Revenge of the Fallen Skids (Deluxe)

Robot Mode: Skids here is actually a pretty good representation of the character we saw on the big screen. He's humanoid in shape, but very heavily set and looking almost hunched-over. His legs are short and stocky, while his arms are mismatched. The right one is both longer and thicker than the left one. And then there's the head.

Let's get aside the fact that the head is pretty much the only thing about Skids that I intensly dislike. I just don't see why an alien robot should have a head with mismatched eyes and two rabbit teeth, one of them golden. Skids in the movie was nothing more than a cheap joke that wasn't funny in the least and this head mirrors that. I loathe that head and the moment I find one that fits onto this figure, it'll go on its merry way toward the bottom of some spare parts box.

Leaving the head aside, though, I like Skids robot mode very much. He's very posable, the detailing is quite good, and even his somewhat strange proportions don't hurt him in the least. His right arm contains a gimmick. His oversized fist can extend quite a bit and when it does the barrel of a gun raises up from his forearm. A nice, solid gimmick that doesn't get in the way of anything and works out nicely. We need more gimmicks like that.

The only other thing slightly bothersome about Skids is that, as seems to be the case with quite a few ROTF figures, many of his alternate mode parts become a big rucksack. It makes him a bit prone to toppling over backwards, especially since the joints of his short, stubby legs are somewhat loose (at least on my version), but you can compensate for that without too many problems. So bottom line: A very nice robot mode, but with a butt-ugly head.

Alternate Mode: Skids transforms into a Chevy Beat Concept, a car which will appaerently be released in the year 2011 under the name Chevrolet Spark. First thing he reminded me of, though, was a Volkswagen Lupo. Or maybe a New Beetle. Anyway, he's a small, presumably economic car. Wouldn't be a car I'd like to drive, but it looks good and mostly wholesome. Detailing is good and transparent windows are always a good thing.

Well, almost always. In Skid's case it's a bit counter-productive as the panel on which his head sits folds up right behind the windshield, blocking most of the view into the car's interior. Given that, non-transparent windows might even have looked better here, not sure. It's not a big thing, but the only slight mark on an otherwise solid car mode.

Remarks: Skids and his 'twin' Mudflap where the comedy duo of the Revenge of the Fallen movie and did little more than utter jokes on a pee-pee level. They did fight against Devastator, but seeing as the dreaded super robot wasn't exactly very impressive in the movie, that isn't saying much. Many fans have likened them to Jar Jar Binks of Star Wars infamy and that likeness certainly fits.

The toy representing this character, though, is quite good. Or it would be, rather, if it weren't for that butt-ugly head. If Skids had a better head, I'd consider bumping him up to B+ or maybe even A-, but with it, I certainly can't justify giving this figure a better rating. Still, among the better figures of the ROTF line and worth getting, especially if you don't mind the head.

Rating: B

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