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Packaging: ***1/2
This is a reasonably sizeable statue, so comes in quite a hefty box.
It’s in an easy-to-assemble ‘semi-kit’ form, so the box has no windows,
but is adorned with many glossy full-colour images. It’s made of thick
card and inside, the many pieces are Poly-wrapped and housed in two
pre-formed polystyrene trays that hold everything in place snugly, they
are also taped over to ensure nothing rattles around in transit. This
is, as I said, a pretty large box, and the images are good for giving
you a representation of what to expect inside. I do, however, think the
back should have had a larger image from a different angle than the one
shown on the front, as it makes it look a little repetitive using the
same image twice. The two side panels have close-ups of the Predator
and Predalien respectively and a brief description of the character,
these close-ups help in showing off some of the highly detailed
sculpting. So, all in all, this, like most ‘statue’ boxes, is primarily
designed with function in mind, and that function is to protect its
contents! If it can manage to look nice to boot, then all the better,
so this pretty much ticks all the boxes on its brief.
Sculpt: ****
Like the Elder on throne statue before it, this is a dynamic ‘bullet
time’ pose, capturing of a moment, and also like the other statue it
uses a lot of artistic licence; as the Wolf and Predalien undoubtedly
had an impressive face-off in the (sadly sometimes too dark to see what
was happening) movie, but this pose was never ‘specifically’ seen.
However, that makes this ‘re-imagined’ pose all the better for it in my
opinion. If the limited budget that the Strause brothers had at their
disposal could have stretched to some more involved CG interaction,
specifically between Wolf and the Predalien in the final battle, this
statue gives us an idea of what we ‘might’ have seen. Of course if they
had had a bigger budget it might have been better spent on the script
or choice of cast, but there you go.
Of the two figures the Predalien is my favourite in this set up. He/she
has a far more dynamic pose and is captured mid leap, dreads flailing,
mouth roaring with his right hand raised to bring crashing down on the
kneeling Wolf. He has some great detail work pretty much all over the
body, but my favourite areas are the head with its opaque cowl showing
the skull detail beneath and the ribs going round to his back with its
four large breathing tubes. There is some very fine work exhibited all
over this character, the only fault I could find, was the seam where
the left arm is attached at the shoulder was a little too visible for
my liking.
The Predator, though still very dynamic, is depicted much more on the
defensive than the attack. His right hand is raised, palm open (which
makes his wrist blades jut out at a rather odd angle) and his other
holds his spear at chest height, ready to bring it up, hoping to stop
his attacker in mid air. The Predator shows a lot of great sculpting as
well, the amour, gauntlets and thigh guards all look very authentic. It
looks to me like some of the armoured elements, particularly on his
chest panels have been moulded separately and stuck on to give the look
of layering far more convincingly. His beaded and skull-adorned
necklace is also produced as a separate part, as is his spear (this
separates into two parts, so as to fit into the hand easily). The work
on his body netting was always going to be a tricky job, but it’s
carried out fantastically, only let down slightly by the paint
apps.
The face is carried out well and is in a roaring expression, with his
mandibles spread wide open (like the option with the 1/6 Predator
cleaner version I reviewed
recently.
The face and dreads are sculpted
beautifully for this scale with some outstanding work on the interior
of the mouth and the acid scaring. The dreads are made of a solid
plastic and represent the head in motion, so they are all standing out
from the head. The only drawback this makes and, indeed, my only real
fault with this figure is that where the face ‘should’ blend into the
neck is now highly visible with the dreads being in this position, and
it doesn’t blend but just stops. So from the jaw line and right around
the back of the head it is just too smooth, and though your casual
observer might not pick up on this, it still feels like an oversight.
The base is also carried out very well, it’s a generic mass of broken
concrete, exposed venting and pipe work, all executed beautifully, and
though relatively complex it’s nothing too tough for the master
sculptors at HT. To the right of the leaping Predalien are the remains
of a slaughtered Alien drone, he’s pretty messed up with just bits of
his head, shoulder and breathing tubes left but it’s a nice touch of
detail. If just this base had been produced at twice this scale it
would have made a fantastic diorama for the 1/6 figs from AvP:R.
