Hasbro's Transformers, the Movie Optimus Prime
by Mr. Stinkhead

Check out the Video Podcast demonstrating how to transform this Optimus Prime.

Some of us lucky bastards just got a sample of the new Transformers the movie figures, in the form of heroic Autobot leader, Optimus Prime. I had to rip him out of the box and try transforming him a few times. Initial reaction? I'm digging it.

In truck mode he's 11 inches long. Between nine and ten inches tall in robot mode. Though all plastic, this Optimus has some nice heft to him. Not quite as hefty as the partially die-cast Masterpiece Optimus, but his ratcheting joints and size make for a nice piece. Believe it or not, he's a bit easier to transform than Masterpiece. I'm going to go ahead and touch on the automatic transformation mechanism now. You don't just twist his arm and suddenly he's transformed into a young woman, if only it were that easy... no, but there are some internal gears here and there that help assist in the transformation. Seriously, I was playing with the legs, and before I knew it, the feet were practically locking together. (There's a mechanism that unfolds his toes) These little assists are like having a walking stick, as opposed to a full Aliens style powerloader that does the walking for you. Too non-sequitor? We've only just begun.

The head sinks into the chest (and pops up again activating lights and sound when you press the hatch). You can see this feature with the try-me window cut out in the packaging. Check out the Video Podcast demonstrating how to transform this Optimus Prime. So yes, this Optimus comes with the required batteries.

Posability
I was surprised with the amount of articulation. The arms are terrific. You really can a good number of poses from the joints that hinge, rotate and, um, what else can an arm do? I dunno, but you can get some cool poses. There's another animated feature where you can make his plasma gun pop right into place. The toy actually fires a spring-loaded missile. I'm going to admit that I enjoy that the weapon gets incorporated into the toy. I hate when you have this large alien looking rifle left over and you just pop it onto the hood when it's in car mode. [However the coolest weapon implementation is Alternator Meister's gun that turns into his muffler.]

So I mentioned that Optimus' lever replicates a gentleman's club, when you release the hatch and the head pops back up, his eyes (and lights in the cab) flash and it makes what I assume is the movie's version of the "transformation" noise. I will share this sound effect in the podcast, but it is not the familiar mutated slide projector chih-chew-choh-cheh-chih, (that took forever to sound out and spell correctly, let the hate mail begin). Here's my first con. His head only rotates 360° but can not look up or down. This to me is a shame because he can aim his gun in a multitude of directions. One of the nice display features of Masterpiece Prime is that he can look where he is aiming, and you might not realize how nice that is until you can't.

I say kudos to the designers of robot mode, you can get some nice poses out of the legs, and the ratcheting joints are strong. He is a bit top-heavy, so it's overall physical dynamics that may cause him to tip over, not weak joints. Also, you kind of just have to move the rubber tires out of the way to bend his legs. It's weird. Also, each finger and thumb is independently articulated, just like Masterpiece's hands.

Here's the lowdown from Hasbro. This toy will go on sale with other Transformer the movie toys on June 2, 2007. According to the web site Transformers.com he will retail for $40. If you ask me, eh, when you take into account that the Alternators are around $15-$20, his size really does add up. Coupled with the light-up functions and more complex engineering, it does actually make sense. You can find info on the other toys coming out in conjunction with the movie. We saw a bunch at Toy Fair, and were impressed. I can't wait to get my hands on those as well.

If you're a fan of Transformers, or just Optimus Prime, my honest judgement is that this is a worth entry in the Optimus Prime canon. This isn't just a movie action figure. (Anyone else feel ripped off buying the movie version Ninja Turtles back in the day?) This isn't a repaint or something just rushed to production to match up with the movie. I think this Prime would sell well even if not attached to the movie. Yes, I wish, deep down, his truck mode more closely resembled the original cartoon, but this toy is a good addition to your collection, and after we've seen the upcoming movie in July, we'll see how closely he represents the Prime on screen.

Check out the Video Podcast demonstrating how to transform this Optimus Prime and visit our Transformers coverage, including the Japanese Hybrid Convoy, and keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming Optimus Prime retrospective in a soon to be released issue of ToyFare Magazine. Swing by Transformers.com for more info on the movie and the toys.

All photos and article ©2007 MillionairePlayboy.com . All characters are property their original owners.

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