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REVIEW: NECA 8" INTERSTELLAR Action Figure 2-Pack
Brand and Cooper From Nolan's Smart Sci-Fi Movie...
Interstellar was one of my favorite films of 2014. Not since Christopher Nolan’s Inception had a movie left me thinking so hard after the credits rolled. Interstellar is smart sci-fi; the movie tackling mind-bending science such as wormholes, space-time, and multiple dimensions. That’s not to say you're dumb for not liking Interstellar, many scenes scrambled my brain as well. However, the film certainly didn’t follow your typical Hollywood formula of oversimplifying everything and wrapping it all up with neat bow. No flashy Star Wars lasers or Star Trek transporters here gang. Interstellar was gorgeous though, the movie grounded with some stunning space visuals and near future tech.
The spacesuits worn by the crew of the Endurance were especially slick. Similar to the polished outfits seen in 2001: A Space Odyssey, Interstellar's white spacesuit designs invoke a sense of innocence and purity as mankind blindly explores the stars. Capturing this look is a new 8-inch Mego-style action figure two-pack from NECA. This limited edition set depicts Interstellar's two lead characters, Matthew McConaughey as Cooper and Anne Hathaway as Dr. Amelia Brand. This marks the second action figure for both talented actors: McConaughey had an obscure Sahara Dirk Pitt figure that came and went in the blink of an eye, while Hathaway had greater success as Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises. NECA's Interstellar 8" figure 2-pack is in stores now, such as Toynk.com and BigBadToyStore.com, where it is priced at a MSRP of $69.99.
Packaging for this figure set, while simple, is effective. Housed in a closed window box, Brand and Cooper greet potential buyers decked out in their cool spacesuits with their helmet-less head sculpts in clear view. Next to each figure is a look at their alternate heads, each actor's noggin now wearing a space helmet. There's the requisite Interstellar movie logo on all sides of the box, and the back features a scene from the movie (the spaceship Endurance near a black hole) along with a very brief movie synopsis. Like I said, the packaging is simple, yet effective, NECA letting their action figures do all the talking.
Out of the pack your Interstellar figures impress with some decent actor likenesses. McConaughey's eyes are rather wild and wide and my Hathaway's nostrils a tad heavy on the black paint, but for this scale the resemblance is certainly there. Combined with their labeled spacesuits - "Cooper" and "Brand" respectively - the fact that this is Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway is made even more obvious.
While it's nice that NECA lets the actor's portraits shine, I much prefer the helmeted head sculpts to complete that entire spacesuit look. To do so, just pop off the existing head and swap on the new one. There's a free floating grey collar that can make popping on the helmeted head a little tricky (especially with my Brand), but once enough force is applied you'll eventually get the job done. Once the helmeted head is attached, realign the grey collar so it lines up with the helmet the best that you can and thread the two hoses on the back into their corresponding (deep) holes.
The spacesuits on both figures are very nice, each suit constructed with a mix of real cloth materials and hard plastic components. Licensed from NASA, each suit features the space administration's logo, along with patches for Brand and Cooper's name tag, their spaceship Endurance and the American flag. As mentioned, the combination of materials - pleather, cloth and plastic - really adds depth to each spacesuit's design and authenticity. Articulation, while slightly restricted by the suit, is more than enough to strike some great space walking poses.
If you had asked me before the film if we'd ever see any Interstellar action figures, my answer would be a solid "no". While a striking visual film packed with deep thought, Interstellar doesn't exactly scream collectibles. NECA, however, has proven me wrong by releasing not only two great actors from a great sci-fi movie, but an awesome depiction of Interstellar's sweet spacesuit designs. That means you don't have to be a fan of Interstellar to appreciate these figures, they'll look great in any astronaut figure collection. But if you're like me and also enjoyed the film, NECA's Interstellar action figures make for must-have movie memorabilia.
Review and Photos by Jeff Saylor
Review Sample Courtesy of NECA
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