Review: Blue Box Toys, Elite Force US Marine Force Recon
I finally picked up one of these figures after weeks of putting it off. I figured, I've tried everything, from the tuna fish (21st Century) to the caviar (Dragon), and as long as my budget can take it, I'm sticking to the good stuff, since it doesn't give me a tummy ache. I've gotten rid of all but 3 Ultimate Soldier figures and most of my non-WWII GI Joes and I'm left with about 110 Dragons. But what can I say? If there's a cheaper product out there that can still offer plenty of bang for the buck, I have to try it. Here's what I think about my first (yes, I think there will be more) Elite Force figure, the U.S. Marine Force Recon, from Blue Box Toys.
FIGURE: Plenty of articulation, body is a bit fragile. The body seems fairly light, but the material is not the hard plastic that Adam is made of--feels more like PVC, and therefore does feel a bit soft. It is just about as articulated as a Dragon, down to the hip swivel (no bend), to the double jointed knees and elbows. The latter "ratchet" and were super, super tight out of the box. The ankles and wrists, on the other hand, were super, super loose. The gloved hands pop off very easily, which is exacerbated by the fact that they are very narrow to the "wrist" and makes tucking the sleeve of the jumpsuit into the glove impossible. The neck seems to have better range of motion than a Dragon. Also worth noting, of course, is the added point of articulation, the facial expression mechanism. I was surprised at how well it worked after hearing from others who didn't think much of this feature. And to be perfectly honest, I like it as a unique feature of the figure, though with the figure's mouth open in perpetuity, he looks like he's mentally disabled. It is good for a talking effect but when not posed with another figure to "talk" to, it's best to leave the mouth closed. Basically, a screw underneath a flap of "skin" at the back of the figure's head makes his mouth open and close and his eyebrows furrow and smoothen. The head looks pretty good, too. The next figure I get will not have any camo, though, so my opinion of the feature might change.
UNIFORM: Good quality on the cloth parts of this set, with no loose threads or frayed straps. The jumpsuit looks like the standard SEAL jumpsuit. Unlike Dragon, BB did not attempt to do the small zippers at the cuffs--good. They don't really add anything to the look of the jumpsuit. Same with the cuffs on the sleeves, which are simply sewn closed where the fastener would be. I prefer it this way, rather than the oversized and cumbersome buttons and snaps that 21st and Dragon tend to use. The pockets on the vest are cloth and functional, which I prefer over the molded pouches that might look more to scale but limit the figure's usability (and cool factor). Clean straps and buckles and quick-release latches (a la Dragon) blow away the molded buckles, frayed straps, and molded fasteners that are standard with a 21st Century modern figure. Boots look the same as the SEAL boots, but are much softer than Dragon's and rubbery--makes taking them off and putting them on much easier, though it doesn't give as much support to the ankles which need all the help they can get. As for the wool cap, it's hard to get on the figure's head so that it looks right. The seams all meet at the top of the cap, so it's very difficult to get it to sit low enough.
ACCESSORIES: Here's where BB comes up a bit short, though not by too much. First, the headphones. Very detailed, but very delicate. I broke mine trying to get it on the figure's head. Some CA glue fixed it, but since it's metal meeting rubber/plastic, I'm not too confident about the durability of the bond. There's also quite a bit of flash on the plastic and rubber parts of the headphones. The visor is nice, though I like elastic for the band better rather than the strap and buckle. The drop-down holster: standard molded fare, though looks much more clunky (rubber) than Dragon's (plastic). Drop-downs are cloth and functional. Knee and elbow pads are on the clunky (rubber) side, too, like 21st's, though the fasteners are better. Canteens and grenades are molded plastic (Dragon's are much nicer). Paint on knife and watch are a bit sloppy (gloves are too). The 2 weapons are die-cast metal and it shows in the lack of fine detail--Dragon's are much nicer--but these are much better than 21st's, which are about as detailed but in plastic. The light on the MP5 is pretty poorly done, though the attempt to make a bulb (a la Dragon, again) is appreciated.
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Blue Box is not the Dragon-killer it was rumored to be when it was still in the development stage just a few months ago. On the other hand, LOOK OUT, 21ST CENTURY. Just as it is still a clear cut away from Dragon's quality, it is that much a clear cut away from Ultimate Soldier's quality. Also, considering that an Elite Force figure retails for about $25 compared to a $30 Ultimate Soldier (such as the modern heli pilots) and comes with far more equipment, there is no contest as to which manufacturer I will now look to to fill my low to middle-tier figure needs. Blue Box gets my vote, hands down. Indeed, after seeing the latest 21st Century product at Toys R Us recently, I don't think I'll ever bother with a 21st Century figure ever again, except perhaps for the upcoming Villain line due to the uniqueness of those figures (though BBT will be coming out with their own villains, and the prototypes do look good). Dragon is still, in my opinion, the clear quality leader. The finish and detail of a Dragon still cannot be beat, though you pay for that quality. But unlike 21st Century which is only nominally less expensive than a Dragon ($5 - $10) and for a much more inferior product, BB is substantially of higher quality than 21st and the price difference between their boxed set and Dragon's is substantial ($10 - $15). Thus, the value you get for an Elite Force figure is similar to the value you get for a Dragon. I believe each will satisfy a particular need at their respective price points, and both are priced fairly. On the other hand, I would not say that about 21st Century, particularly the latest sets (Monte Cassino officer, USN Corpsman, British Commando), priced at $30, which I would hesitate to pay $18 for. The only downside right now to BBT is their lack of variety--almost all their currently available figures have been done by other companies (except the Marine Force Recon, which is why I chose it), but with their upcoming villain figures, it looks like they'll be addressing the lack of variety, too--I'm looking forward to it. As long as they keep the price where it currently is, I plan on picking up more Elite Force figures.