Transformers Review: Movie Longarm

Reviews

Transformers Movie: Longarm
Size: Deluxe
MSRP: 10$
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A TF review written exclusively for Inside Pulse by Rikkomba

 

Greetings, my readers. After some hiatus, here we go again for another TF review. The reason for this long wait is… basically, I had lots of things to do, mainly work, love and my studies in Bioinformatics. For 2008, I hope at least to have less work :-)
Before I start the review, some news: I finally for the rarest minicon team, excluding Lucky Draws , prototypes or unreleased item, the Space Galaxy Edition Destruction Team. It’s a gray and black repaint of Armada Destruction Team, nothing special… except its rarity and price.
Now to move on with my minicon collection I guess I’ll have to focus on Lucky Draws and prototypes… that means, lots of work to do! :-)
Ultimately bored from all those minicons I got lately, I decided to try and get another Movie toy… just as in Wreckage’s case, this TF is not actually present in the movie (except for a vehicle that’s identical to Longarm’s alt mode), but manages to be cooler than several Movie toys that were part of the cast.

Oh, gosh…. Bumblebee has been hit… and the only mechanic in town,too!

Longarm’s alt mode, a tow-truck,has several features, among which: an un detail, all-white hook section, an utter difficulty in keeping the front part together, orange lighs that won’t find a good position, not matter what and boring black weels. Basically, this toy is all about transformation.

Who has the longest arm among the Longarms?

I guess Movie Longarm is the Longarm with the longest “arm” among all the ‘bots which used this funny name in these years. Its huge weapon reminds me a lot of Big Convoy’s, except for the fact that Mammooth ownz Tow-truck systematically,in my book.
Longarm’s tranformation is very original: the robot mode’s chest has detail as to made us believe that the metal covering on the back of the truck collapsed to become its chest: I love these lazy engineering tricks. The front part of the truck becomes robot legs, with an exploit of aritcualtion and hinges that makes me think there was asale or something. Really, Longarm’s ankles and feet ARE MADE of articulations! well, whatever, at least it can get in some very nice poses. Please note that the huge weapon is screwed into Longarm’s right hand: a 2-hand grip is possible, as you’ll see in the pictures, and it’s also extremely easy to unscrew the weapon, giving much more weight balance to the rest.
As for the rest, I’d say that we have a winner for the head, and considering the rest it seems to me that originality here is the real winner. Differently from Classic minicons, here we have an innovative TF that brings fresh ideas into the line without failing… except for a serious negative factor: the plastic used for this product is only slightly better than the one they use in China for KO’s, bootlegs or junk sold as replicas of TF products. This is not acceptable, if they have to raise the MSRP from 12 to 14$ for a deluxe, well, let’s do it, but this is not acceptable at all.

Origami Transformers, out in 2009!

Longarm’s design is probably one of the best among Movie TFs, with an original alt mode, a good level of diguise and a well-concealed, huge weapon. Detailing and posability add to create a great toy. On the negative side, the plastic used for this product sucks big time. Because of this, instead of the planned 8, on Elohim’s Energon Scale I give Movie Longarm 7 out of 10 cubes

Please, enjoy your holidays everyone. And enjoy yourselves, of course. See you soon!
All the best,

Rikkomba