ROTF Lockdown (or, as I've really gotten him for my classics/henkei shelf, my Henkei Rockdown :b)
Please note as well that I've already started Henkei-fying him up as of this small photoshoot - so he has a shinied up engine block, bumper and wheel spikes
Series: Revenge of the Fallen - NEST Global Alliance
Size Class: Deluxe
Allegiance: Decepticon
Approx Retail Price: $30+? (I got mine for about 22AUD while I was off in HK - he was a bit hard to find and only found in hobby stores- not retail just yet)

Vehicle mode:
I like it! It's a very obvious homage to the Animated Lockdown, and oozes with attitude. The tampo'ed lines on the alt mode are nice and crisp. Paintwork on other sections like the gold bits are a little less crisp - with a few small sections where it's not fully painted. that said, ther main colours that make out his vehicle mode are: this browny black that makes the main exterior, green for his stripes, gold for some of the accents, silver for some of the spikes, and hasbrogrey for the bumper, engine block and the spikes on the wheels. Note that the spikes on the wheels are actuall soft plastic, as are a couple of the parts in robot mode - we'll get to that shortly though.



They also bothered to pain the rear brake lights which is a nice touch. No other colours present itself in vehicle mode though - other than the clear orange they've chosen for the headlights, windscreen and windows. Overall, very nice, as you can't see any kibble unless you look at the undercarriage of the car.

Transformation:
Lockdown's transformation is easy enough that you won't need the instructions, but sufficiently complex such that when you've got it all figured out, there's a sense of accomplishment. It's a tricky middle ground that isn't easily found, but I think they did a nice job here. It's not going to take you as long as some of the other movie toys to transform, but neither is it boring or overly simple. Great job, TakaraTomy!

Robot Mode:
First thing you'll notice is how tall Lockdown is! He might be a regular sized deluxe, but once transformed, he towers over many other deluxes. I forgot to take a photo, but he simply dwarfs dirge in robot mode (both of which I bought for around the same price in HK - again from hobby shops - not TRU's and the like)

I think he really shines in this mode. There's this mech-alive gimmick in his legs where if you rotate him at the knees, the gray sculpted parts in his thighs swivel around with it. Simple yet effective. As you transform his right arm and flip the hook up, there's a piston that moves in. Again, simple yet effective!

I wasn't sure what the 'correct' transformation was for his right arm, so I have the door part rotated as well as not rotated. Please see the pictures. (the back of packaging has it not-rotated, but I found that if so, that extra articulation has no purpose whatsoever.



Something else that I really like about Lockdown is his head! It's again, similar to the Animated version, but highly detailed, and it also has a KILLER neckjoint. Awesome! I was initially worried that with all that articulation, it was wasted as his head couldn't turn left to right. WRONG.

As aforementioned, there are a couple of parts that come in the soft plastic - here - his hook and left hand are both moulded in the soft (RUBBERY) plastic. Some will like it, some will hate it. I don't like it, but given the thin and intricate sculpt, I understand the reasoning behind it - it won't snap easily like this. Unfortunately, it's nigh unpaintable with spray paints as I discovered yesterday. (What I'll be doing soon is painting it with acrylics, then going out to spray it with the chrome again)

Overall, I really do like the asthetics of this toy. He has a great assymmetric look to him thanks to the massive hook on his right arm and the differing shoulder armour. Noice.

Articulation is plentiful in this toy, which is always a plus in my book. That said, the way the hook arm is designed, his hook arm only bends about 50 or so degrees. Not quite a full 90 degrees. Unfortunate, but what can you do? Also, there is no articulation in either 'hand' (hook and hand) that allows it to spin. They are perpetually locked in that angle thanks to the transformation. Far from a deal breaker though as Lockdown can still pull off nice poses!

End Note
Well, just to wrap it all up, I have to say that I definitely recommend this toy to both enthusiasts of the Animated line thanks to the GREAT homage, as well as to collectors of the movie line. While he isn't a perfect match for the movie line - (he looks like a cross between classics and movie) he won't look out of place there. Personally, as a classics/henkei collector, I still reckon he'll find a nice home in my decepticon shelf. He's just far enough away from the movie aesthetic to fit in I reckon!



And there we have it - ROTF Lockdown(Henkei Rockdown :b)!!! Go get him the second you see him on shelves!

{NOTE} Mods, are you able to add a poll to this please? :S I can't seem to do this after the fact! D'oh!