Lando Calrissian (As Skiff Guard) - POTF2 [FF/TKC] - Basic

A daring rescue attempt to free the carbonite-imprisoned Han Solo takes a dangerous turn for Leia Organa. Lando Calrissian, disguised as a skiff guard, plays a vital role in rescuing Solo from the clutches of Jabba the Hutt.

As Kenner/Hasbro banged out one classic Kenner vintage figure one after another into a modern update, the reception from longtime collectors was a mixed bag. It was exciting to see new versions of Weequay Skiff Guard and Ponda Baba, but some of the human characters didn't meet expectations. Some were so bad that we still have that bad taste in our mouths. One figure that we anticipated seeing updated was the 1983 vintage Kenner Lando Calrissian (Skiff Guard Disguise) figure. It wasn’t until 1997 came that Kenner/Hasbro decided to revisit this classic action figure in the modern line for the very first time. While happy to see him released, Lando Calrissian (As Skiff Guard) suffered from the same ailments that many other human action figures of the mid-90s so in that the bulky husky frame doesn’t match the athletic and slim body types of the actors who played these characters in the films. Lando Calrissian (As Skiff Guard) is another exaggerated example of these disproportioned action figures. To their credit, Kenner/Hasbro did recreate the aesthetics of the 1983 release and made the figure with a removable helmet and accessorized with a force pike. So not all is completely lost here.

Lando Calrissian (As Skiff Guard) has a fair likeness to actor Billy Dee Williams. We still think that struggling with human likenesses is one of the greatest vices that Kenner/Hasbro struggles with because they either look “alright” or “nothing like” the character. The removable skiff guard helmet is too bit, but that’s because Lando’s head is too big. They had to make it big enough to accommodate his head (and his hair). The figure is in a pretty static pose, but Kenner/Hasbro did position it in a way where the figure shows it's ready for action, and to engage in battle. The limited six points of articulation hurt this figure. And you can almost feel the sting yourself because it is these types of action figures that require a healthy dose of premium articulation to be useful in displays in a collection. Lando Calrissian (As Skiff Guard) cannot hold the force pike with two hands. They would have had to pose him in a way similar to Weequay Skiff Guard to make that work, and then you would be limited even further with what you could do with this action figure. Hopefully, you can tell that we’re not too thrilled with this release. Perhaps if Lando Calrissian (As Skiff Guard)’s body were leaner, we would be more forgiving about his lack of articulation.

One thing, however, that Lando Calrissian (As Skiff Guard) has to go for it are the paint operations. We’re pleasantly surprised by how nicely Kenner/Hasbro has captured the depth of his uniform with an excellent paint job. They used multiple colors to define the outfit and then lots of various final layers to represent dirt, shadowing, and even a little scuffing and battle-damage. Lando Calrissian (As Skiff Guard) has an excellent center of gravity. The figure stands well with or without his accessories and looks good, holding them in his hands. Interestingly, the figure's posture is a little wonky as the head tilts slightly to one side. It’s nearly impossible to pose him without his stature appearing tilted. Lando Calrissian (As Skiff Guard) ranks just about “OK” for us. We wished the figure brought more to the line than it does, but that sentiment is probably ironic because we want to see less. These bulky muscular bodies need to be dismissed. Collectors want accuracy, not superhero features. Lando Calrissian (As Skiff Guard) was carried forward into the Freeze Frame phase of The Power Of The Force “2” line. You can get him with or without a Freeze Frame action slide. We recommend the former.