwraith’s sculpt is nothing short of fantastic. The statue is a foot and a half of crazy folded and billowing “fabric” with details like you wouldn’t believe. The robe has a great intricate texture to it, and at its edges it’s frayed and torn up from use and travel. The garment flows backward around the walking Ringwraith, highlighting his arms and foremost knee. The collar of the robe flaps around his back, while its trailing edge flows out behind him in a huge convoluted mass. The Ringwraith’s cowl is sculpted in an open hood; it’s so dark inside you just have to get a closer look to make sure there’s nothing in there (and there isn’t). Sticking out of the robe are heavily armored appendages; both the feet and hands are covered in segmented metal armor that has a weighty look contrasting with the lightness of the robe. The Ringwraith’s longsword is appropriately pitted and worn, and you can even see just the tip of his scabbard peeking out of the folds of his robe.
Even a great sculpt like this could have been lost in a bad paint job, but thankfully you don’t have to worry about that. While the Nazgul’s robes may once have been black, the endless questing from Mordor and back have stained them with a complex spattering of mud and other debris. In fact, the statue has a variegated paint job with lighter and darker patches that make it look like light is hitting it at different angles. Meanwhile, the “steel” of the Ringwraith’s armor and sword is a weathered metallic bronze color that further emphasizes the creature’s ageless evil. Finally, the Nazgul’s base is also intricately painted both on its terrain top and the metallic disc below it.
The Ringwraith is an amazing statue that’s a surefire conversation starter whether you’re a hardcore fan of the Lord of the Rings films or not. It’s big, it’s imposing, and you can’t help but drink in the details of its amazing sculpt and paint job. The Ringwraith is currently available on Sideshow’s website - HERE - for $249.99 (or via payment plan). To get your Ringwraith statue head over to Sideshow.
Review and Photos by Scott Rubin
Review Sample Courtesy of Sideshow Collectibles
