Master Replicas: FX Sting
Special thanks to the folks at Master Replicas for providing a great product for which we can now present the most thorough review you will find on the net!

The recent announcement by the hard chargers at Master Replicas that they obtained the license for high-end Lord of the Rings FX Collectibles may have come as a bit of a surprise for some folks. Especially since there may be very few opportunities to make FX-related collectibles from the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. Regardless, the folks at Master Replicas have developed their first product for release (due in July 2004), namely that of the Elven-built sword Sting, wielded by both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins in their time. This first offering is a superb collectible from a company that got it's start making Star Wars FX collectibles that are HIGHLY touted and very well constructed by Star Wars fans and collectors alike. The following is a detailed review of the Sting Sword:

 

FX Sting in Review

 

Packaging..........

External: The Master Replicas FX Edition of Sting is packaged almost to perfection. The artwork on the box front and back is the same and it uses a similar motif to many other LOTR collectibles (easily recognized which is a plus). The box also has a large image of the glowing sword on the front and back showing the contents within.

Internal: The box is VERY sturdy and the styrofoam insulation packaging is cut so that the sword fits very nice and snug with little or no room for the sword to be damaged. The sword is easily removed and is additionally protected with packing foam and a 'saran-wrap' style paper covering wrapped around the sword blade.

Unpacking: Removing the packaging is VERY simple and the sword is well protected. In addition, they have neatly stored the components for the display stand out of the way of the sword hilt and blade (the main display stand piece is actually on the BACK of the styrofoam packaging).

Instructions: The instruction set that comes with this FX collectible is AWESOME and one of the highlights of the packaging for this item. The instructions are well detailed and simple...loads of detailed IMAGES within the instruction so that this FX collectible can be well taken care of with little or no effort!

 

Molding/Sculpt..........

Molding Process: The Master Replicas was cast directly from the same molds used to create the original movie prop used in movies. The folks at Master Replicas felt is was important to capture the EXACT details as depicted in the movies and were granted permission by New Line Cinema to use the prop molds for the development of their product. The actual product reflects their intent very well. The blade, while a highly durable plastic composite, looks VERY MUCH like metal. Additionally, the hilt and scripting details look so much like the movie prop that it would be hard to tell the two apart. The weight of the sword is nearly perfect as well. About the only detractor from the overall mold/sculpt is the simple fact that the blade is indeed NOT metal...but with the intent to make the blade glow...this is completely understandable!

Pommel: The pommel of Sting is made from Die-cast METAL and has a highly detailed WOOD grain pattern and silver leaf filigree accents exactly replicating the version used for filming the Trilogy. The hidden switch activates in THREE modes: ON, OFF, and "ORC" modes. When in the ON position the sword emits movie-accurate clashing and clanging sound effect when struck. In the ORC mode, the sword glows with the ORC-blue warning that Sting is notorious for!

Battery Compartment: The battery compartment for this Sting FX Edition is well hidden within the pommel of the sword. The ball at the end simply twists off and the 2 batteries can be inserted with relative ease (following those superb instructions of course). The batteries are said to last about 1000 hours of continuous use. They better last that long because 2 Photo 123 batteries will coast you about $15.

 

 

The FX Effects..........

The FX Glowing Feature: The glowing feature of this Sting Sword FX Collectible is SUPERB and looks amazing when beheld in person. IN fact, you actually will imagine that orcs are coming through your dorr when you flip the switch into 'Orc' Mode!!

The FX Sound Effects: The sound effects is where the FX Sting loses points in our opinion. The sound is just not LOUD enough or crisp enough. The sound files themselves are fine and represent accurate film sounds, however, there is only a SMALL slit on the hilt from which sound emits. Therefore, the sound quality is not that great. To listen to the various sound effects from the sword click the links below:

 

Display..........

The Display Stand: The primary problem with the display stand for this HIGH END collectible is that it is made out of PLASTIC. While it can be used for both a free standing display and a wall-hanging stand, the plastic is just difficult to get past. For something that runs upwards of $120 retail, one should expect a higher quality and more durable dispay stand.

The sculpting on the display stand is pretty neat and it is fairly durable, but once again, we expected something a bit more 'high-end' to come with this high-end FX collectible!

 

 

OVERALL..........

The Master Replicas Sting is by far one of the BEST Lord of the Rings collectibles/toys on the market today. Not only can you play with it (within reason of course), but it is a very movie accurate representation of what was seen on screen. The features far outweigh the minor negatives of this collectible. Priced at $120, this FX Edition Sting is a true masterpiece and should be in every Lord of the Rings Collection!

 

Be sure to check out the Master Replicas Web Site for additional details and ordering information.