Background
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides was released in May 2011 by Walt Disney Pictures. The adventure fantasy film is the fourth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean series and focuses on Captain Jack Sparrow (again played by Johnny Depp) as he searches for the Fountain of Youth.
Late in 2011, Hot Toys released their much anticipated Captain Jack Sparrow 1/6th Scale Collectible Figure. This DX Series figure features Hot Toys' revolutionary PERS (Parallel Eyeball Rolling System) and a pair of interchangeable Jack Sparrow faces (one serious and one grinning).
But is it the ultimate Pirates of the Caribbean collectible – as some might claim? We'll break that down.
The Facts
Captain Jack Sparrow 1/6th Scale Collectible Figure
Series: DX Series
Manufacturer: Hot Toys
Sculpted by: Kojun
Authorized Likeness: Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Dimensions: 1/6th Scale
Points of Articulation: TrueType body with over 30 points of articulation
Outfit: Faux leather brown hat; Cream long-sleeved shirt; Blue and brown patterned vest; Dark brown long jacket; Pair of dark brown pants; Dark brown and light brown faux leather belts; Dark brown faux leather shoulder band with saber sheath; White and pink scarf; Pair of brown boots
Accessories: Two interchangeable faces featuring Hot Toys' Parallel Eyeball Rolling System; Nine interchangeable hands: Pair of relaxed hands, Pair for holding flintlock pistol, Right hand for holding saber; Pair for holding rudder or telescope, Pair showing his “iconic gesture”; Two flintlock pistols; Saber; Rum Bottle; Black Pearl in a bottle; Left lace wrist band; Right wrist band; Feather on waist; Compass; Small telescope; Head sculpt of his mother on waist; Duck’s foot sculpture; Movie-accurate rudder wheel with base and movie nameplate; Pirate flag; Figure stand with Captain Jack Sparrow nameplate and the movie logo
Pricing: $239.99 List Price
Packaging
The Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides themed packaging features three layers of goodies. Upon opening up the magnetic front flap, you'll see the pirate flag. Below that sits the figure and most of the accessories in a layer of foam. And the lowest level features the rudder, nameplate and figure stand.
Our Opinion
I often rely on critics reviews when choosing what films to watch. I don't always agree with what they have to say, but it's helpful in weeding out movies I'm on the fence about watching. And while the latest installment of Pirates of the Caribbean (On Stranger Tides), wasn't a critical success...I thought it was entertaining. Actually, I have enjoyed all four of the “Pirates” films, primarily due to Johnny Depp's eccentric Captain Jack Sparrow.
Being a fan of the series, I've seen plenty of toys based on Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean license. Not surprisingly, the most popular character is that now iconic pirate Jack Sparrow. Hot Toys has released the ol' Captain in many different forms (primarily 1/6th scale and Cosbaby), but this is the first time we're seeing Jack Sparrow as a part of their DX Series.
The most important advancement in the DX Series is the addition of the Parallel Eyeball Rolling System, or PERS. By removing the face, you can operate a small joystick that allows the user to move the eyes around 360 degrees. Remember the days when toys would be released with different eye position variants? Hot Toys allows you to choose the “look” you're going for. And if that wasn't enough, they give you a pair of faces with different expressions. (I guess they haven't yet discovered how to let you change a toy's mouth from a frown to a smile.)
Combining excellent sculpting and extraordinary paintwork, Hot Toys has created the most realistic Jack Sparrow I have ever seen. I'd be hard-pressed to find anything close to this realistic in a collectible, and I'm guessing many folks might not be able to distinguish the real Johnny Depp from the toy version – in photos, that is.
But if you're going to be paying over $200 for a collectible, you don't just want quality...you also want some quantity. Hot Toys provides that quantity in accessories. The most impressive accessory is obviously the ship's wheel. It's an enormous piece that doubles as part of an alternate display base. They've perfected the weathered texturing, and the thing can actually spin. Most of the other accessories make up Captain Sparrow's attire (guns, actual metal sword, compass...his mom's shrunken head).
Looking ahead to the remainder of our 2012 reviews, I am going to be hard-pressed to find a sixth-scale piece more deserving of our “Toy of the Year”moniker. In their Captain Jack Sparrow sixth-scale collectible, Hot Toys has produced one of the most realistic toys I have ever seen. If you're a fan of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean films, you should begin saving up your lunch money to purchase this piece.
You can pick one up at the following:
Amazon.com: $243.95
