When you think of the Lord of the Rings, you tend to think of characters like Bilbo, Frodo, Aragorn, Gandalf, Sam, Gimli, Legolas... Rarely is the first name to pop into your head "Lurtz". Part of that is simply due to the fact that he's not part of the books, and was created specifically for the Fellowship of the Rings film. Part of that is because even amongst the bad guys, he's not someone you'll think of before Saruman, Sauron or Gollum. And yet, DarkFigures selected him for their Premium Format release. While this might seem a bit odd at first, considering all I've just said, he actually makes an excellent choice. While not a main character, he has already started to build a loyal fan base, much like Boba Fett. He also has the advantage of a very monstrous visage, easier to capture and sculpt that the tricky human likenesses. And finally, again like Boba Fett before him, he sports a great outfit with cool accessories, adding to his overall visual appeal. Lurtz is Limited to an edition size of just 1250 and he is carrying a sword and shield.
Lurtz is the first of Saruman's Uruk-hai to be bred, and leads them into battle against the Fellowship of the Ring at Amon Hen. He slays Boromir in battle, piercing him in the torso with three arrows (in the book, Boromir is slain by Uruk archers led by Uglúk). He then engages in a sword fight with Aragorn, who decapitates him. Like Gothmog, he was played by New Zealand actor Lawrence Makoare. Makoare did not require padding underneath his costume because he was big enough already, unlike other people who played Uruk-hai and Isengard Orcs. Lurtz's name is never spoken aloud in the film, and is only known from the credits and merchandise. The name "Lurtz" may have been derived by Jackson and his co-writers from the style of Tolkien's Orkish language, specifically the name Lugbúrz. Lurtz is the inaugural piece in line of Premium Format Lord of the Rings figures. Captured mid-stride, Lurtz is intricately recreated in 1:4 scale stalking toward his intended prey, sword and shield in hand. The sculpture perfectly conveys the malice and single-minded purpose of Lurtz' attack on the Fellowship. The figure is a blend of polystone and leatherwork, utilizing the best materials available to recreate every detail, from the wrinkled surface of his thick hide to the brutish but effective Uruk-hai armor. Lurtz stands tall on an environmental display base, with a forest floor top surfacing, front nameplate, and edition size information printed on the base bottom. The figure is manufactured by Sideshow and can be found at DarkFigures.com. Parts of this review were supplied by Michael Crawford Reviews and Wikipedia
