Jurassic Park 2009: Dino Trackers: Desert Tracker Alan Grant VS Velociraptor

Year of release: 2009

Accessories:

-Dino Claw weapon

Description: Alan Grant sports a lime green shirt with a blue bandana, as well as light grey pants (with a big tear on the right leg, revealing bare skin underneath), a green utility belt and dark grey shoes and gloves. He also has black hair, eye brows and eyes. He stands in a fairly neutral posture, except his right leg is posed in a forward move as if taking a step, and his left arm is raised upwards a little. He comes with a Dino Claw weapon,basically a large hand held contraption which ends in two comparatively small claws than can hook around dinosaur body parts. The claws are operated by a handle on its top side. It is coloured in about the same shade of grey as Grant's pants.

The Velociraptor stands in a stalking posture, its right arm and leg stretched out and its head raised upwards with its mouth open, as if it's about to jump on something. The tail is raised upwards and bent at the tip. Most of its head and its underside (throat, belly, lower part of the tail, underside of all limbs) is painted beige, while the top of the head, neck, back and upper part of the tail are painted light brown, this colour running out of the back colouring in small stripes over the upper legs and base of the tail. The rest of the body, most notably the top parts of the limbs and the flanks, is painted yellowish beige. A few dark grey spots are found on each side of the creature on its neck, flanks, upper leg and mostly on the tail. The Raptor has white teeth and a red inside of the mouth, cat like yellow eyes with black pupils, black claws on its feet (but not on the hands) and a black JP logo on both upper legs.

Analysis: Alan Grant finally makes an official return to the realm of JP toys in JP 2009, after last having been seen in the JP III line and making an anonymous appearance in JP Dinosaurs 2). He wears a somewhat less noticeable attire (no excessively white shirt this time), which suits him well. However, the green shirt and especially the blue scarf would give him away easily in a desert environment, so as a 'Desert Tracker' he doesn't seem very successful (hence the tear in his pants, probably). His lame Dino Claw Weapon also would do him little good - in whatever environment - since it has great trouble restraining dinosaurs and is overly bulky and inoperable. Grant had better learn a few things from the Raptor that accompanies him in this set, which combines a desert camouflage paint job with a Velociraptor's usual lethal ferocity. This paint job, though effective in communicating a desert feel for this set as a whole, is pretty standard and offers little surprises. The sculpt itself has been released to death (even in this toy line), and has been done better before. This one isn't necessarily badly coloured, it's just a dull paint scheme and could have used more detailing (like painted claws on the hands too).

Overall, though Grant looks more casual and realistically dressed than his predecessors, the continuing use of Hasbro's ugliest piece of JP weaponry and the bland paint job on this overused Raptor sculpt make for a rather standard Hasbro set: just not very exciting.

Repaint: yes. This set is identical to the Alan Grant set of the JP III line (Wave 1). Grant has been repainted once for JPD2 (along with his Dino Claw), while the Velociraptor has already been repainted over a dozen times for Camo-Xtreme, JPD2 and JPD3 and would be used several times again for this toy line. The Dino Claw weapon was also used for the Forest Hunter General set of this toy line.

Overall rating: 5/10. Not the best sculpts and a lousy weapon, but the paint jobs are pretty modest, certainly compared to some of the wackier repaints in this toy line. They're still not especially appealing or imaginative though. This set is not rare and can still be found with little effort. Since this set was a Toys'R'Us exclusive that could change over time, but probably not for the next decade or so.

Jurassic Park III: Alan Grant & Compies

Year of release: 2002

Accessories:

-Two different Compsognathus figures

-Bazooka type weapon (with missile)

Description: this Grant figure stands in a relatively neutral pose, except his left leg is positioned in a forward move and his lower right leg is bent backwards somewhat. The figure sports light blue pants, a white shirt with a brown vest over it, a black belt and brown boots.

The weapon appears to be a bazooka on a tripod: it’s painted in grey, with some metallic dark grey on the front giving the impression it’s been used before. The missile is slightly transparent orange, and resembles a big bolt of fire shooting out of the gun. The firing mechanism is the same as with the guns attached to the human figures in the Wave 1 line: the end of the missile sticks out of the weapon, and pressing it causes the missile to be launched in a not so straight line with minor impact.

