Movie Stockade

My Review:

Robot Mode: Stockade's robot mode is humanoid in shape, but with his relatively short legs and huge, powerful arms he looks more like a gorilla than a human. His entire air is that of a big bully, a bruiser, ready to pound on anyone who looks at him funny. I like Stockade's look a lot and his body features a lot of detailing, a strange but cool-looking head, plus excellent posability. I could have done without the panels on his shoulders and fists, they seem a bit misplaced, but that's just a little thing.

Gimmick-wise Stockade can use the grey levers on his forearms to extend his fists outward. I guess he can shake hands with Bonecrusher here, who has a similar gimmick (and a similar shape, come to think of it). He looks pretty cool with the fists out, it gives him a huge armspan. He also has pretty nice hands (and you know I'm a sucker for hands), being able to open and close his fist two fingers at a time. What gets me down a little, though, is that the extending fists are his only weapon. I'd have preferred at least a small handgun or something. As things stand Stockade is doomed if a foe ever confronts him from a distance. All in all, though, a good robot mode.

Vehicle Mode: With one of the easiest transformation procedures of the entire Movie line, Stockade transforms into the kind of black SUV apparently so in vogue with government agencies in the movies. The Sector Seven agents drove this kind of car during the Transformers Movie and Stockade does in fact sport a Sector Seven logo on his side. The SUV looks pretty spiffy and while you can't open the side doors, it does feature a working trunk in the back. You can't put anything inside, but it opens. The levers for extending his fists are now on the roof of the car, but they fulfill no function there. You can pretend they are part of a roof-mounted luggage rack, but they don't really look the part. Painting them black would have made them blend in better. Apart from that, though, a decent vehicle mode.

Remarks: Originally I figured that Stockade, just like Landmine, was supposed to be one of the "normal" vehicles seen in the Movie, brought to life by the AllSpark. According to his bio he isn't, though, but rather a Decepticon from outer space.

As a toy Stockade is good, but in my opinion a little over-hyped. He features a good robot mode, an easy transformation, and a decent, if somewhat unspectacular vehicle mode. All of which makes for a good toy, but I'm kinda missing that little something extra that many of the Movie Deluxe figures brought with them. There is nothing wrong with Stockade (except for the lack of a gun) and he has those articulate hands, but still... I'm missing something. Not sure what it is, but it does put the minus behind the good.

Rating: B-

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And for a second opinion, a review by LimeWire:

Robot Mode: The first thing I noticed is that Stockade is the fastest-transformed Deluxe figure from the Movie line. Seven short steps and he's finished (less than sixty seconds). Hasbro calls him difficulty 3, though whereas Dropkick is only a 2. Hasbro logic.

He's as posable as Dropkick, but his appearance is a lot stockier. He's also a good deal shorter. His articulate hands are pretty nifty. Two of the three fingers on each hand are individually posable. Philister would be thrilled (:D). The arms can be elongated to twice their length, making for a gorilla- or boxer-like appearance.

On one hand I really like that, but on the other I'm a bit disappointed that the arms can't shoot out with a trigger, that way you could really knock Optimus onto his skidplate. Big laugh! I also really like the head, there is something very special about it.

Vehicle Mode: The vehicle mode often "tells" of the mistake made during Transformation into the alt mode. Because everything is shaky and doesn't really fit together. What does that tell us? Hasbro henchmen working working the assembly line can't transform figures properly. Big laugh! Only after a bit of fiddling does the vehicle mode fit together nice and stable.

The alt mode makes a good impression and has nice features, such as the trunk. I'd have preferred the luggage rack on top to be black or chrome, because it seems a little out of place. All in all, though, a satisfying alt mode.

Conclusion: A fully developed Transformer with a good alt mode and a better robot mode.

Rating: B