Hot Toys Scar Predator - Reviewed!

Hot Toys' 1/6 Scale Alien Vs Predator Series One Scar Predator. Sold as a model kit, this seems to be a way to get the license for much cheaper than the figure license would cost. Don't buy it - this thing is an action figure, from top to bottom. Since Sideshow Collectibles made a deal to import these figures from Asia, there has been a lot of interest but a rather suprising lack of information. Perhaps due to the price and rarity in this hemisphere, rather little is known about the figure outside of some pictures posted on the Spawn boards. This review is an attempt to rectify that lack. Due to the amount of pictures this review will be extended beyond my usual format, and there will be several categories addressed I tend to ignore.



Packaging
Excellent. I hate packaging. I consider it a thin, short lived layer of trash between me and my toys. Not a fan. However, the packaging for this figure is truly well done, and the first I will actually keep. About twice the size of a standard 1/6 figure box(assuming Sideshow is the standard), but somewhat deeper. The first layer of packaging is a holo-foil slip cover, and underneath is a very nicely design Sideshow-style cover, which opens up to reveal a cutout showing the Predator inside. Inside this there is several sheets of molded plastic to hold the parts. I have no pictures of the box unfortunately due to complications with lighting it, but I may try again in the next day or so if you're curious. It will be posted in this space if I do.


Building It
Okay. Here's where Hot Toys cleverness in licensing and selling this as a model kit bites us in the ass. Essentially it means that we are forced to actually put the figure together ourselves, which sounds easy enough in theory but in practice is a somewhat harder. Sore fingers and lots of anxiousness awaits anyone who buys this figure. It's a real chore, forcing the figure's pieces together all the while trying to avoid overdoing it for fear of breaking this expensive piece. Out of the box you have the torso including the thighs and biceps, unattached calves and forearms, and an unattached head. Also the costume is in several distinct layers, first a fishnet body suit that snags somewhat easily, second a fringed brown skirt, and third and most difficult the body armor. This last part is the hardest to put together, as the potential for breakage seems highest. Fortunately Hot Toys has chosen some very hardy materials, and despite being worried throughout, I managed to dress the figure without damaging it.



Sculpt
Excellent. Beautiful. Fantastic. There are not enough superlatives to describe the sculpt here adequetely. Easily one of the best 1/6 creature sculpts I've ever seen, I only hope my pictures do justice to it. There is not a millimeter on this figure overlooked. There has been some worry about the size of the figure's head, due to some unflattering early prototype shots, and in fact it is rather big. If this figure were based on the first or second Predator film, perhaps it could be called ridiculously big. However this figure is based on one of the Predators in the film Alien Vs Predator, and the creature's head was oversized in that film. To this extent? Probably not. Is it a big issue? Not to me - in person it looks perfect. I could understand this being a deal killer to some, perhaps. A large part of it is due to the tentacles/dredlocks of the monsters, they are rather bulky taken as a whole.



Paint
Excellent. Probably the least ambitious element of the figure's design, there's just not that much to screw up with the paint applications. There's no flaw to be found in the figure I received, the paint is cleanly applied and well done.



Construction
Excellent. Given the high pricepoint of the figure, one is entitled to ask the question: is it worth it? I can't really answer that for everyone, but if you go based on the criteria of quality then I believe this figure is worth the price. The plastic used is well chosen, pliable when it needs to be, thick and hard when it's called for. The joints go together well, and are not loose nor overly tight - they're just right. As an example of the thoughtfulness of the construction, every single dredlock on the Predator is bendy. All 50 or so.



Articulation
Excellent. I won't go into a full articulation count, it's hard to see through the armor, but basically take the most articulated Marvel Legend figure and add: Ball wrists, ball ankles, articulated calf armor(!), articulated knife weapon on his forearm armor, flip up cover for his forearm computer, *multiple* points of articulation on his shoulder laser, and 50 or bendy dredlocks.



Accessories
Excellent. Multiple accessories is nothing new for 1/6 scale figures, however Hot Toys certainly did not skimp on the ones provided with this figure. Not including the mask, we have four hands, knife and hilt, throwing star(closed), throwing star(open), trophy necklace, logo-styled base, and telescoping spear. The last in particular is well, made, shown below in closed mode, you can extend the spear at four points, making a particularly fearsome weapon. All the accessories are well made, though that open throwing star is not going to last through much handling.



Scale
Very Good. Frankly I didn't take out a ruler and measure this guy, but compared to various BBi and Sideshow 1/6 scale figures he seems about right. He appropriately towers over just about anyone in my (admittedly meagar) 1/6 collection. Considering how large the Predators were portrayed in the film, I think it's about right on.



Overall
Excellent. Can you tell this is on my shortlist for figure of 2006 already? Given the price this will not be for everyone, but for those willing and able to spend the money I think it will be well worth it. Bottom line, if you want it but aren't entirely sure, just try and imagine trying to get this figure later on. No one wants to be the guy who missed out on the Marmit Boba Fett or some equally cool, equally expensive, and now equally unobtainable figure. This is one of those figures. Sideshow has given you a golden opportunity, the preorders are still available, don't miss out.