Toy Review: RotF Deluxe Class Dirge, Brawn, and Lockdown

01/23/10

Deluxe Class Dirge

Brawn, & Lockdown

Since the Bayverse Transformers first reared their ugly heads back in 2007, we’ve seen a deluge of product coming out of Hasbro house. With a few exceptions, I’ve been indifferent to the toys that they’ve released in the movie line, preferring figures from the Transformers Animated or Transformers Universe line. However, I have been pleasantly surprised by the ones that didn’t make it into the movie like Stockade, Landmine, and the excellent, excellent Bludgeon (I realize I haven’t reviewed him, but trust me if ever you bought a Transformer, this Bludgeon is the one).

When Wave 8 rolled around, I picked up the one new mold that hadn’t made it to the film, Dirge (I also have Gears, but that’s just something I got as a sort of freebie). When Wave 9 showed up on shelves, I didn’t hesitate to get both Lockdown and Brawn. These three were all new molds that hadn’t seen production yet. I’d seen the previews of them both months back and I got to say, they all lived up to my expectations.

Let’s go alphabetically this time and start with Brawn.

Back in the Generation 1 days, Brawn was supposed to be one of the strongest Autobots, second only to the big bot himself, Optimus Prime. This of course was hard to believe as he was one of the original Mini Vehicles released back in 1994 and was this little thing that looked kind of like a robot chicken.

In the cartoon continuity he was much cooler, sort of the tough guy that depended on, well, brawn to get things done. There was even an episode where he went and borrowed Megatron’s Fusion Cannon. The bot’s got some huge balls. Of course, he was one of those that got wasted in the movie (the animated one, not that Bay crap) with that very same gun, so maybe not so smart.

We recently had a new Brawn figure from wave 4 of the Transformers Universe Legends Class figures, and it was pretty great. Of course it was a minibot, but damn it looked good. It was a G1 homage and looked so much better than the original figure. Sadly, the articulation was little better than the first one, and it was a Legends Class figure. Fun, but no where near scale. Thankfully, Hasbro brought us the RotF Brawn.

Though the back of the package may say different, this one isn’t really any kind of homage to the old toy. It’s more of an evolution of the character; instead of physical strength, this Brawn makes up for his short stature with sheer firepower. He’s got 2 pistols and a gun emplacement that goes over his back. He’s a walking army all by himself really.

Articulation is excellent with the multiple hinge and ball joints that are by now familiar to those who’ve been following the movie toys. I’m sure that later, after several months of play, the ball joints at the hips will become loose and you’ll need to do some superglue tricks to keep the toy viable, but right now, my figure’s rocking those points of articulation; neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, waist, hips, knee, and ankle.

He does have a few drawbacks however. If you’re one of the guys who likes the clean, box-type transformers, this one isn’t for you. He’s got way to much going on upstairs. He’s sort of a shell former, with much of the vehicle form’s skin hanging off him at various places. On the one hand it looks like armor, on the other it makes him look awkward and really THICK.

On the back of the package, Brawn is transformed with the panels at his hip arranged one way:

I prefer it this way:

It feels much more like a samurai robot with that “skirt” there.

His alt mode is another military SUV. It looks pretty good for the role, better than Ironhide’s actually. Like I said, he’s a shell former, so all those bot parts are just hidden under all those panels that made up his back and shoulders. The gun that goes over his head in bot mode shows up on his roof in truck mode, which is nice. You can even angle it up (though it doesn’t swivel).

He looks perfectly in scale with all the other Deluxe Class cars/trucks in his line as well.

I was of two minds after opening Dirge, but after some quality play time, it’s become one of my favorite toys of the moment. A unique transformation, a great color scheme, and some fine articulation really makes for an impressive toy.

Of course since he is a JET, the Deluxe Class treatment means that he’s a little on the puny side. Next to say, Jetfire, Dirge is going to look ridiculous. Like the Scout Class figures however, I actually like the small size. It makes the toy a lot of playability.

