Customer Reviews

Hellboy Movie Figures Kroenen Action Figure

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Perhaps I received a lemon, but the paint finish on Kroenen's chest armor and mask are terrible. The areas that should be gold are a dull copper color, inconsistently applied, patchy, with much of the underlying black plastic showing through. The chin piece on mask should be gold, but it's black like the rest of the mask.

The finish on the swords is awful: most of the silver paint is missing and what silver there is is dull. Looks like the paint was not applied uniformly nor allowed to dry properly. The sword handles are flimsy and easily broken off the swords, as happened with one due to flashing in the hole in the hand for holding the sword. Check the hand holes for flashing before attempting to mount the swords.

Finally, there is no detail to the back armor.

On the plus side, the figure is wonderfully balanced and articulated, permitting one to pose the figure as you wish. Under the mask is Kroenen's disfigured face: here, the finish is superb.

If you collect figures like this, one is probably better off buying them in a store vs. online because what I received looks nothing like the picture in terms of the quality of the paint finish and color match to the character in the film.

When Kroenen showed upon the prologue of the "Hellboy" film, dressed up in his Nazi uniform but also wearing a gas mask, I found myself thinking, when was the last time we had a really good Nazi villain in a movie (I going back to Laurence Olivier in "Marathon Man," the movie that proved what you always suspected was true: your dentist is a Nazi). I was a bit disappointed that the 8" Kroenen action figure from Mezco Toyz was not decked out in his Nazi garb, but I have to admit that for most of "Hellboy" he is dressed as you see him here.

The Kroenen figure comes with several points of articulation and is as poseable as the Abe Sapien figure, and has two detachable double-bladed baton-swords of his own invention that can be attached (although the end effect is a different look from what we see in "Hellboy"). It would be nice if you could pop out Kroenen's key from the implant in his chest, but that would be a bit much for a figure this small (there are 12" figures coming out later this summer). The figure is still wearing elaborately detailed armor and gives you Hellboy and Abe Sapien figures somebody to fight.

There is also a Rasputin figure that includes the infant Hellboy that popped out of the portal back in 1944. The Mezco quartet are an above average set of movie tie-ins for both long time fans and new converts to the world of Mike Mignola's Dark Horse comic book created by Guillermo del Toro's film.

This figure is, in short, amazing. Awesome intricate sculpting on the body armor, and the articulation is superb. Also, although the figure looks somewhat flimsy, it is in fact very durable. However, the accessories are sort of on the skinny side, as he comes with two baton blades and his mask. There are two knives sculpted onto the figure's arms, but it would have been much more fun if they had been removeable. However, these things are only minor distractions compared to the overall crafting of Kroenen.
BTW, check under the mask for a... suprise

Who says 37th President of the United States Richard M. Nixon was the 20th century's greatest Comeback Kid? I maintain there was one other that made Nixon look like a piker.

Let me introduce you to one of the homeys in my Posse: Karl Ruprect Kroenen, former SS Obersturmannfuhrer, Hitler's top assassin, century-old undead Liche, O.G. (original German) and veteran Boy from Da Hood (if your Hood is Munich, Germany, circa 1897).

He's a crawling king-snake with a pair of razor-sharp double blades that make sushi of his enemies faster than you can whistle the first bar of "Eidelweiss". Kroenen is the 20th century's foremost Comeback Kid, and Mezco Toyz has issued a gorgeous rendering of his modern-day likeness that will have you saying "wunderbar!" Stop drooling over that bratwurst and buy him now!

I've always admired a man---even a lipless, sand-for-blood, clockwork killer of a man---who can bounce back from adversity. No sooner was he impaled after a pitched battle with Allied dogfaces on a remote Scottish Isle during the ill-fated Project Ragnarok, than Kroenen picked himself up, dusted himself off, doffed his swank Nazi duds, and traded up for a bigger bad guy to serve---why be a waterboy to Hitler when you can do security for Hell itself?

A guy's gotta have work: besides, better to get jiggy in Hell than serve in Heaven. Right, Kroenen?

This action figure depicts Kroenen without his SS togs. Why? 1) This is contemporary Kroenen---beatifully sculpted---with black leather bodysuit, chromium-breathing helmet, razor-sharp armblades, and intricate gold chest-guard. 2) By 2004, Nazis were---sorry Kroenen---a little passe. Duh; and 3) The Bureau of Paranormal Research & Defense guys had killed off Kroenen's master and fellow Thule society buddy Adolf Hitler in 1954, so Kroenen had to look for a new gig and Rasputin and the Ogdru-Jahad demons weren't into swastikas (yeah, I said 1954---direct all inquiries to Prof. Bruttenholm's successor at the BPRD in Hoboken, New Jersey).

The Mezco action-figure makes it clear that Kroenen is ready for business. No, he's not great for conversation. No, he's not the life of cocktail parties. But when it comes to some righteous Teutonic whup-a** on those who would prevent his Master Rasptuin from unleashing Hell on Earth, Kroenen's your go-to Guy.

Anyway, I hope I look this good when I get to be 105. Kroenen is a sleek, gorgeously crafted action figure with roughly 12 points of articulation: his glossy black leather battle armor makes a nice contrast with the gleaming gold of the chestguard. And those beady little eyes---look, I have Kroenen striking a pose on my desk, and I'll tell ya---it's tough making a crack about Hitler with him staring coldly at me. Brrr.

Buy him as a holiday gift!---he'll look cute guarding the Christmas Tree. Besides, Kroenen proves that when the going gets tough, the tough break out razor-sharp armblades. Achtung!