Post by grahamthomson on Jun 15, 2009 7:16:59 GMT
Starscream (2009)
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Starscream is back for the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen feature film and so, then, is the toy based on the character. But this time around, those exceptional Transformers designers and engineers at Hasbro/TomyTakara have had two whole years to work on the toy version of Starscream.
With post-production on the first Transformers film being tweaked and refined right up until mere hours before its theatrical release, it meant that the people working on the toys were always going to be playing catch up. And, with it taking so long to develop each individual Transformers toy, it meant that the toy didn’t always reflect the jaw-dropping character seen on the big screen. Case in point: 2007’s Starscream.
Instead of merely re-packaging the Starscream from the Transformers (2007) range, the manufacturers took advantage of the two-year gap and redesigned Starscream completely from scratch. The result of this clean-slate remake is a sleeker, more accurate jet and a robot that looks more like the real deal. Oh, and actual hands have been added, too.
Starscream is still a beige (though with a little more grey this time) F-22 jet, but now sporting a complex network of black tribal tattoos. There is a lot less undercarriage on the jet, making it look a lot more realistic and streamlined. The tattoos on one hand, do throw off the new aerodynamic look but on the other, do serve to help cover up the myriad panel seams. The two missiles that come included can be stored on the underwing pylons.
The addition of actual hands to the figure is both a blessing and a curse. In jet mode, there’s nowhere for them to go, so they just sit, out of place at the back of the jet. Looking at the design, and the flatness of the hands, there does seem to be a gap where the hands could have folded in on themselves. But if it was an early concept idea, then it’s been scrapped by the time of mass production. The hands do fold up, but then they cover the nicely moulded (and translucent) afterburners.
With this new Starscream being a ground-up redesign, the transformation engineering is completely different from the original version. Given that the robot mode is the same shape as the original, it just shows the level of thought that goes into these things. There’s no “Automorph” this time around, that feature having been replaced by this year’s “Mech Alive” gimmick.
In robot mode, Revenge of the Fallen Starscream stands a good 20-30 mm shorter than the 2007 version. The entire look of the robot is a lot more lithe and much less bulky. It doesn’t feel as solid, though. Gone are the rotating triple missiles and instead just single missile launchers mounted on the forearms. The missile launchers are moulded to resemble the gatling gun type weapons as used by Starscream in the films.
Twisting Starscream’s head from side to side activates the Mech Alive gears and wheels housed inside the chest. While a lot of the Automorph features had their failings in 2007, at least they served some kind of purpose. The Mech Alive feature, at least to my mind, continues to remain absolutely pointless.
On balance, this new version of Starscream only just betters the previous one. While the jet mode is a vast and understated improvement, the robot mode feels somewhat feeble and carries less features in comparison. It’s a close call, but this Starscream just about wings it.
Verdict: three stars out of five.
Flickr Gallery: www.flickr.com/photos/the-hub/sets/72157619164305477/
Hublog: www.the-hub.co.uk/hublog/starscream-2009/
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Starscream is back for the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen feature film and so, then, is the toy based on the character. But this time around, those exceptional Transformers designers and engineers at Hasbro/TomyTakara have had two whole years to work on the toy version of Starscream.
With post-production on the first Transformers film being tweaked and refined right up until mere hours before its theatrical release, it meant that the people working on the toys were always going to be playing catch up. And, with it taking so long to develop each individual Transformers toy, it meant that the toy didn’t always reflect the jaw-dropping character seen on the big screen. Case in point: 2007’s Starscream.
Instead of merely re-packaging the Starscream from the Transformers (2007) range, the manufacturers took advantage of the two-year gap and redesigned Starscream completely from scratch. The result of this clean-slate remake is a sleeker, more accurate jet and a robot that looks more like the real deal. Oh, and actual hands have been added, too.
Starscream is still a beige (though with a little more grey this time) F-22 jet, but now sporting a complex network of black tribal tattoos. There is a lot less undercarriage on the jet, making it look a lot more realistic and streamlined. The tattoos on one hand, do throw off the new aerodynamic look but on the other, do serve to help cover up the myriad panel seams. The two missiles that come included can be stored on the underwing pylons.
The addition of actual hands to the figure is both a blessing and a curse. In jet mode, there’s nowhere for them to go, so they just sit, out of place at the back of the jet. Looking at the design, and the flatness of the hands, there does seem to be a gap where the hands could have folded in on themselves. But if it was an early concept idea, then it’s been scrapped by the time of mass production. The hands do fold up, but then they cover the nicely moulded (and translucent) afterburners.
With this new Starscream being a ground-up redesign, the transformation engineering is completely different from the original version. Given that the robot mode is the same shape as the original, it just shows the level of thought that goes into these things. There’s no “Automorph” this time around, that feature having been replaced by this year’s “Mech Alive” gimmick.
In robot mode, Revenge of the Fallen Starscream stands a good 20-30 mm shorter than the 2007 version. The entire look of the robot is a lot more lithe and much less bulky. It doesn’t feel as solid, though. Gone are the rotating triple missiles and instead just single missile launchers mounted on the forearms. The missile launchers are moulded to resemble the gatling gun type weapons as used by Starscream in the films.
Twisting Starscream’s head from side to side activates the Mech Alive gears and wheels housed inside the chest. While a lot of the Automorph features had their failings in 2007, at least they served some kind of purpose. The Mech Alive feature, at least to my mind, continues to remain absolutely pointless.
On balance, this new version of Starscream only just betters the previous one. While the jet mode is a vast and understated improvement, the robot mode feels somewhat feeble and carries less features in comparison. It’s a close call, but this Starscream just about wings it.
Verdict: three stars out of five.
Flickr Gallery: www.flickr.com/photos/the-hub/sets/72157619164305477/
Hublog: www.the-hub.co.uk/hublog/starscream-2009/
