Background

One of the biggest films of this year has been the reimagination of the Alice in Wonderland story. The 2010 version of Alice in Wonderland was an extension of Lewis Carroll’s original novels. Directed by Tim Burton and released by Walt Disney Pictures, the story revolves around a nineteen year old Alice who returns to Wonderland to battle The Red Queen and the Jabberwocky.

Tonner Doll Company, who has the license to produce their Tonner Character Figures based on the film, has released several of the main characters from the film. For this review, we’ll be taking a look at Iracebeth, The Red Queen. Played by actress Helena Bonham Carter, The Red Queen features a head that’s been digitally blown up three times its normal size. The character is a mash-up of two characters Carroll created The Red Queen (Through The Looking Glass) and The Queen of Hearts (Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland).

The Facts



Iracebeth, The Red Queen
Series: Alice in Wonderland Tonner Character Figure
Manufacturer: Tonner Doll Company
Likeness: Helena Bonham Carter
Material: Hard plastic articulated body, oversized roto vinyl head and rooted saran hair
Dimensions: 16" Tyler BW Body
Points of Articulation: 15 (neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, bust line, waist, hips, knees, and ankles)
Outfit: Gown (gold, red, black and white) with high standing collar, petticoat, suit tights, lace-up faux leather gold boots, and jeweled crown
Accessories: Figure stand
Edition Size: 1,000 pieces

Packaging

The packaging for The Red Queen TCF is possibly the largest that we’ve seen from Tonner. It’s done up in the same theme we’ve seen on previous Tonner Character Figures from the Alice In Wonderland line.

Our Opinion

I picked up Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland on Blu-Ray when it was released last month (June 2010). It’s a fairly entertaining movie, but I might need to give it another watch before passing final judgment. (I was a little “ehhh…” the first go-round)

Since it is a Tim Burton film, it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that his “domestic partner” Helena Bonham Carter will have some role in the production. She played the role of the rather boisterous Red Queen. So how did Tonner do?

They’ve done an amazing job with the Red Queen Tonner Character Figure. Since it’s really the focal point of the character, the main thing is getting the oversized noggin correct. If you compare stills from the film with those of the TCF, the facial sculpt, lipstick, eye shadow (and liner) all look screen accurate. The only thing I noticed is that the Red Queen TCF’s widow’s peak is not as pronounced as the film version.

As far as the outfit, this is where Tonner excels. The gown looks like a miniaturized version of the one worn in Alice in Wonderland. Of course, that’s their objective. But Tonner creates their outfits (especially women’s outfits) in such a high-quality fashion that it truly looks just like the real thing.

While I still say that the true standout of the Alice in Wonderland line will be the Mad Hatter, the Red Queen takes tops for the female characters. It’s probably the most difficult character to capture, which makes it even more impressive.

You can pick one up at the following:

Tonner Direct: $199.99

Iracebeth, The Red Queen Grades

Figure Quality: 9/10
   Sculpt: 9/10
   Paint: 9/10
Accessories/Outfit: 9/10
Packaging: 8/10
Durability: 8/10
Fun Factor: 9/10
Value: 7/10

Overall: 9.3/10