REVIEW: Hot Toys The Expendables Barney Ross

[JeffSaylor]

Sly Is Back And Better Than Ever...

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The Expendables film series continues to remind movie goers of an era gone by, a time when high octane, machine-gun riddled action films filled the big screen and names like Dolph Lundgren, Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger were up in lights all the time. Now, with these men aging (some more gracefully than others!), The Expendables helps ensure we don't forget the types of movies we were raised on. And the man in charge, the man with the plan, the man behind The Expendables is none other than Sylvester Stallone, whose career continues to evolve as movie goers begin to see alongside both action stars whose highlight reels include decade's old films as well as the stars of today.<p>So it's no surprise Hot Toys would release another version of their previously successful Barney Ross Movie Masterpiece Series figure this year, with the release of The Expendables 2 in 2012. Enter a new figure based on the latest look from the most recent film and you've got a cool collectible every die-hard fan of the film series will love and appreciate!

PACKAGING

Packaged in the standard slipcase cardboard window box packaging featuring a molded plastic interior to protect the figure and accessories, MMS194 Barney Ross comes securely housed and ready for display. The exterior package features trademark Expendables broken stone background along with the film title graphics and the figure inside the "2." Overall, a very attractive and exciting packaging.

SCULPT

One thing Hot Toys does extremely well is capture the likeness of the character figures they create and Barney Ross is no exception. The sculpt is exceptional - both in the face and body. Artist Kojun brings to life this amazing sculpt while JC Hong provides art direction. The Hot Toys muscle body here features all of the 67 year old Stallone's massive musculature (along with his impressive tattoos, which I'll mention later!).

The facial sculpt looks exactly like Sly from the film, complete with grimace, handlebar mustache, raised eyebrows, wrinkled forehead and steely 1,000 mile stare (above).

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

With costume advice by Hai Lim, this version of Barney Ross based on The Expendables 2 film features multiple clothing options, as seen in the film. These options include both the black-on-black BDU assault vest uniform (above) as well as the European guerrilla fighter look, featuring a light blue vest, dark blue long-sleeve shirt, tan beret and brown pants (below).

Other weapons and accessories include three pistols with holsters, an assault rifle, a watch, a pair of sunglasses, a pair of goggles, a radio/headset and Barney's signature cigar (as seen in the film). And let's not forget the various hand sculpts also included with the figure, 9 in all, each with a unique purpose: one pair for hold weapons, one gloved left hand with ring for holding a gun, one pair of gloved fists with ring, one pair of gloved relaxed hands, one non-gloved right hand for holding a gun and one non-gloved right hand for holding a - you guessed it! - cigar!

PAINT APPLICATIONS

As previously mentioned, the face and muscle body are spectacular and do an outstanding job of capturing Sly's Barney Ross character in 1/6th scale. Of course, complimented by the amazing paint applications, this 12" figure looks as close to life-like at this scale as possible.

One thing worth mentioning is the amount of detail in the chest, arm and back tattoos. What many people don't realize is most of the tattoos seen here are actually real and Sly sports them daily. Of course, the largest and most prominent - the Raven and Skull across the back - is not real and actually covers Sly's real life tattoo back piece. No matter, the amount of detail and impressive paint work here is sure to provide fans of this figure not only two clothed display options, but also a shirtless display option which will impress even non-collectors and fans.

ARTICULATION

Barney Ross comes ready for action on a Hot Toys muscle body based on the Truetype style of articulation, which includes over 30 points of movement, including ball-in-socket neck/head, ball-joint shoulders and hips, hinge and twist elbows, wrists and ankles, double hinge knees and more. As with most figures based on the Truetype body, movement is not a problem and the figure's poseability provides plenty of display options.

COST & OVERALL IMPRESSION

With a suggested retail price of $204.99 (and available at most retailers for around $190 or so), die-hard Sly fans and fans of The Expendables films will appreciate this Barney Ross figure. Likewise, 1/6 scale military collectors - a market neglected by Hot Toys in recent years - will appreciate the company making this figure for its gear and load out as well as the impressive head sculpt and body.

If you're a fan of The Expendables and you passed on the first Barney Ross figure release, this is the one to buy. Not only does it provide two unique clothing outfits, three different display options, a sizable amount of accessories, a brilliant facial sculpt, but it also features one of the coolest tattooed muscle bodies ever made in 1/6th scale.

Hot Toys' Movie Masterpiece Series #194 The Expendables Barney Ross is available now wherever fine action figures and collectibles are sold.

CLICK HERE FOR OVER 25 PHOTOS!

- Sample courtesy of Hot Toys
- review by Jess C. Horsley
- photos by Luka Zou

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