Ratchet '07
TRANSFORMERS REVIEW
In all the twenty odd years of the many
Transformers ranges, Ratchet has never had a
decent toy. But now, with the Transformers
(2007) range it could be that, at long last, his
new form has come to the rescue. Of the Autobot
redesigns from the live-action film, it seems that
Ratchet's is the most extreme.
Putting flames on Optimus Prime is nothing compared to taking Ratchet's original vanilla white "Nissan Onebox" form and changing it to the keck-making green "Hummer" off roader. It's a radical change of clothes, but I think it fits.
Ratchet's vehicle mode boasts the same detail and authenticity as the likes of Jazz and Bumblebee. This would be okay if it wasn't twice the price. A lot of detail (such as rear doors) is missing from the back of the truck.
What the vehicle mode lacks, the robot mode makes up for. Ratchet is imposing, articulated and very sturdy. Joints are strong, and allow a lot of freedom. Like Jazz, the abdomen section is missing. The head sculpt, I have to say, is nicely detailed and is a very close match to the Ratchet seen in the film. (Better than a sticker on a red plastic stub, owners of the original Ratchet might guffaw.)
The uselessness of both the "automorph" feature and weapons/accessories is exasperating. Rotating Ratchet's feet pushes up the knees and, er, flexes the calves. His right forearm can transform into what I can only describe as a plastic butterfly, and the roof rack can be mounted the left arm and opened and closed for the purpose of who-knows-what. The weapons here are a far cry to the lethally serrated arsenal Ratchet uses in the film.
Ratchet could almost be called disappointing, but in vehicle mode he could almost pass for an Alternator, and in robot mode he is a formidable addition to the Autobot ranks.
Small details like the "Hummer" and "H2" and the Autobot/rescue decals and the fact that Ratchet is unique among the hundreds of other Transformers to have a chest made from an upside-down vehicle front, give him extra points and nudge him into the "recommended" pile.
Ratchet was released worldwide in 2007 as part of the line based on the characters from the live-action "Transformers" feature film.
Putting flames on Optimus Prime is nothing compared to taking Ratchet's original vanilla white "Nissan Onebox" form and changing it to the keck-making green "Hummer" off roader. It's a radical change of clothes, but I think it fits.
Ratchet's vehicle mode boasts the same detail and authenticity as the likes of Jazz and Bumblebee. This would be okay if it wasn't twice the price. A lot of detail (such as rear doors) is missing from the back of the truck.
What the vehicle mode lacks, the robot mode makes up for. Ratchet is imposing, articulated and very sturdy. Joints are strong, and allow a lot of freedom. Like Jazz, the abdomen section is missing. The head sculpt, I have to say, is nicely detailed and is a very close match to the Ratchet seen in the film. (Better than a sticker on a red plastic stub, owners of the original Ratchet might guffaw.)
The uselessness of both the "automorph" feature and weapons/accessories is exasperating. Rotating Ratchet's feet pushes up the knees and, er, flexes the calves. His right forearm can transform into what I can only describe as a plastic butterfly, and the roof rack can be mounted the left arm and opened and closed for the purpose of who-knows-what. The weapons here are a far cry to the lethally serrated arsenal Ratchet uses in the film.
Ratchet could almost be called disappointing, but in vehicle mode he could almost pass for an Alternator, and in robot mode he is a formidable addition to the Autobot ranks.
Small details like the "Hummer" and "H2" and the Autobot/rescue decals and the fact that Ratchet is unique among the hundreds of other Transformers to have a chest made from an upside-down vehicle front, give him extra points and nudge him into the "recommended" pile.
VERDICT:
Ratchet was released worldwide in 2007 as part of the line based on the characters from the live-action "Transformers" feature film.