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Manufacturer: Master Replicas (www.masterreplicas.com) |
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The One Ring of Sauron is the second entry in Master Replicas' line of
high-end electronic prop replicas from the Lord of the Rings film
trilogy. It follows the excellent Sting FX Sword,
which set a high standard for the line. So how does the One Ring
compare?
The One Ring of Sauron (whose official name has apparently changed from "Sauron's One Ring," as it's listed on the company's website) comes in a simple brown box with the Lord of the Rings title and Master Replicas' logo printed in gold foil on the top and sides. The product itself isn't actually identified anywhere, and there are no images or descriptions of what's inside; presumably the customer is expected to have purchased the replica online, so there was no need for graphics to attract attention in the store. It's fine and sturdy packaging, but definitely not designed for display.
Inside the box is a styrofoam shell surrounding the replica's
removable acrylic display case and dust cover, with an additional piece
of foam inside the case to keep everything nice and stable during
shipping. Among other paperwork (a warranty, instructions on cleaning
the acrylic case, etc.), you'll find a booklet of basic operating
instructions and a certificate of authenticity affixed to heavy card
stock. Paired with the certificate is a brief history of the One Ring's
role in the story, the creation of the original prop and the design of
the replica. The text is straightforward right up to the last
paragraph, which suddenly becomes ever-so-slightly silly.
It seems like an odd tone to take at the end of an otherwise
serious description, but I'm a fan of whimsy, so there'll be no
complaint here.
The last loose item is the metal name-plate for the display base. Ours lists the One Ring as an artist proof, but presumably the retail edition shows the edition number. The plaque is a hefty chunk of metal with the look and feel of burnished steel, and it mounts on the base via two strips of double-sided tape. If you don't want to permanently attach the plate, it can also sit in place on its own.
The replica itself depicts the Dark Lord Sauron's armored finger,
severed in the last great battle of Middle-earth, as it rests on the
rocky ground of the battlefield. Around the base of the finger shines
the infamous One Ring to Rule Them All.
Let's get the bad news out of the way first: this is a permanent display piece. The ring doesn't come off of the finger, and the finger doesn't come off of the base. Unlike Master Replicas' previous FX collectibles, this is much more a piece of art than a roleplay item.
But with that said, The One Ring of Sauron should make a great display for any Lord of the Rings fan. It's also huge; photos may fool you into underestimating the size of the replica, but Sauron was ten feet (3 m) tall in the movie, and his severed finger alone is 8 inches (20.3 cm) long, about the size of a small banana. Most of the finger is one solid piece, but thanks to the solid sculpt and paint, it does a good job of looking like blackened metal over a cloth or leather glove. The knuckle guards and rivets are separate pieces, giving the very authentic look and feel of jointed metal armor. The pale gold scrollwork on the armor is well rendered, and dry-brushing and paint-washing techniques have been expertly used to give the metal surfaces the appearance of heavy use (but not damage, since nobody scratches the Dark Lord's armor). An especially nice touch can be seen at the edges of the armored plates, where the underlying metal seems to show through the dark black finish.
There are only two minor issues that detract from the finger's design. The glove on the underside has been painted matte black, but seems like it could have been a bit shinier (if the original design was leather) or more textured (if it was cloth). It may be perfectly movie-accurate for all I know, though, so I can't complain too much. Also, the hollowed area where the finger was severed from the hand has an oddly soft texture with gently rounded bumps and crannies, and there's no real differentiation between the edge of the armor and the inside of the finger. A sharper and more detailed sculpt here would have improved an already great piece, but at least it's an area that isn't really noticeable from the front of the display.
Finally we come to the feature attraction: the One Ring of Power.
The Ring grew and shrank to fit its various bearers over the course of
the series, and it was at its largest on Sauron's finger. It's a full
two inches (5.1 cm) across here, so even if it were removable from the display,
there wouldn't be a lot that you could do with it. The Ring's surface
is smooth and highly reflective. It's not quite the bright yellow-gold
that I expected, but more of a coppery bronze (this again may be
totally accurate to the film and the prop on which the replica was
based). Unlike the Sting FX sword, there are no transparent plastic
edges this time around, giving the band the look of real, solid metal.
Without the electronics, this would be a very nice (if slightly expensive) display piece. With them, it's fantastic. The right side of the stand has a three-position power switch. With the switch in the near position, the Ring simply looks like solid metal, as it did throughout much of the films. Turn the power on, though, and sinister runes slowly glow to life through the Ring's metallic surface, burning a fiery orange-red. The runes have a beautiful flickering effect that makes the Elvish writing fade and brighten in spots as if a fire were burning deep inside the Ring. It's a terrific and mesmerizing feature that really has to be seen in person to be fully appreciated. Note that unlike previous FX items, there are no accompanying sound effects.
You have two options when activating the electronics. One simply turns the power on, making the runes flicker and glow for about ten minutes. After that, the electronics turn off on their own to conserve battery life (six AA batteries will apparently provide several hours of continuous use). The middle setting is a sensor mode that works with a small motion detector at the front of the display base. With this mode turned on, the runes will light up whenever the sensor picks up movement or a change of lighting, fading out on their own after about 15 seconds.
Overall, the One Ring of Sauron is an excellent display piece, but don't expect it to be too much more than that. You can't play with it like you can Master Replicas' other FX products, but you can sit back and admire the artistry that went into both the original film design and the creation of a great replica. As long as you go in knowing that, this is a terrific collectible. Just don't stare into the runes too long...
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