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NECA's 1:4 Scale PREDATOR Action Figure
Size does matter...
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Over two decades have passed since the original Predator movie was released in theaters, yet today’s demand for collectibles based on the film’s iconic alien creature shows no indication of slowing down. While numerous one-of-a-kind collectibles have been produced by various companies, the new Quarter Scale Predator Action Figure by NECA outshines its predecessors as the company’s most ambitious project to date.
PACKAGING: The oversized Predator figures come packaged within a large window box that features an eye-catching Predator theme all around. The front of each box features an oversized image of the Predator’s head on the left corner which extends over to the side panel showcasing the different heads depending on which version of the figure it is.
The right side panel showcases the other versions of the Predator figure while the back of the box includes an oversized image of the specific Predator with a cloaking effect along with a photo gallery of all the 7" Predator figures from the first three assortments. While I just can not fathom purchasing such an awesome figure to just keep in the package, NECA has married the beauty of their figure with a visually enticing package that will look great even unopened.
SCULPT: For those who believe this is just a super-sized version of the 7” Predator, your are sorely mistaken. This ¼ scale version of the Predator is composed of a brand new sculpt which is a hundred times more detailed than the standard-sized Predator. Artist Kyle Windrix took full advantage of working at such a massive scale which allowed the liberties to render an enormous amount of sculpted details on the figure. The bumps and ridges on the surface of the Predator’s skin can be felt at finger’s touch and the skeletal trophies hanging from the creature’s body look like real small animal remains. While all three version of the quarter scale Predator re-use the same buck body, the heads included with each are completely unique.
The head sculpt for my (closed mandibles) version looks amazingly life-like and features the most movie-accurate sculpt of the Predator, even surpassing the Hot Toys 1/6 versions of the creature in terms of detail. The various textures and wrinkles of the creature’s face are truly amazing and are the icing on the cake for this piece. The additional two versions of this figure include a masked and battle-ready roaring head which are equally awesome making it very difficult when it comes to choosing which version to buy.
Unlike the standard 7" version of the Predator, the larger version replaces the sculpted netting with real fabric which adds realism to the figure and works seamlessly with all the articulation cuts among the body as it is non-prohibitive of joint movement. The wrist armors on the creature are also a work of sculptural beauty and very film-accurate. It is very evident that NECA designers have invested a lot of time researching material from the classic film and the end result would make the late Stan Winston himself proud. The NECA quarter scale Predator figure rivals even that of Sideshow’s premium format statue as it looks more like a pre-production movie maquette instead of an action figure. I could go on and on about how amazing the work is on this figure but it would take up twice as much space as I have already described so far. It is very hard to put in words the sheer-awesomeness of this sculptural masterpiece without seeing it in person.
ARTICULATION: The quarter scale Predator figure features the same articulation as the standard 7” version. With the rising costs of plastics and labor in China NECA was still able to deliver the goods to collectors by not sacrificing any of the tooling on this amazing figure and still managing to keep its price point under $80! The various articulation joints are very tight and the knee joints feature a ratchet-like joints which help sustain various poses and keeps the heavy figure from falling over . The articulation break-down on this figure is as follows:
-Ball-Socket Shoulders
-Ball-Socket Wrists
-Ball-Hinged Elbows
-Swivel V Crotch
-Swivel Thighs
-Ball-Hinged Knees
-Ball-Socket Ankles
-Ball-Socket Neck
-Swivel Waist
PAINT: NECA has achieved a trinity of utter perfection on this mega-scaled version of the Predator as they have not only achieved sculptural perfection and versatility but have also managed to breathe life into the piece with its masterful color applications. Various paint techniques have been utilized in the coloring process of the quarter-scaled creature resulting in one of the most life-like and movie accurate Predator collectibles ever made. The hands and feet on the Predator seem to be colored in various hues of translucent colors giving the creature’s flesh a realistic organic look. The paint details on the creature’s head are amazing and even the most minute details such as the veins along the inside of the alien’s mouth are vividly rendered in color. The color applications on the final production version of the Predator is almost identical to that of the prototypes that were on display at Toy Fair earlier this year. In conclusion, the paint quality and techniques applied by Jon Wardell and Geoffrey Trapp on this figure make this collectible seem more like a Hollywood movie prop rather than an oversized action figure.
OVERALL: While I admit that I would have loved a super deluxe version of this figure that included all three interchangeable heads, I understand why the company opted to produce three separate versions of the Predator. One quick glance at this amazing quarter scale figure and you will realize that creating this figure was a true labor of love for NECA and their incredibly-talented creative team. The quarter scale Predator figure has claimed the number one spot among all the other Predator collectibles I own. I tip my hat to NECA for delivering the most incredible looking film-accurate figure of the most bad-*** alien creature in the galaxy. All three version of the quarter scale Predator are available for purchase now from most of our fine sponsors but keep in mind that these figures are selling fast and you might lose out if you hold off on purchasing them now. The Predator figures vary in price from $69 to $80, depending on where you purchase them from, and have even been spotted at Toys"R"Us retail stores across the US.
Review and Photos by Jorge Pelaez
Review Sample Courtesy of NECA
Re: NECA's 1:4 Scale PREDATOR Action Figure
Excellent review Jeff! From what I've heard this really is an amazing figure and fans everywhere are giving rave reviews. I love that last picture btw. Poor Berserker.
I've yet to pick mine up but I have a friend holding a set for me. Problem is I don't know which version to pick! Maybe I'll just splurge and get all 3! Ha ha. :D
Re: NECA's 1:4 Scale PREDATOR Action Figure
Actaully Jorge Pelaez did the review:) But yeah, he loves it.
