Of the myriad versions of Optimus Prime to be released in conjunction with the 2007 Transformers movie, this one is simply the best. Granted, it isn't the most accurate to the film (the Leader-class figure can claim that distinction), but it is by far the most aesthetically pleasing figure, and it has some wonderful features that put it in a higher class than the others.

Version

This is the Target-exclusive Robo Vision Optimus Prime, which was available at Target stores on July 2 and for a few days afterwards (until they sold out of the initial and only shipment). It differs slightly from the Voyager Optimus Prime that saw general release, but since I don't own that one, I can't tally the differences. To my knowledge, the retail version has a slightly dimmed color scheme, and that's the primary, if not only, difference. UPDATE: Here is a review with images of the general release, which they called First Strike Optimus Prime.

Coloring

On that note, the colors on this Prime are bright. The reds and blues are really brilliant, bold shades of each color. However, they don't exactly match from section to section, because of the different colors of plastic used for each. The brilliant red of the hood of the cab, the base color of the plastic used there, becomes more of an orange when painted over the silver-grey plastic of the cab's windows. The same basic red color, when used for painting the red flames on the blue plastic of the rear of the cab, looks more like a wash that didn't get enough coats, as much of the blue plastic shows through. Red paint never seems to cover well, be it on toys or living rooms walls. However, the blue painted flames on the red plastic are crisp and solid.

Vehicle Mode

Movie Prime is a cab-forward semi truck, similar to G2 Laser Optimus Prime. I don't know a lot about semi makes and models, and don't feel like researching them, so that's all you're gonna get.

Prime's vehicle mode has quite a few interesting features. First is the 'disappearing' driver. When the driver's door is closed, a little silver person sits in Prime's driver's seat. When you open the door, the driver is gone, having been flipped back into the back of the seat. I imagine that this is the kind of feature you wouldn't find on your own, as the driver's door sticks pretty strongly. If I hadn't already known about the feature, I wouldn't have tried to pry open the door. If I had the talent, I'd paint up the guy to look like Peter Cullen. Also, Prime's smokestacks can flip up and over, giving Optimus some wicked forward cannonry.

Transformation

Oy. All of the movie toys have overly complex transformations; this figure is somewhere in the middle in comparative difficulty, which means it's 'tricky.' The whole rear of the cab flips back, gets its automorph action on, and with some convincing, becomes Prime's legs. His arms flip out from underneath the cab, and the cab itself flips down, with the uncovered rear of the driver's portion becoming Prime's chest (complete with faux windows). Prime's head flips out from the engine compartment, and then the cab flips up to become his massive backpack.

Robot Mode

One thing you have to say for the movie toys is that they don't lack at all for detail. There's not a single flat panel on this 8" bot, short of the exterior of the vehicle mode. In fact, there are some really downright surprising paint applications, such as a bit of gold paint on the inside of his knee joints. Prime has a very organic look; his upper legs and arms are muscular and human-shaped, but with wheels sticking off. His hands are interestingly posed, which works because of the way his guns mount into his forearms.

On the opposite side of the equation, Prime has quite a bit of truck kibble in his robot mode, including his huge backpack, made from the truck's cab. This massive bit on his back makes him somewhat tricky to pose, because you have to work at counterweighting it.

The design features a lot of classical Prime components, including the faux windows on his chest and the unique features of his head. The head itself is ever-so-slightly too small to be correctly proportioned, but it's beautifully done. The best part about this entire figure are his eyes. Normally, light-piping such as this is featureless, but this Prime's eyes include all kinds of intricate detail that only shows up when there's a bright light behind him. That detail alone makes this one of my favorite movie figures.

Final Thoughts and Conclusion

As I wrote two or three times already, this is the best Optimus Prime figure of all of the movie releases. The movie aesthetic is less noticeable here than it is on most figures, which is a good thing in my mind. I'd love to see the innovations in the light-piping carried on to other lines. While I'll never be thrilled with depiction of Prime (as opposed to the blockier look more common to Transformers lines), this is one I'm pleased to own.

This is the third in a series of commentaries on Optimus Prime figures.

Tags: movie optimus prime review transformers

Posted by Dan on February 21, 2008 11:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)