The Compies are the most interesting part of this set. There are two of them, each in a different position. The first stands in an attack posture with his mouth opened, like it’s jumping on its prey. The other one takes on a slight stalking pose, like it’s checking out prey. The figures sport the same paint job: both are coloured light green with some small yellow stripes and a large stripe running from the back of the head all the way over the tail. The eyes and claws are black, and a black JP III logo can be found on both figures’ upper left legs. The two creatures are pretty skinny and lightly build: one can see their ribs on either side of their bellies. Both dinosaurs are attached to a support, coloured in the same green as the figures, making them able to stand up straight. The one assuming an attack posture also appears to be standing on a small green rock.

Analysis: this is a fun little set, though not because of the Grant figure. Though the figure doesn’t stand in an outrageously inconvenient position, like a lot of the Wave 1 figures, it’s still not great. The figure again doesn’t resemble Alan Grant much, and the paint job is rather bland. It’s not bad or anything, but not much of an improvement either.

The gun unfortunately sports the same weak firing mechanism as most of the guns in the Wave 1 line. It is however largely redeemed by it’s original and cool look. It looks relatively realistic, and the fact that the missile isn’t really a missile but more of a fireball does give it some credit. It still doesn’t have a great impact when fired, but the most likely target, the Compies, are easily knocked over by it. The paint job, with the darker metallic grey on the front side, gives it some history, like it’s been in combat more than once. The figure can hold the weapon by any of its three feet, but the weapon can also stand on the ground on it’s own. Unfortunately the front side it quite heavy when the gun is loaded, so it tends to fall over at times.

The greatest part(s) of this set are the two Compsognathus figures. Though they don’t exactly stand in a neutral pose, the fact there are two of them greatly helps playability, providing a wider range of possibilities. Having a pair also enhances the group feel these creatures have to them: Compies are after all never alone, but always in a group in order to kill their prey. Having only one Compy figure in the entire TLW line was certainly a mistake, and these two figures make up for it a bit. The paint job is pretty good, and certainly reminiscent of the Compies we saw in the movies. The same goes for the overall physical design of these critters: they certainly look like agile little beings with their skinny, slender bodies. It’s a shame they need supports to help them stand up, but one can live with that flaw. Unfortunately the supports are coloured the same as the figures; it would have been better had they sported a different paint job. But this is once again a minor disappointment.

Playability: good enough. The Grant figure stands in a more neutral pose than most of Hasbro’s human figures. The weapon works decently enough and the fact that it can stand on its own feet also helps. Though the Compies aren’t poseable, it’s good there are two of them: it doubles playability options.

Realism: Grant doesn’t look much like the Grant we saw in JP III. The head sculpts still bears little resemblance, and the outfit is also different. Once again, the infamous cowboy hat is sadly missing. The gun doesn’t resemble any weapon seen in JP III, but it looks more life like than the Wave 1 JP III weapons. The Compies look a lot like the creatures we saw in both TLW and JP III: they’re coloured in a slightly different tone of green and sport yellow stripes the Compies in the movies didn’t appear to have, but their physique makes it unmistakable we’re dealing with the same little devils here. They are a bit oversized though, but it’s understandable: it would be hard to make figures half the size of these. People would probably lose them way too easily then, so this size is more convenient.

Repaint: no. One of the Compies (the one assuming an attack posture) would be repainted for the last JP Dinosaurs line though. The other one wouldn’t however.

Overall rating: 7/10. The figure itself may not be very special, but the dinosaurs are really quite cool, despite their limited playability. The weapon, though hindered by Hasbro’s standard lame firing mechanism, also looks better than most of the weapons of the JP III line. This is just a nice little set, and worth getting. It’s not all that rare in the US, so it shouldn’t be too hard or costly to get your hands on. It’s harder to find in some overseas territories, but fortunately not too difficult to acquire online, and likely worth the effort, you'll find.

Jurassic Park III: Raptor Attack Playset

Year of release: 2001

Accessories:

-Main Gate (with dino damage pieces)

-Five fence pieces

-Rocket Launcher (with two rockets)

-Net Launcher (with net)

-Alan Grant figure

-Velociraptor figure

Description: this play set consists entirely of repainted material. The fences, gate, net launcher and rocket launcher are all repainted accessories of those same sculpts found with the JPS1 Command Compound. The Grant and Raptor figure are the same as those of the Raptor Motorcycle Pursuit from this toy line, except different colours.

