Trick or Treat Studios’ Dr. Sarah Bowman Figure: Day of the Dead Review

Dr. Sarah Bowman brings a different kind of presence to Trick or Treat Studios’ Day of the Dead figures: she’s the human protagonist facing the undead, rather than another creature from the film. That makes her a welcome and somewhat unexpected addition to a horror toy line built around memorable monsters. Her outfit is restrained, but a sturdy build and a strong set of accessories give collectors plenty to examine.

Figure details

• Height: 5 1/8 inches
• Articulation: swivel hips, swivel shoulders and a swivel neck
• Accessories: Uzi, revolver and snare
• Price listed in the review: $30

A grounded design with a familiar feel

Sarah’s tan flight jacket and khaki trousers are practical choices for the character, though they don’t make for the line’s most eye-catching silhouette. The review would have preferred her lab coat, which might have given the figure a more distinctive look. Even so, the sculpt has convincing detail, and the proportions bring to mind the taller action figures made in the late 1980s and 1990s. She could sit comfortably beside figures from a line such as Terminator 2, with a look that invites imaginative cross-line display.

The face reads as Sarah Bowman without being an exact likeness of Lori Cardille. That approach fits the figure’s vintage-style design: the sculpt suggests the character clearly, while retaining the stylized look collectors may expect from a retro-inspired toy. The original review links to Sarah Bowman’s character page for reference.

One small sculpt detail stands out from behind: Sarah has a ponytail. The review calls attention to how often older female action figures had short hairstyles, in part because of the challenges of molding longer hair. Here, the ponytail gives the head sculpt a little more character while keeping the silhouette simple and easy to recognize from different angles.

Five points and practical accessories

The figure has five points of movement: swivels at the hips, shoulders and neck. Each joint moves well, and the toy feels solid in hand. There’s no special action feature to learn or pose around; Sarah’s straightforward articulation makes it easy to position her holding a weapon or standing alongside the line’s zombies. That simplicity suits the figure’s role as an armed survivor, even if it limits more dramatic poses.

The strongest accessory is the IMI 9mm Uzi, an important weapon for Sarah in the film. Its crisp detailing makes it a particularly convincing piece at this scale, and the review finds it might also suit many 1/12-scale figures. The revolver is another attractive accessory, though its screen accuracy is less certain. It resembles a Smith & Wesson 629, similar to the pistols supplied with Captain Rhodes, while the reviewer believes Sarah carries a Smith & Wesson 59 automatic in the film.

A holster is fixed around her waist, and the revolver sits snugly inside. That gives the pistol a clear place in a display without requiring collectors to keep it loose or balance it in her hand. The third accessory is a capture pole used in the film to restrain zombies for experimentation. It’s a long plastic tube with a loop at the end; pulling the lower section tightens that loop around a figure.

There’s one handling caution: don’t pull the pole’s lower section too far. If it comes out, putting it back in can be difficult. For display, the pole adds an especially distinctive bit of film-specific equipment; in use, a light touch is the sensible approach.

A welcome human presence in the lineup

Sarah may be the least visually dramatic figure in the Day of the Dead group, especially beside characters with more monstrous designs or Captain Henry Rhodes’ distinctive damage. Yet she fills a useful place in the lineup: the series gets to represent the person trying to survive and respond to the zombie threat, not just the zombies themselves. The sturdy construction, recognizable sculpt and trio of accessories make her a satisfying companion piece, while the careful collector will want to handle the capture pole gently.

This is the reviewer’s first look at a Dr. Sarah Bowman figure. Other figures from Trick or Treat Studios’ Day of the Dead line include Bub, Capt. Henry Rhodes and Dr. Tongue. Sarah’s appeal is clearest in that company: she gives the display a human lead, equipped to face the undead and search for a cure.