So … do you have an opinion about Star Wars: The Last Jedi? Haha, well of course you do.
Note: Before we get started, I want to make it clear that this post WILL contain spoilers about Star Wars: The Last Jedi. So, if you have somehow not seen the flick yet, turn back now, unless you don’t care about that kind of thing.
Okay, so if you have seen TLJ, of course you have an opinion about it. Personally, I think this movie has challenged fans and casual viewers more than any other installment, and while I believe that is a good thing, it certain comes with its fair share of conversation and consideration. Overall, I liked the movie; there were some things that I absolutely did not care for, like the Canto Bight sequence, Luke’s characterization until his communing with Yoda, and the handling of Admiral Ackbar (that I will NEVER forgive), but the movie had some great visuals, a lot of good character moments, and some story implications and weight that are new for Star Wars flicks.
Plus, if Lucasfilm was going for a watershed moment in the franchise with a push with moving with the new, this movie definitely accomplished that, so that is exciting and a little scary at the same time. I mean, Kylo was speaking directly to the viewer when he said, “let the past die,” and the same for Luke when he told us that, “this will not go the way you think,” so the messaging was definitely there. No matter the individual choices throughout the movie, we are left with no real idea or expectation for where the saga is going next, so the next couple of years should for fraught with speculation like we have not seen since, well, Empire.
All that said, one thing I am sure of from TLJ is the continued development of Rey, and actor Daisy Ridley’s rock-solid performance in the role. While many of the new characters made some great character strides in this latest movie (like Poe and Finn), Rey continues to get better and better, and if I am being honest, I love the character as much as just about any SW character, so she is already in good standing with stalwarts like Obi-Wan and Chewbacca. Needless to say, even before the release of the movie, this new Figuarts Rey was my most anticipate of the TLJ product announced on Force Friday, and I am happy to report that it does not disappoint.
With the exception of Kylo Ren, the new Sequel Trilogy movies have not really had the benefit of getting the full Figuarts treatment up to this point. Most of the figures released thus far have been nameless guards and troops (or variations of those, like Captain Phasma), and none of the main heroes have been brought to the line yet (though we have seen some “For Display Only” showings of Trooper Finn, Resistance and Jakku Rey, and old man Han), but Rey is the perfect way to get things started and she will have her hands full at least until Ahch-To Luke ships in May. Ugh, I cannot believe that we have to wait until April until we get another SHF SW figure with only Maul’s speeder coming between now and then.
I have made it pretty clear that, for the most part, the Jedi figures are my favorites in the SHF line. The chance for great character likenesses, as well as the posing the enhanced articulation allows, makes those down with the Force the perfect candidates for this line. So, while Rey is not *technically* a Jedi (at least not yet), she would have been at the top of my list for TLJ Figuarts product anyway, so I am really glad to have her. The best part is that she is also one of the best figures I have gotten from the line this year, and that means she ranks up there with Anakin and Padmé in terms of likeness and functionality.
It took Bandai quite a while to finally get some females in the SHF line (Phasma and her chrome-blocked visage notwithstanding), but now that they have, they are doing some pretty masterful work. When Rey was announced and shown in prototype form, I remember thinking that they would have to do some really impressive work to beat the Portman likeness on Padmé, but as it always seems to happen, they have done it. This is really like having a miniature Daisy Ridley for your action figure shelf, and while I never thought the MAFEX figure likeness as bad, this one blows it away in terms of looking like the actual person. I have read some people remarking that the likeness is not great, or that the skin tone is too pale, but frankly, I am not seeing it, I think it is damned good, and definitely the best Rey we have gotten thus far in any line.
The cutting edge printing technology that Bandai uses for their SHF figures (and that Hasbro will be using on their 2018 SW product) is on full display here, and it might be some of, if not the best, technical work they have done yet. Sometimes there is a general “out of focus” look to the printed faces under extreme camera close-ups, but that is really minimized here. Additionally, sometimes the dot print grouping can be off so some of the faces look dirty or a bit broken up, but some many of the small details on the face of this figure, like the brows, irises, and “eye makeup” are as clean as I have seen using this method, and that is speaking for both of the faceplates. I took some pretty extreme close-up shots, so you can see the printing patterns, and some of the spots are still not perfect, but everything is pretty close. I am usually a bit easier on the critique of stuff like this, so your mileage may vary, and that is completely valid, and Robo shared his thoughts as well.
The articulation scheme is what you should expect from an SHF figure, and the engineering quality of the joints is very strong, too. In fact, some of it is TOO strong as some of the joints are very tight on this figure, so I would caution some time and care when loosening areas like the elbows for the first time. That aside, the joints are strong, so Rey can hold a variety of poses, but they are also fluid, so the range of movement is good, too. Additionally, the plastic used for things like her “skirt” piece is soft enough so her leg movement is not overly inhibited, and she can still lunge forward and kick. That is good because, you know, the whole acrobatic Force user thing.
Rey does okay in the accessories department, getting just about all of the requisite pieces, but nothing too exciting. In addition to the neutral and “fierce” portraits, she gets her knapsack, ignited saber (that finally sees its end so quickly after being so revered in the previous movie), saber hilt, blaster, and four sets of interchangeable hands. The bag is nicely detailed and will stay on my figure in the display, and the sabers are nice, but we have seen them before, so my favorite piece is probably the Han Solo gifted blaster. The extra hands are always nice, and most of them do their part well, but I do wish we would have gotten a more expressive “Force grab/push” hand, in lieu of the boring open hand. That is a small complaint, but still worthy of mention because that is important to Force users.
I think this is a great figure, and no matter your thoughts on the actual movie, if you are a fan of Rey (and you should be), this is a fantastic figure. I have had it for a week now, and I keep playing and posing it, and after hitting a long stretch of photography fatigue, I actually had some fun shooting this one. She has been a pretty popular figure so she is getting a little tough to come by, but you can still get it from some great places. I definitely recommend it because this is a good look for Rey, and it is important as she has now become the heir apparent to restoring the Jedi. The wait for IX is on!