Post by grahamthomson on Jun 4, 2009 20:08:55 GMT
Sideswipe (2009)
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
In both modes, Sideswipe is built for speed. Transforming from sleek silver Corvette “Stingray” to athletic robot, Sideswipe is a new recruit for the Autobots in the “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” feature film. If you’ve seen the previous Transformers film, you’ll remember a similar silver sports car Autobot. His name was Jazz and he, sadly, met an untimely end at the hands of Megatron. Let’s hope history doesn’t repeat itself.
Sideswipe is an official licensed product of General Motors, and thus its vehicle mode is a genuine scale model of the real Corvette “Stingray”. The Stingray is a concept car, and not likely now to ever make it into production. The vehicle is cast in two shades of metallic grey plastic, and the outer shell has an additional coating of metallic silver paint.
In addition to faithfully authentic detailing, the vehicle mode also features a Corvette badge moulded on the bonnet and a Stingray emblem moulded on the boot. Lustrous and elegant for the most part, but some panels don’t quite fit and the metallic paint hasn’t been applied as evenly and carefully as it could have been.
As Sideswipe is transformed from vehicle to robot, it quickly becomes apparent that it’s just a robot that unfolds from underneath a car shell. Reminiscent of a typical Car Robots Autobot, Sideswipe’s robot mode is surrounded by a hollow car body. However, that car parts can be folded up quiet neatly. Though not advertised, Sideswipe does feature an “Automorph” mechanism; as the waist is snapped into the underside of the chest, the head springs out and up.
In robot mode, Sideswipe appears sinewy and athletic. There looks like a lot of robot musculature moulded details across the torso, hips and legs. The hips feature four rubber “ligaments” that move and rotate in line with articulation of the legs. It’s a neat little feature and fits the look. The “Mech Alive” features are two metallic blue armour panels that slide out of the knees as the legs bend. What the purpose of this is supposed to be, I have no idea.
Sideswipe’s biggest flaw is that it is impossible to balance. The robot’s feet consist of the vehicle’s front wheels which completely negate any stability the robot might have. While it seems like Sideswipe enjoys skating across the tarmac on his wheels in the film, here it potentially ruins the toy. There are stabilisers behind the wheels, but they’re far too small to be useful.
Sideswipe lacks any separate accessories; the weapons are formed from rotating the car’s side panels scissor-like into pointed blades. The hinges are geared so that the blades always maintain their position. The quad-exhaust pipes of the vehicle become behind-the-head rocket launchers.
The two-toned grey colour scheme is carried over from vehicle to robot, with just clear blue eyes, blue knees and the red of the rear brake lights providing any colour. In addition to a silver screen printed Autobot logo on the shoulder, there is also a moulded Corvette badge on the chest.
Sideswipe is an excellent design poorly realised. Both the appearance of the vehicle and robot, I think, look energetic and stylish in the film, but the translation to action figure is not without its flaws.
Verdict: three stars out of five.
Flickr Gallery: www.flickr.com/photos/the-hub/sets/72157619164305477/
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
In both modes, Sideswipe is built for speed. Transforming from sleek silver Corvette “Stingray” to athletic robot, Sideswipe is a new recruit for the Autobots in the “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” feature film. If you’ve seen the previous Transformers film, you’ll remember a similar silver sports car Autobot. His name was Jazz and he, sadly, met an untimely end at the hands of Megatron. Let’s hope history doesn’t repeat itself.
Sideswipe is an official licensed product of General Motors, and thus its vehicle mode is a genuine scale model of the real Corvette “Stingray”. The Stingray is a concept car, and not likely now to ever make it into production. The vehicle is cast in two shades of metallic grey plastic, and the outer shell has an additional coating of metallic silver paint.
In addition to faithfully authentic detailing, the vehicle mode also features a Corvette badge moulded on the bonnet and a Stingray emblem moulded on the boot. Lustrous and elegant for the most part, but some panels don’t quite fit and the metallic paint hasn’t been applied as evenly and carefully as it could have been.
As Sideswipe is transformed from vehicle to robot, it quickly becomes apparent that it’s just a robot that unfolds from underneath a car shell. Reminiscent of a typical Car Robots Autobot, Sideswipe’s robot mode is surrounded by a hollow car body. However, that car parts can be folded up quiet neatly. Though not advertised, Sideswipe does feature an “Automorph” mechanism; as the waist is snapped into the underside of the chest, the head springs out and up.
In robot mode, Sideswipe appears sinewy and athletic. There looks like a lot of robot musculature moulded details across the torso, hips and legs. The hips feature four rubber “ligaments” that move and rotate in line with articulation of the legs. It’s a neat little feature and fits the look. The “Mech Alive” features are two metallic blue armour panels that slide out of the knees as the legs bend. What the purpose of this is supposed to be, I have no idea.
Sideswipe’s biggest flaw is that it is impossible to balance. The robot’s feet consist of the vehicle’s front wheels which completely negate any stability the robot might have. While it seems like Sideswipe enjoys skating across the tarmac on his wheels in the film, here it potentially ruins the toy. There are stabilisers behind the wheels, but they’re far too small to be useful.
Sideswipe lacks any separate accessories; the weapons are formed from rotating the car’s side panels scissor-like into pointed blades. The hinges are geared so that the blades always maintain their position. The quad-exhaust pipes of the vehicle become behind-the-head rocket launchers.
The two-toned grey colour scheme is carried over from vehicle to robot, with just clear blue eyes, blue knees and the red of the rear brake lights providing any colour. In addition to a silver screen printed Autobot logo on the shoulder, there is also a moulded Corvette badge on the chest.
Sideswipe is an excellent design poorly realised. Both the appearance of the vehicle and robot, I think, look energetic and stylish in the film, but the translation to action figure is not without its flaws.
Verdict: three stars out of five.
Flickr Gallery: www.flickr.com/photos/the-hub/sets/72157619164305477/
. You have a good eye for photography Graham. 