The fences are all painted in silver, giving them a metallic feel. This set comes with stickers, including some yellow ones that can be wrapped on the fences, so there’s a little sign saying ‘10,000 volts’, which is of course the voltage the fences in Jurassic Park on Isla Nublar had. Other than that there’s no more colour on the fences. The gate is much more detailed than the original JPS1 gate. The doors are now painted in various tones of brown, giving them a wooden feel. The pieces of dino damage have more of an orange paint job. The little flames on top of the gate aren’t just simply red this time, but have some tints of orange and yellow in them, making them slightly more realistic. The rest of the gate sports a silvery black paint job, again giving it a bit of a metallic feel. The net launcher is painted in an orange brown colour, making it feel like it’s been rusting away for some years after being abandoned and disused when Isla Sorna was vacated. It still works fine though, even better than the original one. It can fire a small net with silver weights on it over a distance of almost a metre (if lucky). The rocker launcher also does what it suggests: when loaded, pressing its button leads to the rocket being fired with force, impacting roughly on anything in its path. It comes with two dark grey rockets with slightly different shapes. The launcher itself sports a metallic dark grey look, with some brownish and black tones (again giving it a rusty feel), and an orange button.

The Alan Grant and Velociraptor figures are the same ones as those from the Raptor Motorcycle Pursuit, again with a different paint job. Grant wears a green shirt, blue bandana tan pants, black shoes and brown gloves. He stands in a neutral position, but his knees have joints in them so he can move his legs in multiple ways. The Velociraptor stands in a stalking position and has a dino damage wound. When pushing the back of his head, his jaws open. Strangely enough this Raptor sports a mostly green paint job, an odd choice considering none of the Raptors in any JP movie were green. Apart from the green his body is adorned with dark red stripes and light blue spots. His eyes are very yellow, and his claws aren’t coloured. A black JP III logo is located on his left leg.

Analysis: even though it’s all repaints, this is a good play set. People who remember the old JPS1 Command Compound can look back to that fantastic play set with nostalgic feelings when they see this play set, while the younger generation discovers parts of those good ol’ days through this new set which adds some much needed Kenner quality in the JP III Hasbro line. The paint job is no disappointment fortunately: many components even benefit from their new look. The paint jobs of the gate, rocket launcher and fences are very nicely done and have a much more realistic look to them. The net launcher also isn’t bad, though the lower parts of this particular apparatus are too orange and could have used more darker tones. The same goes for the dino damage pieces of the gate. It’s a good thing all the mechanisms work properly though: the rocket launcher still is a powerful weapon which fires missiles at objects with great speed and force, while the net launcher works even better than the original and hurls a net at unsuspecting prey, though catching its target requires precision, since it’s still hard to predict where the net will end up and whether it will hit anything because of its small size.

The Alan Grant figure is also a fine repaint. Though it still doesn’t sport the same outfit Grant wore in the movie, and the cowboy hat is ever missing, it looks good and realistic. Since it’s the best human figure Kenner produced, because of the neutral position and the extra leg movement, it’s a good thing they decided to add this particular figure to the set (though an entirely new figure would have been preferable of course). The Velociraptor is less a cause for enthusiasm though: it’s still not a great toy with all the flaws of the original version. The dino strike action still isn’t very imposing, its attack posture limits playability and makes the creature look fat, and the dino damage wound again can’t be covered up. The new paint job also isn’t helping: green just isn’t a Raptor colour. It would have been better had they made a new Raptor figure, or a different dinosaur altogether; it wouldn’t be a Raptor attack play set then, but a dinosaur attack set would also be suitable.

Playability: this set provides for some damn fine playability. All the features are functioning perfectly and the set has a fine look to it, making it seem like an old abandoned dinosaur pen which is withering away due to lack of maintenance, but still in working order, providing the humans with a place to make a stand against their ferocious prehistoric adversaries. The new paint job is great for the most part and adds some good realism. The only nuisance is the green Raptor figure, which still isn’t a great sculpt and sports a new colour which isn’t enhancing its overall look. Of course, one can argue that there is a much bigger nuisance here: it’s all repaints and none of it is original, Hasbro just ran out of ideas or didn’t bother making its own sculpts. A valid argument, but since this play set came out so well we can live with it and should be thankful they didn’t screw up Kenner’s great old work.

