TOMB RAIDER Starring Lara Croft - Varner Studios 9" resin maquette

I recently picked up the older Varner Studios Lara Croft statues, and am really pleased with both! Today I'm taking a look at the smaller "Evening Gown" statue...

Varner Studios does a really nice job with the box. The photos all match the final product closely, and do a nice job of giving you a clear idea of what you are getting. The real unique aspect, though, is the pair of "diary entries" featured on the back. One entry gives a story of an adventure as Lara tells it, while the second describes an interaction between Lara and Varner Studios, telling about their interest in developing a statue of her. The whole thing is quite fun, and I enjoy the playfulness of it all.

The statue itself stands atop a thick rocky base. The texture and detailing of the base is excellent, and the edition number and certificate of authenticity are stenciled onto the underside. Lara's sculpt is simply gorgeous. I'm not sure how, exactly, but it captures the simple, blocky look of the in-game model while simultaneously being sleek and curvy. The dress alone is a wonderful work of art. It's thin enough to look convincing, while still clearly being an additional layer. Speckled glitter throughout the dress and gloves add a nice touch to the overall look, which could otherwise have been fairly plain. The pose is likewise simple, yet elegant. I keep thinking it might have looked a tad more natural with her left hand on her hip, rather than posed the way it is, but I like the look overall. The one place where the statue falls down a bit is the handgun. It's very thick and blocky, looking more like a toy than a handgun.

The face is painted perfectly, with large, wide-set eyes. The lips have a bit of gloss added to them for a very faint shine. Lara's braided ponytail drapes over her left shoulder, giving the illusion of  ever-so-slight movement to the whole piece. The entire statue is a gorgeous take on Lara Croft. It looks amazing on the shelf as part of the collection, or as a stand-alone piece. My only real wish for the piece would be a little more work on the pistol to make it more refined. Otherwise, this one's a real gem!