Saturday, January 25, 2025

Action Figure Review: Imhotep #1082 from POP! Movies: The Mummy by Funko



   There have been a handful of "modern" updates of the classic Universal Monsters horror films and while I like quite a few of them, I still think the best of the lot is 1999's The Mummy. It's been one of my favorites since seeing it when it was released in May of 1999 back when I was in 9th grade and I still love it today. I like the entire series of The Mummy films, even if the two sequels aren't as strong as the original (I barely remember The Scorpion King, though, and I never saw any of the sequels to that). It's as much an adventure film as it is a horror movie, but it works so well. The 2017 The Mummy with Sofia Boutella and Tom Cruise that was meant to launch the Dark Universe just didn't hit quite right, but Lee Kronin's The Mummy is scheduled for next year as part of the Blumhouse Universal Studios collaborations. I'm excited to see what happens there. Lee Whannell's Wolf Man was OK, but his The Invisible Man was really quite good. For right now, though, I thought it would be fun to check out this Funko POP! of the Arnold Vosloo version of Imhotep from the 1999 The Mummy film. Vosloo was a very intimidating presence in a different way than Boris Karloff was and the film made great use of special effects to really showcase Imhotep's sorcery. Ready to check out Imhotep? Then join me after the break...

 



The Facts:

Height: 3 3/4ths inches

Articulation: Swivel head

Accessories: None

Year of Release: 2021

Original Retail Price: $10 dollars


The Positives:

* I never owned any of the action figures from The Mummy when the film was released. During the summer of 1999 I was pretty much focused on Episode 1 stuff. Also, I don't remember them being that impressive. I think Toy Island put them out. Anyways, Funko's aren't really true action figures but this is still a neat take on Imhotep. His head rotates, too. He's kind of unique as his robes and the sand surrounding him form a base for him, with everything looking like it's swirling around while he's using his soul sucking powers. 
 





* The sculpt on this is really quite good, especially considering that Funko POP! vinyls are so stylized. His robes are long and flowing with a few different paint applications and his arms are stretched out. He's definitely more dynamic than most POP! figures. Is this possibly based on the scene when Imhotep controls the sandstorm and attempts to swallow the heroes in the airplane? Dang, that is such a cool scene. I might just need to watch The Mummy tonight. 









* It was a really good call for Funko to sculpt Imhotep in the process of sucking out someone's soul. Most POP! vinyls that don't do something interesting like this can come off as rather generic, but this really captures a very specific aspect of this version of the Mummy. The teeth are sculpted and there's just a neat amount of detail here. Personally, I'd love to see NECA revisit some of these characters in their Universal Monsters line. I think a version or two of Imhotep himself, Rick and Evie, and Anck-Su-Samun would sell, right? Imagine NECA offering a few different Imhotep heads? Crazy stuff!





* The way the robe is blowing and the sand is swirling around Imhotep is really cool. It's an unusual detail for a POP! vinyl. I can't think of many that have something like this that I'm aware of. It just makes it much neater than a generic bald guy standing around in a box confirming this is indeed Imhotep, doesn't it?






* Here's the sand from the back. Again, I find this to be just a really cool, simple effect. It also makes this guy very stable for standing on your shelf or desk. Really anywhere you want a soul sucker to chill out. Speaking of soul sucking, if you've never watched Don Coscarelli's Bubba Ho-Tep, give it a watch. Bruce Campbell playing an elderly nursing home resident who may either be just an Elvis impersonator or perhaps the King himself, Ossie Davis as a man who thinks he's JFK, hieroglyphic bathroom stall graffiti, and an ancient Egyptian mummy who's gone country; there's so much going for this film!



  Currently, thus version of Imhotep is the only item from the 1999 The Mummy and it's sequels that I have. As mentioned above, I'd love to see NECA explore this film, Van Helsing, 2010's The Wolf Man, and a few others here and there in their Universal Monsters line: Ahmanet from the 2017 The Mummy, maybe Abigail. I liked The Invisible Man but the Invisible Man didn't exactly wear anything interesting, did he? Maybe just a figure of Elizabeth Moss with some "floating" objects on clear plastic stands? Haha. Probably not likely. Anyways, this Imhotep is pretty Great and a neat piece from one of my favorite movies of the late 1990s. Does anyone else want a true sequel to this series? I wouldn't mind at all!

If you're looking for more of the Mummy, specifically Imhotep, I've reviewed the Universal Monsters Select The Mummy, the NECA Mummy (Black & White)the Mummy from Pop Mart's Universal Monsters Alliance, the Toony Terrors The Mummy, the McFarlane Monsters Mummy Playsetthe Mummy ReAction figure, the Funko POP! Bedtime Bear as the Mummy #1628, the Big Bucket of Monsters Mummy, the Mummy from Mezco's Tower of Fear, and the mummy included with the Mighty Max set "Mighty Max Conquers the Palace of Poison."

For more POP! Movies, check out the following:


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