Toys : Transformers Movie Deluxe Dreadwing Jet

In association with Amazon.com

Rating:

- Powered by Imagination
OK so the common complaints on these toys are that Transformers are sometimes a little difficult to manipulate and yeah sometimes a piece pops off that only dad can manage to get back on. BUT, when I compare that to the countless hours my son spends playing with them indoors and out, setting up battles, joining them them in with his Hot Wheels, Lego blocks and Lionel Trains, providing dialogue as he directs the action, THEY OFFER tremendous play value. Since he got them at Christmas, his video game consoles have taken a BIG back seat to the kind of play I think is far more valuable.

Rating:

- Prepare to spend lots of time on this for your child
Transformers - big hit since the movie - but they are tough and tedious to transform. Takes an engineering degree. Kids love playing with them but they want them transformed all the time and that is not quality time with the kids.

Rating:

- Funny robot mode, goot alternate mode
I just picked up Dreadwing from the movie deluxe line today. I have always liked the Decepticon Jets and I just had to have this one even though he is not featured in the 2007 movie. The figure comes packed in his alt mode which is a really attractive MiG 29 Fulcrum in Russian winter military camo. The only drawback to the alt mode is the large cylinder hanging under the belly that becomes Dreadwing's legs. This is a similar gripe to the one I have for Starscream, the scale appearance of the jet makes sacrifices to the needs of a transforming toy and just stores extra parts folded up under the body. The underbody portion also has 4 small wheels so you can roll him around if you like. There is no proper landing gear. There are 2 missles that double as afterburner jet blasts in the alternate mode.

The Robot mode is where things get a little interesting. This robot is much like Starscream in his simian appearance. he has a very heavy upper body with tiny little legs. The nose cone of the jet simply folds backward to reveal a "lensface" head with no real features. I find it to be a very strange design choice to have these large autonomous robots be completely featureless in thier facial anatomy. It makes the character seem a bit of a throwaway, but I guess it serves the souless nature of the decepticons that they are trying to achieve in this generation of toys. The robot mode is fairly fun though, and he has double missile launchers for hands, again, just like starscream. He is a good addition to the deluxe line as he is the only deluxe figure that is an aircraft.

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