Like all Deluxe Class toys (except maybe those preview ones a few years back) he starts in vehicle mode. In this case it looks like a Harrier, one of those totally cool jets that I remember from when I was a kid. Remember pre-Titanic Cameron’s True Lies? Schwartzenegger kicking terrorist butt with Elisha Dushku holding onto the cockpit? Awesome. How we never got a transformer that turned into one of these before is beyond me. Now I want one that turns into an F-4 Phantom. Those things were mean as hell!

From the top, he looks pretty perfect. But if you turn him around, you’ll see some of the bot kibble start showing through where his engines ought to be. Flip him over and you’ll see quite a bit more. It’s not too obvious really and doesn’t detract from the fun of this toy.

I said he had a unique transformation and he does. It’s a doozy really. Took me quite awhile to figure it all out. It doesn’t help that his top half is asymetric, with the cockpit becoming one arm and the other popping out of the tail.

Once in bot mode, it’s apparent how much he’s influenced by Bay’s “robots-are-really-egyptian-gods” trip. Frankly I didn’t buy any of the goobledygook in the movie and I’d thank Hasbro not to continue it. That being said, he’s doesn’t turn out that bad.

Instead of the conehead he had back in G1, his head is formed of two separate halfs. Hasbro could have chosen not to give us this nod to the old robot sicne they could have easily fitted a normal noggin in the space there. Nice of them to choose the cooler path for a change.

Again, Hasbro seems to have forgotten a step when they transformed him for the product shots. In those photos, Dirge’s lauchers are attached to his wings even in robot mode.

Actually though, there are two holes provided on his arms that allow you to place them in the proper firing positions, just like any of the old seekers.

Articulation is still very good. I wish that the designers had planned something for the wings instead of just hanging them there in back of his legs. They seem like afterthoughts really, as if there was nowher to put them so they just dumped them there. It might have been nice if they were removable like the old G1 Seeker wings so you cold place them on his arms or on his back instead.

Detail in the sclupt is pretty amazing. There are tiny little seams on the skin of the jet like plates in the sheet metal. There’s a small “cockpit” that forms part of his chest in robot mode, another nod to the G1 Seekers. He has this neat, unobtrusive action feature on his chest, gears that turn when you rotate his shoulders.

Dirge also has an excellent color scheme, my second favorite next to Skywarps’s. The blue and gold looks striking, if not inherently evil. I just wish there were more readily available figures of him. That exclusive Henkei one is just way to expensive.

And finally we have Lockdown.

Lockdown was originally created for the Transformers Animated series, so is relatively new to the universe. His occupation as a bounty hunter probably made him a perfect candidate to port into the movie continuity, especially paired up with Ratchet (who he tormented in the cartoon).

Naturally, there were previous versions of Lockdown in the Transformers Animated line; the original, “Burning” Lockdown, and “Stealth” Lockdown. Plus several more in the Activators Class. I’ve got all three Deluxe figures because it was such a good toy. Tall, articulated, and mean-looking.

The RotF version is all that, but more so. It’s a lot more mean looking. Spikier. Sleeker. Sicker. The car mode looks like it belongs in that movie, Deathrace, chewing up the competition. It’s more detailed than the Animated version, with more realistic proportions and more complicated paint applications.

His transformation is a little different, with his hood becoming his feet instead of his rear. Once transformed, Lockdown is a vision of badassitude. Lean and Green. The hook he sported in the Animated version is now a permanent feature and his other hand is a more appropriate claw.

Hasbro didn’t forget that EM pulse generator thing that he stole from Ratchet in the show. His engine can attach to his arm to form the weapon. Very cool.

He is a little taller than the Animated version, and sports better joint work, with more functional articulation than his predecessor. Just look at his neck. There are 2 joints for that alone. All in all, this guy can kick ass.

So the big question: Are they worth it?

Answer: YES!

Lockdown is clearly the winner because of height, articulation, design, and sheer orneriness, but the other two are very good toys as well, though consider what you like about Transformers before buying. If you like innovative designs and good articulation, then yes, get them. If you’re a stickler for canon or for smooth lines and blocky robot modes, you’ll want to pass.

All three are still available at the php 700 price point, which isn’t too crazy expensive for the Philippine market (about $13-14).