Why is it that bad guys
(especially those from McFarlane) tend to have really bad under bites?
Think of any Malebolgia or Violator figure. Evil Ash, true to his movie
likeness, continues the trend.
The Movie Maniacs lines
have always suffered from being statuesque. They look great but to get
that look other aspects, such as articulation, must be sacrificed. Evil
Ash is no different. He looks great and is loaded with detail but if you
want articulation you’re better off flexing your fingers – there’s
no better example of articulation! (Unless you have no fingers, then
I’m sorry if I may have offended.) He’s got seam joints at the
ankles, waist, neck, wrists, and shoulders. His feet must be put in
exactly the right position if you want him to stay standing. Even then,
he’s tippy. It’s hard to make him look like a "new" figure
by putting him in a different pose. His shoulder armor blocks any
significant movement of his arms – same for
the head. When he’s
holding both his swords, moving his wrists offers the best chance for a
new pose. If he had ball-jointed shoulders and hinged elbows there would
have been many other poses available.
All the articulation
sacrificed does make Evil Ash more detailed. There are small details
such as his wristwatch, exposed hand bones, and real metal chain that
add touches of authenticity. True to form, he’s looking to his left
just as practically every Movie Maniac figure does. (What would be so
wrong about looking the other way?) Evil Ash is perfect to display with
Ash (MM3) since
Advertisement
they are proportional. You can attain a kind of dueling
diorama. Display on his own, with included movie poster backdrop, is
good too. (The mini-poster backdrops have been altered slightly from
previous incarnations, but they still fit in well.)
Playability suffers from
the subject matter and anemic articulation. Not many kids are going to
be drawn to a toy that features a whacked-out guy with a skull helmet
– no matter that he can wield two swords. Collectors and fans of the
Evil Dead movies will grab this figure and be very pleased with it, but
chances are they aren’t going to play with it, let alone open it.
However, if you are going to play with Evil Ash, there’s not much fun
to be had. (A spring-loaded waist for slashing action would have been
good.) I like the belt holster for one of his swords – it’s a good
way to avoid losing at least one of the swords. The other can be jammed
in his belt but lacks the snugness the holster offers. One of the swords
has the infamous knob that must be taken off to put the sword in his
hand then reattached so it stays there. The knob is incredible easy to
lose. I’d recommend a strong glue but that means you’d be stuck with
him holding the sword forever. Just pay attention when you’re playing
with him.
Evil Ash is definitely a
fan item, but it won’t disappoint.