he films Alien and Predator have much in common. Both films feature a lone alien stalking and killing humans until only one survives. Both are exciting, tense action films. Both feature aliens that have captured the imaginations of many and have become part of science-fiction lore.
When Predator 2 was released, we saw on that alien ship hunting trophies of the heads of the creatures from Alien. Thus began much speculation that the two films were even more closely related than previously thought. Dark Horse created a comic-book series pitting these two nemeses against each other. This past summer a film version of this highly anticipated face-off was released to theaters.
McFarlane has created several series of Aliens and Predators in the past few years. Most of these have been about 6 or 7 inches in height. Among its new line is a series of Aliens and Predators from that film.
But McFarlane Toys also wants fans to remember the original creatures from the two films. At around the same time its released its AVP line, McFarlane also released two 12-inch figures of Alien and Predator from the originals that sparked such interest.
Several 12-inch-scale figures of Alien and Predator have been created in the past. For comparison's sake, the most noteworthy was Kenner's box set of an Alien facing off against a Predator. Those figures had passable detail but just awful articulation. McFarlane's efforts far exceed any past toy creations of these classic alien killers.
Packaged in large square window boxes, Alien and Predator feature logo art from the two ground-breaking films. The backs of the packages advertise the 6-inch line of Alien vs. Predator as well.
Predator is a 12-inch figure articulated in certain places that features retracting blades from one forearm bracer and an opening control pad on the other. A shoulder cannon is double-hinged and can pivot up and down.
Alien stands more than 12 inches, fully extended, and features a clear-canopied skull, sharp detail and three face huggers.
Each figure comes with a highly detailed and appropriate stand that supports these hefty figures well while providing an attractive display base whose detail rivals the figures themselves.
Monstrous but gorgeous
Predator is finely molded, with detail in every crevice. Sharp, well-defined lines, the net-mesh outfit, the armor plating. All are well presented, molded and painted. The quality of the face's mold and paint is as high as I've seen in much more expensive sculpted busts. The Predator has a string of trophy skulls around its chest. A lever exposes two double blades from its right bracer. The opening panel (used by the Predator to trigger various functions, including an invisibility cloaking system and a nuclear bomb) is faithful to the original and includes painted LED-like alien digits. Several flexible hoses attach one armor segment to others.
For such an excellent figure, and coming from McFarlane, which raised the bar on figure articulation, the limited jointing is somewhat of a disappointment. But there is enough articulation to pose Predator in many different positions. The wrists rotate along the arms' axes, the elbows both rotate at specific angles (though they do not bend), and the shoulders have a limited range of movement. The head only rotates, and the legs are hinged only on the hips and ankles. Knee hinges would have increased this figure's posability immensely.
The Predator's base is a highly detailed piece of forest floor, modeled in plastic and rubber and painted with exacting care. The base holds the hefty figure quite well.
And for especially eager collectors, the Predator is also available as a clear figure, with some painted details in order to simulate its using his cloaking technology. This figure is identical to the opaque version, down to the skull trophies, shoulder cannon and hose attachments. This figure is even more desirable than the original version, and is available exclusively through Musicland stores.
The Alien's detail is beyond reproach. I have seen many different figures based on the original Alien, but this one's detail, its molding and its paint are better than any I've seen.
The ribbed spinal quality designed by famed artist H.R. Giger is gorgeously portrayed. The tail is made of soft rubber and has a central wire to allow it to bend into any position. The torso rotates and pivots on a ball joint, and the shoulders are fully articulated. The elbows rotate only on a particular angle, but the angle is such that they can be posed in many positions. The wrists rotate, and the knees are articulated. The hips rotate, and there is a joint halfway down the thigh for better leg articulation. The ankles rotate and pivot, as does the neck.
This figure's winning feature is the head. Molded in gruesome detail, the head is capped with a clear canopy, painted to blend in with the opaque front and rear for an excellent effect.
Pressing a button at the back of the head causes the Alien's sinister inner mouth to spring forth from the gaping jaws. Quite scary.
The three bonus face huggers that come with the Alien are also incredibly well made and would be better only if their tales were also bendy, allowing them to twist around the necks of unsuspecting 12-inch human action figures.
The Alien's base is an oval section of ship deck, with tendrils of alien growth spreading over the gridlike floor.
This pair (or trio, if you include the clear version) is top-notch.
