Review : Ultimate Police Station Assault Terminator The Terminator, NECA Wave/Series : Ultimate Series Released : August 2016
£22.99 - £25.99
After waiting a year or so to see NECA release the original Terminator figures in their Ultimate series, we've now pretty much got two at once. Having looked at the Tech Noir Ultimate T800 a couple of weeks back, we now have the Police Station Assault T800 in hand to take a close look at.
Like all Ultimate, the Police Assault figure arrives in a fully enclosed box. Rather than repeat the artwork used on Tech Noir, which was based on the original iconic movie poster, NECA have taken a lesser known promotional poster which is presented in dark blue's. The box recreates this movie poster with a wider shot of the T800 stood in an atmospheric alleyway. The film poster theme is taken as far as having Schwarzenegger across the top, and "The Terminator" at the bottom.
Round the sides of the box and a 1980's computer grid kicks in, this matches the design of the Tech Noir box - but this time is in a blue hue not red. The Terminator text is repeated down each spine on top of this grid design and here we also find the first NECA logo. Round the back and actual images of the figure kick in. Each of the four images showcases the options packed in with the figure, and are shot in very detailed dioramas not just stale promotional images. These are all laid on top of the same background we saw on Tech Noir. This means the blue theme ends and the back moves to a red Terminators eye view. The top left see's a panel of white text, but this does not detail anything in terms of plot or background and is simply a technical read out or some type of computer programming.
The front flap is held in place by the usual Velcro tabs, and opens to reveal the figure behind a window. The inner part of the flap has a further full length atmospheric shot of the actual figure. It is interesting that like Tech Noir there is no mention of the character on the box meaning the name of the figure is only quoted in the product listings.
The box opens via a top or bottom flap and the figure slides out in its plastic tray with cardboard back wrap, which is decorated in the continuing blue theme and could be used as a backdrop.
Putting all the parts aside for the moment, let's take a look at the figure. The T800 is packed with the iconic head complete with shades and the sculpt perfectly captures that stern, almost emotionless, jaw that Arnie portrays so well in the film. The shades are fixed, which I think is a good call considering removable glasses very rarely work. The hair is the more iconic crew type cut, varying from the longer side parted version that came fitted with the Tech Noir.
Be clear that there is some re-use in this release from Tech Noir. I would expect the T-shirt to be the same torso, although here it is a plain grey. The jacket is all new and is wonderfully detailed with zips and pockets and when you turn him round three bloodies bullet holes in the back. The trousers and boots are a direct reuse from Tech Noir but it certainly doesn't feel like a repaint or tweak.
As well as an awesome sculpt, the paint job's NECA are delivering are also top notch. The face for example has clear shading and variances in skin tone and that brings out the realism. The hair is also variates in colouring, but the big win for this first head is the high gloss sunglasses which add a real menace to the figure.
You do of course have two other head options that can be used, each representing the progression of damage the T800 takes during the movie. These two heads are essentially the same as the two alternative heads that come with the Tech Noir, but have been tweaked so that across the two figures you now have 6 head options - all of which can fit on either figure. The first head continues on from the bloodied eye we saw on the Tech Noir, and this time the robotic eye and the metal skull is starting to be exposed. The second head has further exposed metal skull to the temple and cheek. Once again the paint applications on both of these is top drawer and the damaged areas suitably gory and realistic.
The hands fitted with the figure are black fingerless gloves, with a nice high sheen on the black leather. Both of these are sculpted to hold weapons. These can also be swapped out for damaged burned versions. The damaged versions have holes across the gloved area and beneath this is red and burned flesh.
The hands will hold any of the weapons supplied, the first of which is a small wooden handled handgun. This gets a little lost in Arnie's hands, but is of course film accurate. Most fans will be picking up the next choice for their display - the shotgun! This is of course very iconic in many fans minds, and of course was used again in T2. The shotgun is sculpted well enough and is not a repeat of the Tech Noir shotgun, but now the more modern Police type assault weapon. The final weapon is the machine gun which again is nicely made, with some nice touches like the taping of a second magazine to the fitted one. Unlike the hand gun which is coloured, the two larger weapons are a simple matt black.
All three weapons fit into either or Arnie's hands (both sets) and the more flexible plastic used on the hands allows the trigger finger to be moved around to sit in the trigger of all weapons.
Sadly, the articulation doesn't support the weapons being posed all that well. The shoulders are ball jointed and can be raised to 90 degrees to the side and rotated. The elbow however is a single joint, and although it rotates it can't bend far enough back to have Arnie resting the gun on his shoulder nor can it come round the front enough to allow a two handed pose - ironically something the more maligned Genisys T800 did manage.
The head is ball jointed and the swap out is tight but once snapped it allows all three heads to rotate and move up and down within the collar area.
There is a simple waist swivel, but not torso movement that we do see on some comparable lines. The hips are unique to NECA with a ball joint hidden behind a rubberised groin piece. This looks much more natural but can bend a little weirdly when you move the legs too their widest extent. This extent is quite considerable on the T800 allowing Arnie to sit down, albeit a little stiffly. The knees, also beautifully worked into the sculpt, aren't as accommodating and bend to something around 45 degrees. This means that despite the hip movement, Arnie can't kneel or crouch and therefore you will find your poses restricted to standing up, perhaps with a wider stance at times or with Arnie's foot on a piece of scenery. He stands up brilliantly with a rotating ankle joint at the top of his boots and a rocker at the ankle - this T800 won't be doing any shelf diving any time soon.
So there he is, another Arnie to add to your collection - the third in Ultimate scale, and the fifth in the past 2-years if you include the Genisys figures. To me this Police Assault version is the more definitive release for the 1984 movie and I can see the sense in getting Tech Noir out first and then landing this one. Like Tech Noir there is very little to bemoan on this release. I can find no fault with the paint applications, nor with the sculpt. The accessories all do a job and it's nice to have the three distinct head options to choose from. NECA never sell these figures as highly articulated, and for £25 they will never be. It would however have been nice to have that slightly wider arm range to allow for the weapon poses we mentioned. That being said this is a minor niggle and the Police Assault T800 is awarded 5 out of 5, the FIFTH Terminator Ultimate figure in a row to achieve this score.