Realism: Grant still doesn’t look like Sam Neill or the Alan Grant in the movie, mostly because of the different outfit and the head sculpt. The Raptor’s colours are very unusual for a Raptor figure and not reminiscent of the look the Raptors sported in JP III at all. Other than that it’s not entirely paleontologically correct either: compared to the human figures it’s oversized (like all JP Raptors), its lower jaw is too long and the animal’s legs stand in such a position that this creature looks way too fat.

The other components of this set are not seen in any of the JP movies. Though the fences and gate are certainly reminiscent of the ones seen in JP and JP III, there are a lot of differences, mostly in scale and shape. There are also some notable similarities though, like the flames on top of the gate and the ’10,000 volts’ signs on the fences. One could argue they’re just typical toy versions of their movie counterparts. The rocket launcher and net launcher are totally made up though, and don’t look similar to the weaponry in any of the JP movies at all.

Repaint: yes. This set consists of repainted parts of the JPS1 Command Compound and JP III Wave I Raptor Motorcycle Pursuit only. There are no new parts whatsoever. None of these parts would be repainted a second time after the release of this toy though, at least so far.

Overall rating: 8/10. Though the Raptor is still a lousy figure, all the other parts are great and in some cases even better than the original versions. The set provides for some good playability, especially combined with other toys (from both this particular Hasbro toy line as well as Kenner’s various toy lines). It’s also a great set to have if you’re unlucky enough not to own a JPS1 Command Compound: this way you’ll have at least some parts of that magnificent old play set. It’s well worth getting, but it isn’t always easy to find. Chances are you’ll have to search for it a bit and it may not be very cheap, but it’s recommended anyway.

Jurassic Park III: Raptor Motorcycle Pursuit

Year of release: 2001

Accessories:

-Motorcycle

-Detachable gun with rocket

-Alan Grant figure

-Velociraptor figure

Description: this motorcycle is quite detailed and looks pretty realistic. It’s mostly greenish brown with black highlights and a silver engine. Its tires are painted dark grey. A JP III logo can be found on the left side of the bike, along with some scratches on either side of the bike (appearing some vicious dinosaur attacked it). It comes with a yellow sticker with the InGen logo on it, which is supposed to be put on the right side of the bike, showing this vehicle is in InGen’s service.

Since I’m not a bike expert I’ll have to skip getting all technical on this toy. Suffice to say, it produces three funky sounds. The first can be made by moving the front part of the bike: by doing so, it will make bike noises. A second sound, which is basically a longer version of the first sound with some new details, can be produced by moving the same part of the bike several times, though I’m not entirely sure how many times because it doesn’t always work with me. A third sound can be made by activating the dino damage option: pushing the end part of the bike causes the seat to leap up, launching any figure which happens to sit on it, and produces some recognizable Raptor shrieks and crashing sounds, like a Raptor attacked the bike (which is of course what the designers undoubtedly had in mind).

A small gun can be attached to the front part of the bike, but it can also be used as a loose gun. This gun is painted black with a green button, and a green missile. Unlike most of Hasbro’s guns for this toy line, the rocket can be fired by simply pushing the button, instead of the dismal mechanism we encountered with the guns that came with the human figures.

The Alan Grant figure is quite similar to the loose Grant figure of this toy line. The head sculpt is the same, but the clothes are different. This figure sports a blue shirt and dark green pants, along with brown gloves, a light green belt, black shoes and a red bandana. A slight tear adorns his right leg, like Grant has had an unfortunate encounter with a dinosaur yet got away with it. The figure stands in a neutral position, and unlike the other figures it has extra joints in his legs, so these can move in multiple positions.

The Velociraptor figure has a simple paint job compared to most of the JP III Raptor figures. It’s mostly beige, with black spots and stripes all over its body. Especially noticeable are the cross shaped spots on its upper legs. It has bright yellow eyes with a red spot around them. Strangely enough, its lower jaw is slightly longer than his upper jaw. A black JP III logo can be found on its left leg. Its claws are not coloured differently than the rest of its body. It also has a dino damage wound on its tail, exposing bones and muscles. The Raptor stands in a stalking position and its tail is bent. Pressing the back of its head causes the head to move forward and open its mouth, as if making a biting move.

