Hot Toys Berserker Predator REVIEW 1

This is recently released Hot Toys MMS130 (Movie Masterpiece Series) 1/6th scale 14-inch tall Berserker Predator Collectible Figure from the "Predators (2010)" movie. "Predators", a 2010 American science fiction action-horror film directed by Nimród Antal, is a sequel to "Predator (1987)" and "Predator 2 (1990)" and avoids any mention of the Alien Franchise and ignores the "Alien vs Predators" series completely. Apparently there is a blood-feud occurring between two different tribes of Predator - the "black" tribe and the "classic" form of Predators seen in the other films.

For the so called "Black Super Predators" in "Predators (2010)", the designers used the differences between a cassette tape and an ipod as an analogy in differentiating the new Predators from the classic. The Super Predators were designed as leaner and taller than the "classic" Predator design, with longer faces, tighter armor and with more swept back dreadlocks.

The  box packaging is consistent with the Hot Toys Predators: Royce packaging, consisting of an outer slipcase cover / sleeve with a red plastic sheet pasted over certain portions of the slipcase which has been cut out. Slide out the sleeve and the actual box is revealed.

As I mentioned in my earlier post on Royce's tray being larger so as to accommodate the bigger sized Berserker Predator, I was right after all as the much taller alien Predator fills up the tray nicely whereas Royce had seemed undersized inside the tray.

Most importantly, there are instructions included in the Instruction Sheet to advise on the caring of the product (click on the picture for a bigger and better view). Instructions include "How to connect and switch on the Predator face mask with LED light-up feature", caring for the delicate rubber hair and being extra careful when rotating the waist to avoid paint fading / peeling. By the way, a cell battery is included for you to insert it on your own. More on that in a later post.

Here is the basic Hot Toys Berserker Predator out of its box. In Predators, it is revealed that there are at least two different Predator tribes, which are engaged in a long lasting blood feud. The film also introduced a pack of spined, quadrupedal beasts used as flushing dogs by the "Super Predators" - no such accessory from Hot Toys :(

In Norse mythology Berserk was the nickname of the grandson of the eight-handed Starkadder. He always went into battle without armor and was famed for the reckless fury with which he fought. Ber-serk in old Scandinavian probably meant “bare-shirt,” that is, one clothed only in his shirt and not protected by armor or heavier clothing.

These sons of Berserk were called “berserkers,” a term that thus became synonymous with “fury” and “reckless courage.” Later berserker was applied to a class of heathen warriors who were supposed to be able to assume the form of bears and wolves, from which fact some etymologists mistakenly derive the term from berasark (“bear-shirt” or “armor of bearskin”).

Dressed in furs these berserkers would fall into a frenzied rage, foam at the mouth and growl like wild beasts. They were said to have prodigious strength and to be invulnerable to fire and iron. From this latter myth we get berserker rage.

My first encounter with berserker rage was with Wolverine from the X-Men :) Wolverine will sometimes lapse into a "berserker rage" while in close combat. In this state he lashes out with the intensity and aggression of an enraged animal and is even more resistant to psionic attack.

So I was quite amused when the film makers called this the Berserker Predator and also a Super Predator. They can't call it a Dark Predator (Marvel has used the term and concept to death since Dark Phoenix) so they went for Berserker. Oh well, as long as the film is entertaining and panders to fans' taste because the film sure isn't a chick flick.

The designers also did away with the body netting (mesh jumpsuit) worn by the classic Predators who used it to render themselves invisible, like a cloaking devise. The first predators released by Hot Toys were called model kits and you had to assemble the figures by dressing it and adding on the kit and accessories. Scar Predator was my first Hot Toys alien Predator and to this day, I still think he ROCKS

Close-up pictures of the Hot Toys 1/6 scale Super Predator a.k.a Berserker Predator head sculpt from "Predators" the movie. Very nice details on this one including the "hairs" that come out from the side of his face.

This Hot Toys movie-accurate Berserker Predator collectible is specially crafted based on its image in the movie, including the newly sculpted and painted head, with interchangeable open and closed mandibles. Here's a close-up shot of the closed mandible. You can see where the mandibles are attached to the alien Predator's face.

Another view of the Hot Toys 1/6 scale Berserker Predator face / head sculpt

Check out the Super Predator's swept back dreadlocks. Dreadlocks are associated most closely with the Rastafari movement which was made up mainly of Jamaicans.

In this picture you can see how the dreadlocks come out of the alien Predator's head. Hot Toys made the locks out of soft rubber and painted them.

Here's another close-up of the Hot Toys Berserker Predator showing off his scaly skin and body armor as well

Other accessories include: Face mask with LED light-up function, extra pair of interchangeable palms, One (1) piece of bone trophy, Figure stand with Berserker Predator nameplate and the movie logo.

Weapons: Articulated shoulder cannon, Three (3) interchangeable metal blades of different lengths

and Interchangeable open mandibles

The alien Predator face mask or bio mask is nicely sculpted and shows off its menacing look, with an additional jaw bone attached to it.

More REVIEW of the Hot Toys MMS130 (Movie Masterpiece Series) 1/6th scale 14-inch tall Berserker Predator Collectible Figure in the next post.