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When it came to movies, I was something of a precocious kid. Very early on I developed an affinity for R-rated films. Part of that was almost certainly marketing; when Kenner makes an action figure line for Robocop, one can't help but suspect a little Joe Camel-like scheming on the part of the movie industry. But that film, along with Aliens, Predator and the Terminator flicks, were the meat and potatoes of my cinematic youth.
At this point, I must give credit where it is due: it was my father who assiduously spent hours viewing these movies, with two VCRs at the ready, dubbing a copy for me while cutting out the really violent or sexual parts. I doubt there are many fathers out there who would be so sympathetic to their son's desire to see fun sci-fi films but caring enough to insure his little mind wasn't warped at too early an age. Thank you, Dad.
Of all these movies, Predator was certainly one of my favorites. Directed by Joe (Die Hard) McTiernan (back when he still made good films) and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in full bad-ass soldier mode, Predator was one of the last of the truly great '80s action films, brimming with machismo and good old-fashioned American jingoism (though there is a surprising amount of reflection on the sometimes questionable nature of our covert ops in places like South America). Predator was a far better film than it had to be, with some surprisingly good performances (and a guest appearance by former governor Jesse "The Body" Ventura, pretending to do the type of work he really once did as a Navy SEaL. One wonders what he thought of all the Spec Ops mumbo-jumbo inserted into the script).
As a kid, I ate the movie up. I spent many a summer day stalking through the neighbor kid's woods, a makeshift "claw" device of cardboard and wood strapped to my arm, climbing trees and making clicking and clacking noises like the creature in the film while my friends played soldier to my alien hunter. I longed for an action figure, but there wasn't one until a line was introduced by Kenner in the early '90s - at which point I had stopped collecting toys (for a limited period, obviously).
Since Predator was a big success, it necessarily followed that there would be a sequel. It arrived only three years later in the form of Predator 2. The script took the Predator out of the jungle setting and dropped him, predictably, into an urban one. This idea (which had already been explored in a Dark Horse comic by the time the film came out) was one rich with possibilities; unfortunately, the script was a rather by-the-numbers action plot, with some gratuitous gore and Danny Glover as a cop (basically Murtaugh without the humor). The movie pretty much sucked, and while at the time I clamored to see it, my father wisely forbade me from doing so due to its extreme violence (he also barred me from Robocop 2, which, again, was probably a good call).
Despite the crappy sequel, Predator has maintained a following almost as faithful as that of its sister Fox property, Aliens. When McFarlane Toys started its Movie Maniacs line back in 1998, Predator (and Aliens) seemed like a natural match. But due to licensing issues, it wasn't until last year that Todd & Company scored the coveted alien NRA member and his phallic-headed foe. McFarlane's first foray into this license was last year's Alien & Predator two-pack, which featured a well-sculpted but under-articulated rendition of the Predator from the first film.
McFarlane followed this up with this year's Movie Maniacs line, which consists entirely of Aliens and Predators. First up is the Predator himself - this time in his Deuce duds. McFarlane seems to have heard the voice of fans and has given this Predator a Marvel Legends-level of articulation. Shoulders, hips and neck, yes, but also balljoints galore. 23 points, all told. It's an amazing amount of articulation - probably too much.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. First, the sculpt. This has always been McFarlane's best area, and as usual, Predator 2 shines. Personally I don't like the design of the second Predator nearly as much as the first, but I can't fault them for accuracy. However, the massive amount of articulation does cause the sculpt to suffer a bit, particularly in the torso and the gawky shoulder articulation. But the sculpt is excellent, and the paint apps are equally impressive and detailed. One can rarely fault McFarlane here. The armor has the right "antiquated bronze" tone, though I'm not too fond of the bright green blood.
The figure has pectoral movement, much like the Marvel Legends Hulk; but it also has some very interesting bicep articulation. Rather than having a cut joint, the bicep is cut to fit the ball-joint of the shoulder. It looks better than a peg joint, but it also means the left shoulder pad is prone to popping off, as it did in my case.
Then there are the accessories. These are rather a mixed bag. The helmet is made of soft rubber, and it doesn't hold on very well. It also looks a little large for the body, which may be a result of its being removable (such things always suffer at this scale). Also, the helmet is attached to the figure by a wire. This may be movie-accurated, but it also makes the helmet prone to popping off, due to pressure from the figure's dreadlocks. The discus is a rather dull accessory. Supposedly it can be stored on the figure's right thigh, but again, the rubbery nature of the holster makes it prone to popping off. Like the first Predator figure, Predator 2 also sports a right gauntlet with projectable claws. These seem a little short to me on this figure.
But the worst is the rotating laser cannon. It's on some kind of bizarre rotating contraption and is extremely loose. It will move at the slightest touch or tremor.
Overall, while the sculpt is incredible and the articulation ambitious, I was disappointed with this figure. I'd hoped for more. Part of my disappointment may be tied to my inherent dislike of Predator 2 the film, but I do think this figure is something of an unfortunate mess-up. Perhaps we'll see a better-articulated Predator from the first film sometime in the near future, but I won't hold my breath.
Agree with this review? Disagree? Discuss it over at The Loafing Lounge.
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