Analysis: this is quite a cool play set and certainly one of Hasbro’s best JP products. It has a lot of options and is pretty detailed. The bike is a real beauty with very cool options. It’s always cool to put the Grant figure in the seat and launch it in the air by pressing the rear end of the bike, even though the Raptor sounds are a bit odd if you’re not using the Raptor. The bike sounds add some believability to this vehicle. Also nice is the addition of a small retractable piece on the underside of the bike, so the bike can stand straight up. Such a neat little feature was certainly missed with Kenner’s Dino Snare Dirt Bike. The paint job of this bike is not too detailed, but that way it doesn’t get too busy. The detachable gun is quite good as well: it would be unfortunate if it couldn’t be used loose. The figure can also hold the gun, so he isn’t dependant on the bike for any much needed weaponry to fight off his prehistoric pursuers. It’s a good thing Hasbro decided to use the classic firing mechanism for this gun and not the one they used for the weapons that came with the human figures. This mechanism actually works right and launches a rocket in a straight line with a good hard impact on any dinosaur figure in its path.

The Alan Grant figure is a fine sculpt too. The neutral pose doesn’t make it look as ridiculous as the other human figures, which all take on the most annoying stances. The extra joints in the legs allow for greater playability. It also makes it look more convincing when this figure is riding the bike. Though it still doesn’t resemble Sam Neill all that much, it’s a nice figure by Hasbro’s standards.

The Velociraptor is less impressive, unfortunately. This figure does stand in a awkward stalking position, making it appear a bit fat. It’s also a real shame the claws aren’t coloured differently from the rest of its body. The head is pretty ugly, especially because of the weird lower jaw which is way too long. The overall paint job of this creature is not very good either: though it’s good its colouring is not as extreme as most of Hasbro’s other Raptor sculpts, in this case its too dull. The dino strike action also doesn’t do much, and looks a bit silly. And almost all of Hasbro’s dinosaur figures it has a dino damage wound that can’t be covered up: as always, it’s a real nuisance, and this case is no exception.

Playability: the bike sure has a few good playability options, no doubt there. The Grant figure is also a lot better than most of the other human figures, mostly because of the joints in his legs and the neutral position. Unfortunately the Raptor is disappointing by comparison, and reminds us of some of the electronic deluxe dinosaurs of this toy line which were also a letdown. It has moveable body parts, not only its limbs, but also the head and even the tail (though putting the tail in a different pose makes the figure look completely silly): but it’s still not a great Raptor. Keep in mind this vehicle is electronic: if you want to keep it in working condition, don’t go playing to wildly with it.

Realism: there were no bikes in JP III. There were however bikes used by the InGen hunters (hence the InGen logo sticker) in TLW, though none of these had guns. But those bikes were pretty similar to this bicycle in design and colour. Anyway, this vehicle looks like any good bike should. Like stated above the Grant figure doesn’t resemble Sam Neill much, nor does the clothing look like the outfit Grant sported in JP III (at least as far as the colours are concerned). Once again Grant’s distinctive cowboy hat is sorely missed. The dinosaur figure is recognizable as a Velociraptor, but isn’t very reminiscent in shape of the JP III Raptors: however, the paint job looks a lot like the colours we saw on the female Raptor in JP III, which had the same black spots (even the cross shaped ones) on a similar beige skin.

Repaint: no. However, both the Raptor and the Grant figure would be repainted and used in this same JP toy line for the Raptor Attack Play Set. Fortunately this is the only case of repainting toys within this toy line.

Overall rating: 8/10. Even though the Raptor is far from the best dinosaur sculpt I’ve ever seen, fact remains the motorcycle is a great toy and the gun and Grant figure are also quite good. It has many playability options compared to most of Hasbro’s toys and is a great play set in itself. It’s worth getting (at least if you’re a bit open to Hasbro’s JP works), but it isn’t always findable. You may have to search for it a bit, and it might not be the cheapest toy around, but I would say it’s worth any JP fan’s while.

