Sideshow Collectibles Sixth-Scale Freddy Krueger review

It’s 1984, and the horror movie scene is about to be changed forever. While the idea of a gorier, more visceral horror film had already been seen on the big screen in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween, audiences weren’t ready for a movie maniac who would quickly become the man of their dreams…and nightmares.

When A Nightmare on Elm Street first launched, it reversed the fortunes of then-struggling distributor New Line Cinema. Here was a company, built upon the success of the Springwood Slasher. Wes Craven’s tale of the dreamscape and a killer lurking in it was a runaway success, with actor Robert Englund portraying a cult icon.

A man with a face that only a mother could love, who looked like the end result of the face-surfing on hot tarmac. It’s hard not to know who Freddy Krueger is, a character whose multiple trademark design ideas have gelled together to form a monster with an unmistakable presence. That sneering smile, the striped jersey and a clawed glove that was designed to maim, not kill.

That’s the Freddy Krueger that audiences are more than familiar with. And also the character that his latest action figure just oozes with absolute ease. Welcome to prime time:

So what’s in the box? It’s a sparse selection when compared to what Hot Toys packs in, but it feels like Freddy has enough gear with him:

• Five (5) interchangeable hands featuring:
• Two (2) unique gloved hands (one open and one gesture hand)
• Three (3) ungloved hands (open hand, fist, pointing hand)
• Exclusive alternate pointing gloved hand
• Figure stand

As for the Dream Master himself, you’ve got classic Freddy on offer here, sporting a tattered jersey, pants and boots. The trademark fedora (or Fredora) is a permenant fixture, so don’t go trying to pry it off. Seriously, don’t. I look at a figure like this, and the first thing I look for is how accurate the face is. I like a Freddy Krueger whose face resembles hate-sex between a cheesy pizza and an avocado.

A face that is pockmarked with burns, open wounds and teeth that look like they belong in the big book of British smiles. A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 may have finalised the design of Krueger, giving him more of a pointed nose and grotesque burns, but I always felt that the fourth film had the look perfected. Sideshow’s figure leans heavily on that incarnation, with an overall appearance that feels like a mixture of Freddy’s part 3 and part 4 visuals.

That scowl also makes him bare his teeth, rotten and putrid chompers that are hard to look at. What I do think will be a bone of contention with this figure, is the hat that can’t be removed. It doesn’t bother me, and at least it looks a hell of a lot better than Sideshow’s original Fred figure’s headwear thanks to a movie-accurate shape and scorch marks.

When it comes to the clothing, that attention to detail is also easy to see. Sideshow’s first Freddy figure had a nasty habit of its sweater material turning upwards, ruining the tattered effect and was just far too baggy to begin with. This sixth-scale sweater, fits Fred perfectly and hugs the figure tightly. Not too tight as you can still pose him, but just tight enough. It not only has several scorch marks and a weathered effect, it even smells like it has been on fire. Which is a nice touch.

As for the pants and boots, they look the part. Freddy’s nightlife clothing was always easy enough: Brown Dickie pants and weathered working boots. These fit the bill just fine. The clawed glove is what I love the most here. You can’t move the fingers about, but you don’t really need to. The Sideshow package includes all the glove poses that you could ever want, beautifully angled so that you can pull off a few signature poses.

I really really like how the blades have blood stains on them that appear fresh, while the brass rivets and hand plate also looks beaten and worn down. Again, this is just a great-looking component that helps sell the character of this figure. The glove is an extension of Freddy, a tool of evil that steals souls and you get a sense of that horror when you fiddle with it. Kind of creepy actually.

The biggest question then, is how well can you pose this guy? With a Freddy figure, you want to be able to leave him with that clawed hand slightly pulling on his arm, or ready to pounce. You want a Freddy who’s equally relaxed and tense, ready to do what he does best at the drop of a hat. While the articulation can be a bit loose in the torso, the rest of the Freddy figure feels tight and responsive.

You can easily adjust his posture, creating scenes from the movies that the figure easily maintains. It’s fun posing Freddy, with the joints that you switch hands with being especially tight and sturdy. Overall, Sideshow has done a fantastic job with this figure. It’s head and shoulders better than the original attempts, a spooky sixth-scale figure that is menacing and mesmerising in its design. While I’d kill for a proper Hot Toys take on the character from Freddy vs Jason or A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 4: The Dream Master, I’m still thrilled with the final result.

Sweet dreams…

Last Updated: October 17, 2017