The Good: Costume looks right, Accessory, Stupidly cute
The Bad: Dumb animated look, Giant head, Heavy, Overpriced
The Basics: With another silly Mighty Muggs figure, Mola Ram disappoints, but has such a cute accessory he cannot be denied completely!
I’ve been panning the Mighty Muggs Star Wars toys for a while now and I’ve been asked why I keep reviewing them if I hate them so much. You know the phrase “share the love?” I like doing that, but I also like “vocalizing the hate” when it comes to products that are disappointments, especially ones that make geeks look bad. Geeks with pride ought not to be buying Mighty Muggs when there are so many great sculpts of action figures for ever major franchise out there.
Even so, I finally found a Mighty Muggs where the novelty of the figure made it impossible for me to pan it as harshly as all the others. That Mighty Muggs figure is Mola Ram and it is annoyingly cute, but still not a worthwhile toy for those who love the Indiana Jones Saga.
Mighty Muggs toys look like they might be plush as they feature animated versions of recognizable “Indiana Jones” characters, as well as characters from virtually ever viable franchise still trying to make a buck on toys. However, the cartoon-like heads atop disproportionately smaller bodies simply revealed that the heads and toys were solid, like ceramic (they are, in fact, made of a super-hard, heavy plastic). This is as true of the Mola Ram as it is of other Mighty Muggs figures.
For those unfamiliar with Mola Ram, he was the prime villain of Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom (click here for my review of the film!) who was a spiritual leader for a cult. As such, he was creepy and tears out the still beating heart of the people he is sacrificing.
The Mighty Muggs Mola Ram figure is poor and anyone who has seen how Mola Ram actually looked in the film will recognize this bears little resemblance to the character. In fact, this is only recognizable from the outfit that is painted on the form, the hat accessory and the human heart he has in his hand. This looks like a cartoon version of Mola Ram and out of context, most people would be hard pressed to guess who and what he was supposed to be.
Basics
Mola Ram is a shaman, seen pulling the heart from a victim in the cursed temple in the film. The figure stands 6" tall. Mola Ram is dressed in a red and black outfit that is painted solidly onto the puffy body of the toy. The outfit vaguely resembles robes.
This toy is a poor sculpt which looks like an oversized, fattened up LEGO figure. The hands are open slightly and this allows Mola Ram to hold his accessory.
Accessories
What makes Mola Ram even marginally interesting for a Mighty Muggs figure is his skull helmet and his human heart. The skull helmet is the ceremonial headcovering the character is seen wearing during his rituals and it is cast with horns that look proportionately good.
The human heart, though, is too cute to outright pan the figure for. Bright red and with ridiculously elongated blood vessels coming from it, the human heart fits in either of Mola Ram’s hands. As ridiculous as it looks, it fits the character and the toy.
Playability
The Mighty Muggs toy line was designed for no good reason I can find, perhaps just because the Indiana Jones franchise is drastically undermerchandised? This heavy toy can be harmful to children and is more intended as a display statue. Sure, it’s a ridiculous display statue, but that’s about it.
Mola Ram comes with only five points of articulation, all of which are simple swivel joints. He has joints at the groin socket, shoulders, and neck. The elbows do not extend, so all arm posing is straight-armed. To be fair, the figure does stand up.
Collectibility
Mola Ram is part of the Mighty Muggs “Indiana Jones” collection, which to-date consists of three figures. There’s no good reason anyone ought to ever spend money on these things. The value of these is already declining because it’s a ridiculous concept executed poorly. Mola Ram was vastly overproduced for the interest in the toy and in the character.
Overview
Mola Ram might be an iconic villain in Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom, but he makes for an utterly ridiculous Mighty Muggs figure which fans of the franchise can wait until they are clearance priced to pick up.
For other Mighty Muggs figures, please check out my reviews of:
Grand Moff Tarkin
Bespin Luke Skywalker
Emperor Palpatine
3.5/10
For other toy reviews, please visit my index page!
© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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