Jurassic Park III Dr. Alan Grant & Velociraptor

Year of release: 2001

Accessories:

-Grabbing hook weapon (for lack of a better name)

-Velociraptor figure

Description: This Alan Grant figure sports a white shirt with a red bandana, as well as green pants, a brown utility belt, black shoes and black gloves. The weapon has a slightly shiny greyish brown colour, giving it a metallic look. The Velociraptor is reddish brown, with black stripes on his sides, a big red stripe on his back and some grey on his belly, as well as a black JP III logo on his left leg.

Analysis: The paint job of Grant himself is fifty-fifty. Though his white shirt is pretty bland and little detailed, his green pants make up for it somewhat: they have two tears over them (as does the figure’s skin under the holes in his pants), making it appear Grant has had a near miss with some ferocious creature, maybe a Velociraptor. The pants also sport some darker green tones, giving them more realistic detail.

The weapon is rather lame: it looks pretty unrealistic and doesn’t really work. The figure can hold the weapon (the position of his arms seems to be made to support it), but when he does he can barely stand, since one of his legs is positioned in a forward move, making it feel rather clumsy. Also, when the weapon has the dinosaur clutched between its grabbing arms, it can hardly hold him, because there is no way to keep the arms closed.

The dinosaur is of a less poor quality. This Raptor stands in a stalking posture with his mouth open, like he’s planning to jump on something (like Grant). The dinosaur can clutch Grant’s arm between his jaws, if you want him to of course. Though the paint job is nothing special, not bad but not particularly good either, some credit goes to the person who decided to also paint his claws, instead of giving them the same colour as his limbs. One can claim this Raptor is supposed to be a juvenile, but he doesn’t really look like a young Raptor, more like a miniature version of a regular Raptor, like most of the dinosaurs that came with the JP III figures.

Playability: Not very high. As stated, the weapon doesn’t really work. The dinosaur doesn’t stand in a neutral position and has no moveable body parts. It would be good for dioramas maybe. Grant himself offers some slight playability, but not much.

Realism: The Grant figure doesn’t much resemble his counterpart from the movie (in essence, Sam Neill). Grant wore different clothes in the movie, and his most distinctive feature, his cowboy hat, is missing on this figure (and in fact, all the JP III Grant figures). His facial features won’t remind people of Sam Neill either, though like Sam this figure does appear to have a pimple next to his nose…

The Velociraptor is recognizable as such, but not very similar to the Raptors in the movie. Its face has a certain frog-like quality to it. Interestingly enough, compared to the Grant figure it’s about the size real life Velociraptors would have been in relation to human beings, unlike the Raptors in the movie, which were bigger than Velociraptors actually were. Of course we can only speculate about dinosaur colours, but this Raptor isn’t coloured too differently form the Raptors in the third movie.

Repaint: No. However, this figure would be repainted for JP: Dinosaurs 2, along with the weapon (for the Triceratops with Dinosaur Wrangler set). It would again be repainted for JP 2009 in desert colours, along with the Raptor and the capture claw (which would also be featured in the JP 2009 Forest Hunter General VS. T-Rex set). The Raptor would be repainted nine times, for the JP III CamoXtreme, JP Dinosaurs 2, JP Dinosaurs 3 and JP 2009 lines.

Overall rating: 4/10. Not a particularly interesting set, but if you can get it cheap (which is not unlikely, since it’s a common toy) you might want it, though mostly for the dinosaur figure and the paint job of the pants.

