One thing that immediately jumps out with nine years of action figure advancements in the rear view mirror is that swivel elbows are one of the most frustrating types of articulation. By virtue of this types of joint, the inflection of the elbow is predetermined as you rotate the lower arm.  Those predetermined angles always seem to be a degree or two shy of the optimal bend of the arm.  I found myself trying to coax a little more flex out of the elbow as if it were the current ball jointed style of articulation.  This of course was a terrible idea since all this would do wold stress the elbow joint.  Fortunately I came to my sense before breaking yet another figure for the sake of the photo gallery. 

Aside from the swivel hips which are limited in movement by the plastic lower tunic, the lower body is absent of any articulation.  Fortunately Hasbro did the wise thing and positioned the static legs in a relaxed standing position.  Often times in past, figures were released with a fatal one-two punch.  The legs would be sculpted in a dynamic pose, but would lack the articulation to undo the dramatic stance if that didn’t suit your display needs.  Woe betide you if you want to pose 2002’s Luminara Unduli figure standing in council with her fellow Jedi.  Erring on the side of a neutral pose is preferable when action figures lack articulation.

The head sculpt lacks the iconic Peter Cushing features of raised cheek bones and sunken cheeks which give Tarkin his distinctively ghoulish appearance. I feel this might be a result of the miniaturization process as it looks like those features are faintly represented, but do not stand out at this scale.  Another concept that does not work at this scale is the attempt to sculpt a fabric texture into the uniform.  Instead of giving the appearance of fine fabric threads, it appears like large wrinkles in the uniform.  I would have preferred a smooth sculpt to the tunic.

Strictly as a display piece, this Episode III based Tarkin serves its purpose, however.  It’s not out of scale with later figures like a POTF2 figure would be and it’s not stuck in some ridiculous action pose like the Star Wars “Saga” line figures are.  It will work with current figures like the soon to be released and definitive Episode III Darth Vader.  The odds of this figure ever being updated are slim, so if you want a Revenge of the Sith Tarkin, this is your only and best bet, but it’s certainly not an unconscionable compromise.  The figure will serve its purpose.  5 out of 10.