Chappie is a 2015 science fiction film and the third film from director Neill Bloomkamp (following District 9 and Elysium). Unfortunately for Bloomkamp, Chappie didn’t garner the same critical success as his previous offerings. Currently, the film is sporting a 32% fresh rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
The film takes place in a dystopian, futuristic South Africa, where a robotic AI police force assists in pursuing the bad guys. It stars the likes of Hugh Jackman, Dev Patel, and Sigourney Weaver as engineers and CEO (respectively) of the weapons manufacturer Tetravaal. Chappie is a sentient robot that’s been reprogrammed to help a group of gangsters led by Ninja and Yolandi (both of the actual South African rap group Die Antwoord).
Personally, I liked the film. I can’t really articulate why. There weren’t many likeable characters. And, after a while, Chappie’s naivety sort of grates on your soul. But the story raises some pretty interesting existential questions. And I thought the ending was pretty imaginative. Although, the end plot features an almost literal deus ex machina.
On to the collectible…
Produced by Threezero, the 1/6th scale Chappie figure is a heavily articulated piece that features some LED light-up functions. You pop in a couple of small, button cell batteries (not included) into Chappie’s head and his eyes and mouth light up. The figure includes a pair of interchangeable plates for the eyes. One plate allows light through the entire rectangle, while the other allows light through a pair of square-looking eyes.
The other accessories include a trio of faux gold chains and an AKS-74M assault rifle. The most noticeable chain features a large dollar sign on it. It looks a little bit like Chappie is trying his best to channel 1980’s Mr. T. The assault rifle looks fairly generic. It features a folding stock, which is probably the preferred display position. Though, thinking back on the film, I don’t really remember Chappie wielding a weapon that looked like this one.
The actual Chappie figure features a lot of pieces. Threezero, both through their own and the Ashley Wood collaborative ThreeA labels, are known for producing some of the most intricate robotic collectible figures out there. In addition to the LED light up function, Chappie has articulated fingers, a number of non-functioning wires, and some impressive use of paint and decals.
The figure features a number of decals. For example, look for the South African flags, the number 22 (Chappie was Scout 22), and the Reject sticker. There’s also a whole lot of weathering and damage that’s been applied to the figure as well as some white graffiti. Check out the back of Chappie for a good example of that graffiti.
The pricing - $234.99 – feels about right for a figure of this size and quality. This is the area that regular licensed 1/6th scale figures are creeping into. Chappie, however, features a whole lot more articulation than you’ll find on your average 1/6th scale body. Plus, it has the LED light up face function. So it definitely compensates in the quality department for what it might lack in the way of accessories.
The Facts
Chappie
Manufacturer: Threezero
Material: Plastic articulated figure
Dimensions: 1/6th scale
Points of Articulation: A lot
Accessories: AKS-74M assault rifle weapon; Two interchangeable facial expressions; Three (faux) gold chains
Pricing: $234.99
You can pick one up at the following:
Sideshow Collectibles: $234.99 (Wait List)
