Toy Review - The Last Knight Barricade (Deluxe)
Series – The Last Knight
Sub-series - Premier Edition
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - new
Wave - 1
Released here – late April 2017
RRP - $29
Approximate Size - 12.5cm to top of head, 14cm with shoulder panels fully extended
Allegiance - Decepticon
Alt-mode – 2016 Ford Mustang police car
Main Features/Gimmicks – N/A
Main Colours – orange blue, white, greys
Main Accessories – pistol, nightstick, gun belt
Let me begin by saying that I've approached the TLK line with low expectations, as much of this line hasn't really appealed to me. However Barricade was the one toy which piqued by curiosity, but even then I wasn't expecting to hope for too much from it. But I must admit, this toy has greatly exceeded my jaded expectations and I was actually quite pleasantly surprised. This toy is nicer than it looks. I'll start by looking at the robot mode, since that's the mode that it comes packaged in (in it's oversized space wasting box :rolleyes:).
ROBOT MODE
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y22...psa3lcwmbr.jpg
Aesthetically it's a significant departure from the old movie Barricade. Gone are the far more bestial-monstrous designs of the robot mode replaced by a far more humanoid proportioned body (which is more appealing to me). This is going back to the "mecha" style of Transformers which is more orthodox in TF designs (and something which many people have disliked about previous Bayformer designs). The head is still bestial, although evoking a more insectoid design that's similar to what we saw in characters like DotM Crankcase (who looks a lot like Berserker in TLK).
TLK Barricade forms a far more solid robot mode. It's better balanced and isn't prone to disconnecting at the waist like the original figure does. The toy isn't encumbered by having that ungainly extendable claw gimmick from the 2007 claw, and the absence of having an ejectable Frenzy in the chest means that the upper body is far more compact (although the Frenzy gimmick was pretty neat :)). But because this toy isn't slave to any gimmick it can dedicate all of its design and engineering into the core toy itself, which it does quite well.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y22...psrou3eiuw.jpg
The "Serve" and "Protect" mirror-reversed text on the knuckle dusters look funky and along with the more humanoid robot form gives Barricade more of a boxer/brawler look (as opposed to being a robotic gorilla like the original figure). The gun belt can be wrapped around Barricade's left forearm, and the nightstick and pistol may either be holstered on the sides of this thighs or placed in his hands. The nightstick is 5mm thick as is its handle, which means that can be held by the shaft and used as a club weapon (as shown in my photo), or it can be held by the handle and used like a tonfa. I quite like the idea of Barricade being a much more versatile fighter. Able to attack at range with his guns or melee with his tonfa or knuckle dusters. The colours work pretty well on Barricade and remind me of Chase the Police-Bot from Rescue Bots. Barricade features an impressive 19 points of articulation.
TRANSFORMATION
There are some really nice features in the transformation which help to make Barricade as least shellformery as possible. The way that some of the panels tuck away and how some of the parts shift is quite clever, intuitive, reasonably challenging and fun. It incorporates some of the nicer elements that we've seen from other recent figures, including Masterpiece. Impressively, the holstered weapons can remain holstered during transformation. Only the gun belt needs to be removed and can be placed on the rear of the vehicle.
VEHICLE
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y22...pspfxbb51z.jpg
A pretty decent look police car. Hasbro have gotten significantly gooder at matching the painted clear plastic colours with that of the painted plastic, which is something that Hasbro have often struggled with. I would prefer to see the red and blue in the strobe rack be brighter, but it doesn't look bad.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y22...ps5rhmto2j.jpg
Comparison Pics with 2007 Barricade
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http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y22...psl693mxqa.jpg
OVERALL
I was seriously expecting to dislike this toy. At best, I was hoping that I would find it mediocre... if I was lucky. But I didn't hope for anything more than that. This is pretty much how I approach almost all TFs now outside of MPs and CHUGUR. I walk in with low expectations and brace myself for the disappointment, and as such, I usually wait until I find the toy on sale. Seeing these toys online and IRL I thought, "Gee, Hasbro. Thanks for saving me money. These toys look rubbish." But I got impatient with TLK Barricade and paid full quid expecting to feel ripped off about it later.
But I don't.
I am actually really impressed with this toy. It has truly exceeded my expectations for a Movieverse Deluxe figure. This is how you silence your critics. Not through words but through actions - by making good products! When I was transforming both the 2007 and TLK Barricades for the comparison pics, it reminded me of when I did the same for MP5 and MP36 -- TLK Barricade honestly feels like the "MP36" to the original Barricade's "MP5." It's that good. The feeling of frustration is replaced with wonder and just genuine fun. If the other Premier Edition toys are as good as Barricade, then I think that fans will be in for a real treat. Highly recommended! :D
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