Review : Ultimate T-1000 Terminator Terminator 2, NECA Wave/Series : Ultimate Series Released : Jan 2016
£22.99 - £25.99
Following NECA's release of Ultimate T800 and Sarah Connor last year, the trinity is now complete with the release of the T1000 Terminator from Terminator 2 : Judgement Day.
Like all Ultimate releases to date, the T1000 arrives in a fully enclosed black glossy box. The T2 logo is used as a header on both the front and back of the box, and as a spine label on either side. The front is then decorated with a large profile shot of the T1000 as seen in the film played by Robert Patrick. This image is surrounded in a brushed metal frame, with a T1000 name plate at the base of the image.
This same image is replicated on the two sides, with the very bottom of the side spine having the NECA logo printed on the same brushed metal coloured panel. The back of the box picks up actual images of the figure. The larger of these, offset to the left as you look, is of the figure in a diorama environment reflecting the asylum where Sarah Connor first encounters the T1000. To the right are two smaller torso shots showing a couple of the various options that you can set-up your figure with on display. The remaining space on the back is taken up with a couple of paragraphs, identical to the ones used on the other T2 Ultimates, which sets up the basic plot of the film.
The figure itself can be seen by opening the front of the box, which is held in place with a Velcro fastener. The inner side of this outer door is another full size image of the T1000 figure. The figure is presented in a clear window, and around him are arranged the variety of swap out parts. This window is framed with a dark frame, which contains images from the Apocalyptic future we see in T2 - with laser blasts, explosions, drifting smoke and a floor of skulls. Once opened, the tray is backed in a cardboard insert which again uses the Asylum diorama image.
To keep things simple I will review the figure as he comes out of the box first. I will then talk about each of the swap-out options that come packed with the T1000.
The T1000 figure stands at 6 3/4 inches high. This puts him slightly shorter than Arnie's T800, but taller than the Sarah Connor figure. The head sculpt is a wonderful representation of actor Robert Patrick and like all NECA releases, it doesn't just capture a blank expression - but that dispassionate, quizzical look that Patrick holds through the film. The skin tone on the face is supported with some shading variety to bring out the character of the face, with the eyes and mouth detailed really well. The hair is a base brown, with additional dry-brushing to add depth. The only gripe on my figure is a splodge of brown hair colour on the T1000 right ear and a bit of hair sculpt behind the same ear not fully covered.
On first look it is quite possible to not appreciate the detail that has gone into the Police Uniform that the T1000 is wearing. However, look closely at the name badge on the left chest - and see how the name Austin is sculpted into the figure (Austin is the name of the officer that the T1000 kills and assumes as his identity). On the other side the Police badge is coloured in both silver and gold, and although not as clear as the name badge - there is also engraved writing in the badge.
Round the belt are a number of pouches, a walkie-talkie with flexible aerial and a working holster for the T1000's hand gun. The whole uniform is a rich deep blue, but with some texture in the sculpt - particularly the trousers which are a corduroy effect.
Articulation starts with the jointed head, which can rotate fully round and look up and down and side to side. Shoulders are ball jointed allowing the arms to rotate up over the head and to a 90 degree angle out to the side. Elbows are a single joint and can bend fully to 90 degrees to the upper arm. The elbow joint also rotates which expands the arm range somewhat. The hands are on a pegged joint so slot into the cuff of the sleeve and will rotate as well as moving to some degree to either side.
The waist is jointed, and you can therefore swivel the T1000 Torso completely round independently of his legs - well he is made of liquid metal. The hips are nicely disguised under a rubberised groin area, and they can still move out to the side and to the front with the rubber section moving with the legs up to a certain points. The T1000 will not sit or kneel, but the hip movement will allow some more action orientated stances.
I love NECA knees, they are always really well disguised and the T1000 is no exception. They are however only single jointed, and bend maybe 20 degrees or so backward. They do however rotate at the joint like the elbows. This rotation doesn't look the best when applied but can help balance the figure a little better. The figure ends with jointed ankles, but restricted within the trouser legs, so only very minor adjustments are possible.
Your first option for the T1000 is to arm him with a hand gun, and this is done by swapping out the right hand for the shooting position hand that is supplied. This pops in and out relatively easily and the gun will then slot neatly in place with the trigger finger fitting neatly into the trigger. The gun will also slot into the holster on the left hand side of the figure.
If gun's aren't your thing, then the hands on both arms can be swapped out in the same manor for the finger needles. Each hand has an elongated index finger that blends from skin tone to silver and ends in a pretty nasty point - the left hand point being longer than the right. This is how the T1000 disposes of John Connor's adopted parents. For such a slim piece of plastic you will be pleased their is some give in the points, but I suspect if mishandled these will snap under very little force.
But what if a liquid metal finger isn't enough? Well why not swap out the whole forearm for the metal claws that the T1000 uses to chase our heroes in the parking garage. If you grip the forearm and pull straight down from the joint you will find the forearm, complete with joint, pops out and can be swapped with one or both of the hook arms. Each arm has a paint variation effect from dark blue of the uniform through to a silver finish. Each arm ends in a 90 degree hook and, like the finger spikes, although there is a degree of give - these would be at risk of snapping.
But of course the T1000 isn't immune to a bit of damage himself. So swap out parts are provided here too. The first of these mimics what we saw on the T1000 from the Genisys range with the entire chest section popping off the body and then replaced with a variant version. This chest has three liquid metal bullet holes sculpted on top of the torso. Like the Genisys version, my issue with these is that they look stuck-on rather than being holes in the body itself. With a hollow chest cavity underneath I do not see why this couldn't have been sculpted through the torso so they look like the shells have indeed buried a hole into the torso. This aside the engineering is sound and the torso's swap in and out very easily.
The final options are to swap out the heads for additional damaged versions. The heads pop off under a bit of pressure, and should leave a peg in the torso section onto which you add your replacement head. I found that the plain torso achieves this really well, but the damaged torso had a tendency for the peg to come out with the head so watch out for that issue.
Damaged head one is where the T1000 is shot through the eye. Unlike the chest damage, it is quite clear that this damage extends right through the figure as there is a hole straight through the head. This is really well done, and well painted, and best of all the T1000 retains that same expression despite the damage.
The other head is where the entire T1000 head is split in half. Again, this is really well done with the T1000 still holding that same expression while it's head flaps to either side. Inside the damage is fully painted to match the liquid metal of the T1000 make up.
So there he is, and by my reckoning this one set gives you in the region of 30 different combinations that you can select to display your T1000, so certainly value for money. Niggles include the factory paint issues, the chest damage and that slightly stubborn neck pin in the damaged torso. These are really insignificant though, and with no other flaws on such a stunning looking figure there really is no other option to award the T1000 Terminator a 5 out of 5.
