Review – Tron 2.0 Thorne Action Figure

Tron 2.0 (Wikipedia entry) was a computer game released in 2003. Intended to expand and continue the Tron story, the game never did all that well . . . but it did lead to the creation of action figures by NECA. Today we’re taking a look at Thorne*, one of four action figures in the series. And, unfortunately, it’s not so great of a toy that I feel the urge to go hunt for the other releases in the line.

Sculpt

Standing 6.75-inches tall I can say that Thorne* looks remarkable. The sculpting — by Sam Greenwell and Kyle Windrix (I love when toys include the names of the artists behind the project) — is phenomenal and the toy has a rocky look to it that really benefits from the paint apps. Everything, like a lot of the toys from that era, is designed to align just so meaning that once you start posing the toy some of the details look weird. This sort of sculpting/action figure design still happens today, but it feels less common a practice than it was a decade ago.

Articulation

The packaging makes it clear that the toy features 13 points of articulation, but the articulation is pretty limited in range and the toy feels stiff. Thorne* has swivel shoulders and hips, a swivel neck and wrists, hinges at the elbows and knees, and swivel joints just above the elbow swivels. That’s not a bad set of articulation choices, but the joints are really stiff and the plastic feels as if it is going to snap when I start trying to pose the toy. That’s never a good feeling.

Paint

It was that near-neon yellow that covers the toy that caught my eye when I noticed Thorne* in a discount store and the paint apps, while minimal, are great. I do wish the gray tones of the head better matched the rocky gray surface of the body, but the two grays are close enough it’s not really an issue.

What is an issue, though, is that the paint started stripping off at the joints as I moved the toy. So much of the neon-yellow paints was slathered on the toy that the paint immediately started coming off. Too bad NECA didn’t cast the toy in neon-yellow plastic and then paint all of the grays over that. The paint shouldn’t give me any trouble as long as I resist posing the toy.

Closing Thoughts

As one of four Tron 2.0 action figures released in 2003, and my only experience with the line, Thorne* doesn’t do a lot to inspire me to seek out the others in the series. Stiff joints that feel ready to break and paint that comes off as you play with the toy doesn’t do a lot to enhance what really is a nicely-sculpted action figure. It’s too bad that the production of the toy didn’t match the level of artistry put into the sculpt and design of the piece.

Philip Reed should run a week of fun devoted to toys bought at discount stores.