Licence: Star Wars
Product Type: Polystone Diorama
Product Size: 7.5" H (190.5mm) x 14.5" W (368.3mm) x 9" D (228.6mm)
Product Weight: 8.00 lbs (3.63 kg)
Box Size: 17.25" H (438.15mm) x 10.75" W (273.05mm) x 9.25" L (234.95mm)
Price:
$229.99US
Pros:
- Great attention to detail, including the tattoo on Jabba's left wrist
- Metal
chain cleverly held in place by magnets
-
Salacious Crumb!
- A
classic moment from the original trilogy
Cons:
- That dead-eye stare of Leia indicates a homicidal streak a mile wide
- Glass
eyes would have been a better choice
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It was until after I'd unpackaged Leia vs. Jabba
and took a good long look at the piece that I was struck with how disturbing it
was.
This is one of geekdoms best-known murders and caps off the opening of Return of
the Jedi. As geeks or film fans, we know that Leia has likely be subjected to
all sorts of horrible treatment by Jabba the Hutt after her failed attempt to
free Han Solo from his carbonite slab and escape Jabba's palace. So, this
particular murder is likely borne of self-preservation because Jabba is likely
to get bored or angry with his slave girls. (Leia's predecessor was fed to the
Rancor under Jabba's throne |
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the seduction route to get close enough to Jabba to
choke the life out of him. It's a tableau of murder, plain and simple.
"Hey, look, honey, I got this statue of a giant
slug being killed by a bikini babe," is what your wife hears when you say, "This
is actually Princess Leia's bid for freedom. I really think the media and pop
culture should show that women are not just wallflowers needing help from a man.
They can take care of themselves. In a way, this statue is a symbol of female
empowerment. Makes you really think, doesn't it?"
"It makes me think you should put it away before my parents get here."
It's a classic pitfall for gamer/geeks that marry
outside their species. But let's look at this figure a little more closely.
Jabba's detail is awesome! He's scared, warty, stretched and disgusting -- all
the hallmarks of a true sci-fi crime lord. True, the eyes are painted on so some
of the depth is absent but the paint application is good enough to recreate the
look of his eyes, if not the correct feel. Attention to detail is very high and
the statue even includes the scarred cut near the tip of Jabba's tail and the
tattoo on his left wrist.
I expected Jabba to have a high-gloss, slimy finish
but on second thought this particular scene takes place in the desert so maybe
the arid outdoor air has dried him out.
While Leia's sci-fi bikini is instantly recognizable, the facial detail, while
good, looks little if nothing like Carrie Fisher circa 1982. Plus, the gaze
doesn't quite line-up with what she should be focusing on: killing Jabba. The
grit and determination are there, but she definitely has a zoned-out,
trance-like homicidal maniac stare going on, like she knows she's killing but it
doesn't matter that she's killing. She's more concerned with the physical strain
than any emotional connection with the act. That actually makes this piece more
disturbing.
The only real assembly required for Leia vs. Jabba is sliding the long pegs from
her feet into the holes on Jabba's back. They fit snuggly and securely, making
the seam almost completely invisible. It also helps that where Leia's feet press
against Jabba there's a slight depression, like if she were standing on a soft
mattress.
The chain that Leia has wrapped around Jabba's neck, is made out of real metal
and for good reason outside of lending authenticity to the scene. The chain is
actually two pieces. The long piece in Leia's right hand threads through Jabba's
left arm and around his neck. It's not long enough to go all the way around.
Instead, a hidden magnet holds the chain. The piece is Leia's left hand is much
shorter but the method is the same; it's held in place by a magnet. the ends
don't meet but that fact is made invisible because the piece is viewed from the
front. It's an elegant solution, my only worry has to do with the life of the
magnets. When they eventually fail, what then?
As a bonus, Leia vs. Jabba includes a detailed version of the monkey-like
Salacious Crumb. He's a little out of place at least in the context of this
particular scene,
 because
in the movie he was chomping on C-3POs eye socket as Jabba was killed. Here,
he's happily perched on a pillow staring into space. Don't get me wrong, the
detail, sculpting, and paint application is great and I appreciate the extra,
but he's there without any real purpose.
While I'm going off on this kind of thing, it's just a little disappointing that
the base isn't more true to the source material. As the pictures indicate, it's
just a plain oval slab. This omission really draws the viewer to the murder of
Jabba the Hutt.
Leia vs. Jabba has a relatively big shelf footprint. Tall pieces like the
recently reviewed
M. Bison, one would expect to have a large footprint, but this
piece is not very tall and takes up a disproportionate amount of shelf (or
fireplace mantle) space. This results in some display considerations. One also
needs to take into account that the piece is cast in polystone, not plastic.
It's Star Wars, so kids will likely show an interest and Jabba's tongue is not
pliable not matter what your three-year old says. And no, Leia's loincloth is
not moveable!
This is no mass market collectible. With a limited
run of 400 (individually numbered) pieces and a price tag of $229.99, Sideshow
has clearly aimed this at the legion of Star Wars fans. And I don't think those
fans will be disappointed with what they get, even if the Carrie Fisher-ness
isn't quite captured.
- Aaron Simmer
(September 7, 2011)
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