So, I guess to sum up, if you are a dedicated hardcore Predator or
Alien fanboy you will spot and pick up on a few inaccuracies here and
there, if so, you’re probably better suited to the 1/6 figures. If,
however, you are more of a general fan just wanting something for your
office or to display in your home cinema, then this has a lot going for
it, as the poses are all very powerful which makes for a very effective
display. My wife, for example, loved this, I said my preference was for
the 1/6 ‘cleaner’ Wolf I have displayed next to it, but she said the
statue had a real energy and ‘WOW’ factor, where as the 1/6 figure was
just a doll standing there.
Ah, I said, but I can put the 1/6 figure in any position I want!
Why don’t you then!
Because I like him just standing there!
Raised eyebrow!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
Paint: ***1/2
This diorama has A LOT going
on, two complex figures and a pretty intricate base. The Predalien is,
in my most humble of opinions, painted pretty bleedin well, with some
very intricate work on the differing sinews and sections of the body. I
especially like work on the head which has some nice paternation and
the detail on the two oval sections to the rear of the head are all
painted very accurately to the movie props, with some subtle washes to
tie it all in together. Even the blood isn’t too overdone, as is oft
the case on ‘battle-damaged’ figures.
The Predator requires a far more complex application in terms of the
mixed media he is supposed to be wearing, there’s meant to be different
metals, leather and flesh, so a far more diverse palette was required.
All in all they have pulled off a fantastic result, the face is
fantastic and the damaged ‘milky’ eye has been picked out well. All the
metal sections have a good deep colour and are all weathered slightly
with some thin washes. The only part that isn’t as perfect as it could
be is the body mesh. This was always going to be a challenge, and they
have pulled off a much finer job than many manufacturers could, but a
body stocking, by its very nature is a tough call at any scale. It has
also been slashed across the right flank, so in this area the mesh is
open exposing long gashes into the flesh. The paint-work here on the
blood, like on the Predalien, is enough to get the wound across without
over-emphasising it.
As I said above, the base is pretty generic, but there’s still some
fine paint apps showing the layers of concrete and screed below,
different types of rock and differing sizes and finishes of pipe and
duct work in copper, bronze, steel and gunmetal; one of the pipes even
has a shut-off valve and a number of others have serial numbers printed
on them, nice attention to detail.
So were it not for the lack of accuracy on the Preds body mesh, this
would have been a full-mark category for me.
Articulation: N/A
Well I say ‘not applicable’ but you can move the spear in his hand and
the Predalien’s tail is rubber with a metal wire armature, so you can
position this how you’d like. But, there are no actual engineered
moving joints, hence my N/A in this category.
Accessories: N/A
Wolf has his spear, but it’s all very much part of the overall diorama,
It might have been cool had they given us the option of the whip as
well, but just the spear it is.
Outfit: N/A
Wolf is obviously ‘dressed’ but it’s all very much part of the sculpt!
Fun factor- **1/2
If you are a fan of AvP:R or just Preds and Xeno’s in general, then
this is a nice display piece. If you want to ‘play’ with it, you’ll be
sadly disappointed.
Value: **1/2
Once constructed this is a big piece, but the price Sideshow has it up
for - $179.99 - is a pretty hefty lump of moola in my opinion, and I
feel it would need to be whole $50 lighter to be getting any where near
4 stars in this category. However, when I told my wife that this statue
was $20 more than the Predator ‘cleaner’ she said in her eyes the
statue was far more impressive, and looked like something worth twice
that of the 1/6 figure. I don’t usually use my wife as a foil in my
reviews, but it kind of proves a point, that to some this is far better
buy than a mere ‘doll’!
Overall: ***
In many ways this is a most impressive display piece, some very tight
sculpting work, lovely colour palette, that is (on the whole) very
accurately applied, a great textured and detailed base, and best of all
HT have managed to make both the big bads of the piece look even more
dynamic and threatening than they did in the actual movie. It’s
downsides are that hefty price tag, the Predator’s smooth head at the
rear and the paint apps on the Pred’s body mesh, which as I said aren’t
bad by a long shot, and even a talented customiser is going to struggle
with painting that fine, especially if they are being mass produced.
Score Recap:
Packaging - ***1/2
Sculpt - ****
Paint - ***1/2
Articulation - N/A
Accessories: N/A
Outfit: N/A
Fun Factor - **1/2
Value - **1/2
Overall - ***
Where to Buy -
Sideshow have it on pre-order for $179.99
Corner Store
$ 161.99 preorder
If you’re in the UK-
Forbidden Planet- £129.99
There are also a few on eBay for around $175 to $200. You can search
using sponsor MyAuctionLinks.com.
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