Today's Mini-Review: Daybreakers

Rating: ****/*****, or 8/10

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, Sam Neill

Directed by Michael & Peter Spierig

USA: Lionsgate, 2009

You'd think that after 80 years of vampire movies there's little 'fresh blood' to be added to the genre, but Daybreakers proved such pessimist thinking wrong. Containing one of the most intriguing premises I've ever come across, this film puts a wholly different spin on the notion of the undead thriving on the blood of their human victims. In the not too distant future, a viral outbreak has turned most of the world population into vampires, while regular human beings have become quite the endangered species. Since the vamps need human blood to survive while they are as immortal as usual, blood shortages are increasingly threatening the societal status quo (which remains remarkably human in appearance). A hematologist (Ethan Hawke) works tirelessly on a synthetic blood substitute, experiments which continue to fail, partially because the CEO of the company that controls the 'real deal' (a deliciously sinister Sam Neill) is rather keen to keep making the big bucks off rich vampires that can afford genuine blood. Vampires or not, money is still the driving factor behind it all, to the detriment of civilization. The situation is getting ever more untenable as poorer vampires are so desperate they start feeding on each other or even on themselves, causing them to mutate into crazed bat people (a funny take on the ever present relationship between vampires and bats, which otherwise plays no significant part in this film); freaks that are brutally exterminated by the authorities. Hawke's sympathetic scientist, made vampire by his brother against his will, proves a guilt ridden person determined to change this upside down world for the better and sympathizes with what few humans remain free, continuously hunted by the vampire military as they are. After aiding a group of humans evade capture, he is contacted by an underground resistance movement, led by ex-vampire Willem Dafoe, that aims to develop a cure for vampirism, the only viable way for both humans and vampires to survive their impending doom. Hawke accepts their invitation and joins their cause, which soon pits him and the rebels against Neill's profit driven tyranny.

Daybreakers' strongest moments are found in its first half, as we explore a world where vampirism is the normal state of being and society has evolved to accomodate it. Since the vampires of Daybreakers adhere to many of the archetypal characteristics of the genre, they also cannot abide ultraviolet light, and therefore “life” takes place at night, so commonplace items like houses and cars are designed to protect against sunlight. In other regards, this world differs little from our own, as the vamps work in order to pay their bills, buy their blood and live their immortal life. The disturbing imagery of humans forcefully strapped to transfusion tubes and slowly drained of their life essence in huge factory like environments successfully evokes comparisons to how we ourselves as a species treat animals in the bio-industry for our own basic needs without allowing them any shred of dignity and natural behavior. The vampire world is living in its 11^th hour, close to self-annihilation caused by plain and simple greed of those in power who prove unwilling to change for the common good, in some regards echoing our own inability to alter our ways for the better in fear of loosing what we gained. In the second half of the movie, Daybreakers sheds such symbolism and largely replaces the exposition of its fascinating dystopia in favor of more trite and true action scenes and an overabundance of traditional gore (it's still a horror film, you know!), including some almost orgiastic blood baths of famished vampires feeding. Whether society is ultimately changed for the better is left somewhat ambiguous, as the movie underscores the notion that vampires, for all their superior physical strength, are still always all too human in their limited line of thinking. Though it's a pity the movie doesn't end as strongly as it started, it doesn't undermine Daybreakers' position as one of the more ingenious vampire films to date, a far cry from the currently popular image of these undead as sexy hunks to appeal to teenage audiences.

Jurassic Park Series 2: Alan Grant (Bola)

Year of release: 1993-1994

Accessories:

-Double-Barreled Bola Launcher with bola

-Bola Launcher harness

-Bola support stick

-Lycaenops hatchling

-Collector’s Card # 40 

 

Description: The second Alan Grant figure of the JPS2 toy line stands in a totally neutral position. He wears a grey jumpsuit, with brownish orange pieces mixed in around the torso and a scaly silver shirt underneath. On the left part of his chest he sports a silver badge with the JP logo. His pants carry pockets and an odd TV-screen like ornamentation (or is it a knee patch? If so, why doesn't he have one on his other knee too?). He sports brown boots, orange gloves, a big red arm patch over his left lower arm, and a small grey walkie-talkie on his back. Being Alan Grant, he naturally comes with a white cowboy hat. His eyebrows and hair are dark brown.

This set comes with a Bola launcher, a double bola, a harness to attach it to the figure, and a stick to support it while attached to the figure. The Bola Launcher is basically two big tubes stuck on a smaller triangular apparatus with a big grey button in the middle, a small hole at the tube's intersection point (for the support stick), hand grips on each side so Grant can hold it with his own hands and a bigger grey grip on the lower end to attach it to the harness. The weapon is painted entirely bluish grey (except for those parts described above). The double bola itself consists of two big silver darts, resembling claws, with a black string between them. The harness is a small silver pack that fits around Grant's torso and features points to attach the launcher to on both sides. The support stick, also metallic silver in colour, ends in two hooks on top and has a handle on one side for Grant to hold it. After loading the launcher, pressing the button causes the double bola to be shot away, hooking itself around any creature in its trajectory (though its range is somewhat limited and because of the length of the string between the two bola darts it's less effective on big dinosaurs).

