TOY REVIEW

Name: Grimlock
Allegiance: Autobot
Sub-Group: Dinobot
Function: Dinobot Commander
Beast Mode: Robot Tyrannosaurus Rex
"Among winners there is no room for the weak."

BEAST MODE

Height: 12cm
Length: 18cm
Width: 8cm
Well, as mentioned above, Grimlock is an old-school style T-rex, that is he drags his tail. Of course this toy was developed in the 1970s, way before the scientific community decided the T-rex runs like a Velociraptor (back when archaeologists thought that T-rex stood upright and that dinosaurs dragged their tails. Current science believes that T-rex's torso was horizontal and the tail was not lifted, as more accurately portrayed by Beast Wars Megatron - Goktimus). It doesn't matter too much though, since Grimlock can walk like a "contemporary" T-rex anyway. Grimlock's "arms" move, as do his legs, and as an added bonus so do the claws on his feet (although this is needed for the transformation). His head moves and his jaw opens - to reveal a moulded laser where his tongue would be if he had one - which is a nice touch. Being a Diaclone toy, Grimlock has a few little things like that which later Transformers missed, such as the moulding inside his Dinobot neck (basically his neck is transparent and inside there's moulded gold chrome plastic. His Diaclone cockpit is on his back (in both modes actually) (although the pilot sat upside down; don't ask me why - Goktimus). He's basically grey, although his arms and tail tip are chrome silver, underbelly (robot chest), inner neck and claws are chrome gold (yes, that's right, two colours of chrome), and his Diaclone cockpit is a smoky transparent affair. Oh yes and he has red eyes. Overall it's a great dinosaur. The only drawback is that he can't hold a missile launcher (Slag, Snarl & Swoop can).

TRANSFORMATION TO ROBOT MODE

Flip back the head/neck, the T-rex chest splits apart and fold back to form his "wings". Split the tail tip apart and fold the halves to the sides of the tail. Swing the underbelly/legs up to where the T-rex chest was (so that the head is level with the top of the gold chest). Swing the tail over to form the lower legs, split the legs and push them out and up to transform the waist. Slide the wrists towards the shoulders (the T-rex legs become the arms), fold away those claws and you're done. Having said that, leave the claws in animal mode of they cover the holes in the fists.

ROBOT MODE

Height: 15cm
Width: 12cm wings
The grey takes a back seat here. His limbs are grey (black hands), black thighs & waist - OK the waist is red in the middle and black on the sides - gold chest and black head. He's not without his problems, though they are small. His head is a little far back, although we're not talking helipad on front of his face on his shoulders. Basically it sits at the back of his shoulderpads.
Also, his arms are maybe a centimetre too long, but you only really notice this if he's standing to attention with his arms by his sides, but since Grimlock isn't one to follow orders, you've already moved his arms into a slightly forward, more natural pose, anyway, right? Other than those two minor flaws, he's a well proportioned toy. He has a little bit of a backpack but the wings look cool and he has no trouble standing (unless you have a toy with dodgy knees). He can move his arms on swivels as most original Transformer toys can, and bend his knees.

VARIATIONS

There was one with a notch on the back of his dino head and one without.

OVERALL

A good toy, one I certainly recommend getting. He has a few little problems, but nothing that gets on the nerves. And considering how pivotal the character is in both the comics (where he assumes command) or the movie (he saves Hot Rod so he can light the darkest hour), a must for any collector who digs collecting characters. I'd give this guy 8/10.

This toy review was written by Dirge.

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