Review: Revoltech SFX T-Rex

As some of you might have known, my money situation has been tight the last few months – tight enough for me to cut down my already diminutive pre-order list. The Nendoroid Cirino had to be sacrificed, and the figma Michael Jackson would have faced the same fate had he not been delayed time and time again. But no matter the circumstances, there are some things I just have to hold onto, and the Revoltech SFX Tyrannosaurs Rex from the 1997 film The Lost World: Jurassic Park is one of them.

When I told Ashlotte that I received this toy, his reaction was something along the lines of “erm…why?” To which I responded with “why the hell not?” Is not the T-Rex the essence of every boy’s dream? Yes, it has been an awful long time since I was awed by the film when I saw it back in China. And no, I did not understand a word of English back then, so I am clueless as to what the actual plot of the movie is. But that’s beside the point. To any red-blooded 8-year-old, the sight of a giant rampaging lizard is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Not only is the T-Rex one the largest land predator to ever walk the face of the earth, but it also simultaneously tickles the boundary between fantasy and reality. If you don’t think that’s cool, then maybe something’s wrong with your head.

…Okay, maybe not everyone is as dinosaur-crazy as I was in my childhood, but you see where I’m coming from, right? And of course, when a good-looking T-Rex action figure surfaces, how can I possibly resist? Thankfully, my blind enthusiasm for the plastic dinosaur was not punished by the sting of disappointment, as the Revoltech T-Rex turned out to be a fine figure.  Hit the jump to find out more!

First Impressions

The Revoltech T-Rex is presented in an olive/yellow colour with some dark stripes running across its body. I honestly can’t say if this is accurate to the movie, as the T-Rex scenes I found on YouTube all took place during the night. I’ve always thought of the big lizard as a primarily grey creature, but I rather like the jungle colours on this figure.

The figure comes on base depicting a moist patch of primordial vegetation. It looks as if it’s been soaked by rain for long time, as I can almost feel the stickiness of the brown mud underneath the T-Rex’s foot. The two oddly shaped trees in the background rest on small revolver joins and can be repositioned and removed if need be. As with all other Revoltech SFX figures, a little nameplate is included.

One of the greatest things about this figure is the way the base is designed. Since the T-Rex is a bipedal creature, it would normally require careful balance in order to stand upright. And as any toy collector would know, balance is a fickle mistress, as a simple bump into the table could send the figure falling over. Sure, there is the usual Revoltech method of sticking a stubby peg on the base into the foot of the figure, but given the inherently lousy balance of the T-Rex, such a solution would not be dependable. So instead, the folks at Kaiyodo utilized the new solution – rather than having the ankle joint pegs inserted into the foot, they are instead inserted into the base itself! What comes out of this is a very reliable and stable way to display the figure without sacrificing the aesthetics.

The Revoltech T-Rex measures in at 21cm long and around 8cm tall – shorter than a standard-sized Figma. For anyone who’s seen the movies before, it’s hard to not be at least a little underwhelmed by the figure’s size initially, since the sheer immensity of the creature has always been the focal point. However, after my initial reaction I found myself happy with the figure’s size. Though the T-Rex’s height is not spectacular, it makes itself known with its healthy length. Besides, through collecting mecha models and toys, I’ve become used to seeing very large things being miniaturized into small plastic trinkets, and as I look closer, this modestly-sized bipedal lizard is actually quite big when it comes to the details.

Closer Look

The details on the Revoltech T-Rex are jaw-dropping. Everywhere you look you’ll find wrinkles in the reptile’s hide. The sculpted muscles give the creature a powerful appearance, while the spine and rips are visible through the creature’s imposing frame. On top of that, the way that the top coat glistens gives the T-Rex a life-like appearance.

The mouth deserves a special mention, as I really like how they handled the flap of skin between the upper and lower jaws. In between those jaws you’ll find a fully detailed (but not articulated) tongue and two sets of crisply molded teeth. Curiously, the teeth on the Revoltech T-Rex are tinted pink. While it may be a lapse in the production process, I’d like to think that it is the aftermath of the carnivore’s last grisly meal.

Above the heavy-set jaws rest the T-Rex’s eyes, which are what I consider to be the only flaw when it comes to the details on this figure. From what I read a long time ago, predatory animals (like eagles, sharks and lions) usually have forward-oriented eyes to help them track down their prey during a chase, while herbivorous animals tend to have eyes wide-set eyes located on the opposite sides of its head for a wider field of view, alerting them of the presence of predators. By that logic, the T-Rex should have its eyes fixed to what’s in front of it, but instead, the pupils on the figure are directed to the sides. I know this is a minor observation, but the unfocused look in the T-Rex’s eyes undermines the air of ferocity established by the rest of the figure, if only slightly. Thankfully, as the eyes are so tiny, this is one flaw that’s relatively easy to overlook.

Articulation

As far as articulation goes, the Revoltech T-Rex nails it down pretty perfectly. Aided by swivel joints at the neck and hinge joints on the lower legs and jaws, the figure fully exploits the sturdiness of the revolver joints. In spite of the weight, the figure is able to pull off one-legged running poses pretty reliably. There is even a pair of extra feet included for that exact purpose, so you can have the big lizard trample down your desk, your shelf, or wherever you choose to display it.

The positioning of the tail is held by a bendable metal pole, which is covered up by a soft rubber outer layer. The tails works well for the most part, though the pole does not quite extend to the tip of the tail, thus the end of the tail does not bend with the rest.

In all honestly, I can’t really think of anything figure lacks in terms of articulation. I suppose the torso could have a joint in the middle, and perhaps the little weenie arms could use an elbow joint, that just would be splitting hairs. At the end of the day, the figure does everything you would want out of a plastic T-Rex, which makes me a happy camper.

Final Say

By now you probably think I’m a strange(r) man for getting so worked up over a toy dinosaur, and I suppose I can’t blame you. Still, dinosaur fanboying aside, the Revoltech T-Rex is a simply a cool toy. It look great, plays great, and is a slice of Hollywood movie history to boot. For fans of the movie and dinophiles like me, I don’t see how one can go wrong with this one.

As for everyone else…wouldn’t a T-Rex be a neat thing to have in your collection anyways? You can have it terrorize the rest of your collection, or perhaps turn it into a might steed – you’d be surprised at the possibilities that the Revoltech T-Rex holds! Just don’t expect it to be in scale with the rest of your figmas, and I’m sure you’ll have a ripping good time.

Completely original idea, do not steal!

Pros

• Amazing details, especially for a figure of its size
• Appealing and functional display base

Cons

• Derpy eyes

…I really do need to re-watch The Lost World one of these days.