Movie Nightwatch Optimus Prime

Series: Movie AllSpark Power
Allegiance: Autobot
Categories: Leader
Year: 2008

Optimus Prime prefers a straight-forward battle, in which opponents can look one another in the eye and know that what they do is for real and forever, as adversaries should. When fighting an enemy like the Decepticons, however, he knows that more subtle tactics are often called for. Using the new powers granted him by the infusion of Allspark energy, he is ready for even the stealthiest mission. The darker colours are sensor transparent, letting him slip in unseen, often even directly under the eyes of Decepticon guards. New servos in his joints move him silently across the ground, and AllSpark powered punches let him take out enemy troops without a single pulse from his ion blaster.

Review by LimeWire:

Robot Mode: The experienced Transformers fan will look at Nightwatch Optimus Prime and think "Ultra Magnus", rather than a "real" Optimus Prime. The bot mode of Optimus Prime did surprise me a bit, to be honest. Leader-class Transformers are usually not very posable and seem pretty stiff, but not so Optimus Prime. I've been sold completely on this mode. The face is nicely done and superbly sculpted. Most of the poses we saw in the movie can be done without getting into balance issues. The hands are finely detailed and posable. Every digit can be moved independently, allowing for nice visuals. Only the flippable hand weapon Optimus Prime carries is not exactly my cup of tea. It seems too small and somehow out of place. It's also not easy to remove.

Vehicle Mode: One thing first: Like all Leader figures Nightwatch Optimus Prime is sold in robot mode. Even using the manual transforming him the first time was pretty damn hard. But once you've gotten past the transformation, you see a very good looking truck in front of you.

The toy designers didn't adhere 100 percent to the movie version, it probably couldn't be done without inhibting the mechanics of the figure. I don't know, it doesn't matter either. The blue truck is looking so damn fine, I keep asking myself which expensive 1:32 model trailer I should buy to properly complete Optimus Prime here. If you could turn the front tires, as with the Alternators, that would have been the final detail to make him perfect, but that would probably have been asking to much.

Conclusion: All in all Optimus Prime is a solid, high-quality Transformer. Unfortunately he doesn't have any extras worth mentioning. The built-in sound effects are rather unremarkable.

Rating: B