Saturday, June 28, 2014

Review III: Hot Toys 1/6 scale Die-cast Iron Patriot 12" figure with Don Cheadle head sculpt

continued from previous post...

Having reviewed the box packaging and contents earlier of Hot Toys MMS195-D01 Movie Masterpiece Series Die-cast 1/6th scale Iron Patriot 12-inch Collectible Action Figure from "Iron Man 3" in my toy blog post HERE followed by the light-up features of die-cast Iron Patriot HERE, it's time to take a look at the 1/6 scale head sculpt with authentic likeness of Don Cheadle as James Rhodes / Iron Patriot that's included with this figure. NOTE: No Don Cheadle head sculpt was included with War Machine Mark II collectible figure which is also die-cast.

The 1/6 scale Don Cheadle as Iron Patriot head sculpt comes with two interchangeable masks / faceplates (one is fully closed and the other one is slightly opened) which are attached to the helmet via magnets. It snaps nicely in place and is fuss free. You can almost see the eyes under the mask / faceplate because the eye slits are clear, unlike the LED light-up helmet which is white.


The Iron Patriot armor appears in "Iron Man 3" as the new paint scheme of James Rhodes's upgraded armor after being asked by President Ellis to be used as the U.S. government's "American hero" symbol thanks to A.I.M. in response to the events that occurred in "The Avengers". After the Iron Patriot armor is stolen by Aldrich Killian's Extremis-equipped soldiers, Eric Savin poses as Iron Patriot in order to abduct President Ellis. Later, Rhodes recovers the Iron Patriot armor and rescues the President.

Scroll down to see pictures of the 1/6 scale Don Cheadle as Iron Patriot head sculpt. Click on the pictures for bigger and better views.



The Hot Toys 1/6 scale Don Cheadle as Iron Patriot / Lt Col James Rhodes head sculpt is top notch and the resemblance is absolutely spot-on. No way you can look at the head and not see the likeness of the actor who plays Rhodes. This is way better than the first Don Cheadle head sculpt that came with the original Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Series MMS120 "Iron Man 2" 1/6th scale War Machine Collectible Figure, released in November 2010. You can check out the pictures HERE


I'm showing the full head exposed before putting on the mask / faceplate because that is the movie-accurate thing to do. The mask / faceplate doesn't just disappear, it slides up onto the top of the helmet just like how the knights of old would raise their visor when the battle is over.


The faceplate / mask used for the unmasking version is the one that is slightly opened. The difference is very subtle but you can see the lines are slightly thicker and the mask has a more pop-up appearance where the "joints" are (the gap is bigger) whereas the closed mask / faceplate is smoother with thinner lines (see the next picture below). It stays in place via magnets and the movable chin cover which is like the lower jaw of the helmet also has a magnet.


The left forearm armor is interchangeable with one that has a machine gun deployed (see picture below)


The articulated shoulder-mounted machine gun can be attached to the back (either on the left or right) and rotated 360 degrees


Another view of the Hot Toys 1/6 scale Die-cast Iron Patriot 12-inch figure left forearm armor with machine gun deployed


The beauty of this Hot Toys MMS195-D01 Movie Masterpiece Series Die-cast 1/6th scale Iron Patriot 12-inch Collectible Action Figure from "Iron Man 3" lies in the details and because this is a fully articulated figure with working joints and movable parts (including individual movable finger joints!), it makes the figure real and believable. A statue would be too smooth and would not be able to have the etchings and articulations that this figure has, nor be able to pose in so many ways. That is why I love 1/6 scale action figures: There is articulation; there is overlapping armor; there are light-up features; there are interchangeable parts for more display options and for non-armor figures, there are fabric outfits / uniforms / costumes with removable accessories, weapons and gear! What a great hobby haha


NEXT: Iron Patriot does the salute on Fourth of July (Independence Day) + comparison pictures of Hot Toys Iron Man 3 die-cast Iron Patriot with The Avengers Captain America

After that: Can this Hot Toys die-cast Iron Patriot perform the famous Iron Man landing pose? Find out in the next toy blog post HERE.

2 comments:

adam said...

Great review - wondering if the face plate stays on-center when you open it that high? The magnets on my figure are only stable at "sun-visor" level and when I try to lift the faceplate higher, it shifts to the side.

alex teo said...

Thanks adam :) some adjustment is needed to make the faceplate stay center. It tends to drift to the sides on its own. I think "Sun-visor" level seems to be the right position for the faceplate to be. Cheers & thanks for looking.