This set also comes with a Lycaenops hatchling. This muscular dog like creature is sitting down, its short tail on the ground and its front legs stretched wide, assuming a relaxed posture. It has a big boxy head with a closed mouth, some of its upper teeth sticking out. Its underside (belly, throat, lower part of the tail and inner part of the legs) is white, while most of the tail and neck, its back and upper part of the head is black. The rest of the figure (most of the head and legs, flanks and the sides of the neck and tail are coloured brown. Very near the back of the head this baby has blue eyes with black, cat like pupils. Finally, a black JP logo is located on its right leg.

Analysis: for a second toy line featuring no less than 12 figures (even though five of them were made up for the toy line), one Alan Grant simply wasn't enough, so JPS2 featured this second Grant figure, sporting an entirely new, and definitely original, outfit. It seems to be a dinosaur-resisting suit, much more heavy and bulky in stature as the simpler outfit the other Grant figures wore, but still a neat design (and despite the obvious usefulness of some sort of protective helmet, still sporting Grant's famous white cowboy hat!), albeit asymmetric (why not a big red arm patch on the right arm as well?). Despite its odd looks, it's obvious this Grant is ready for close combat, not surprisingly since his Bola Launcher is a short range non-lethal piece of equipment.

This new weapon is one of the coolest accessories of any of the Kenner JP figures. It's a bit heavy, so it's a good thing it comes with harness and stick to support Grant when using it. When Grant dons the harness he can either keep the launcher right in front of him (supported by the stick which functions as a third leg to keep the whole set-up standing) to use on a charging dinosaur, or store it on his back when he's not using it. The Launcher works really well: pressing the button slings the bola away over a distance of roughly half a yard, hooking the darts around anything that comes in contact with the string between them. It's a great sight to see, though it's most effective on smaller dinosaurs (like the regular JPS1/2 Velociraptor or Dilophosaurus) which can actually be trapped by the bola. As for bigger creatures, it works decently well on their legs, but the bola is too small to wrap itself around their bodies. Of course, dinosaurs may get trapped by the bola, but they're not totally subdued and certainly ever aggressive. There is a likely theory circulating that the support stick is also a stun stick for stunning the captured dinosaurs. Grant would have get to come close to his prey, a task for which his armoured outfit seems well suited. All in all, this set seems quite functionally thought out in this regard.

As if the weapon isn't cool enough, a little Lycaenops hatchling completes this set. It looks very cute, almost like a puppy, but with a much bigger head and some vicious little teeth sticking out. It has a good paint job, much like the adult Lycaenops figure of the JPS2 line (but with blue eyes instead of orange). Like the Gallimimus hatchling it's sitting down, but in this case such a pose looks a lot better since its limbs aren't attached to its body. Even though it's a bit low to the ground, as far as hatchlings go this is a decent prey for the bola launcher, since the bola can hook itself around the baby's head. This is definitely one of the more attractive hatchlings of this line.

Playability: very nice. Grant comes with the usual range of poseable body parts (arms, legs and head). Baby Lycaenops offers no poseability. The Bola Launcher is a very good weapon, despite its limited range. It comes with a whole set-up to support the figure when using it, making it easy to fire for yourself. With some imagination, some of the additional accessories (the stick, and maybe the harness too considering its big points of grip) can also be used in other ways.

Realism: the only thing that really tells you you're dealing with Alan Grant here is his hat. His face doesn't resemble Sam Neill very much, nor is his suit like anything we've seen in the film. The Bola Launcher, though a bit on the bulky side, is not that far-fetched a weapon and certainly useful for trapping dinosaurs (though in reality such a weapon would be smaller so it's easier to carry around and handle). The Lycaenops is a close match to its adult counterpart, mostly because of the very similar paint job. Given the dog like nature of the adult Lycaenops, it's not surprising this baby looks like a puppy.

Repaint: no, this is one of the new additions to the JPS2 toy line. Grant's head sculpt is identical to the one from the other JPS2 Alan Grant figure though. Bola Grant (or at least his body, not his head) would be repainted as the TLWS2 Eddie Carr figure, as well as the Dino Tracker from the TLW Exclusive Dino Tracker Adventure Set. The latter set would also include the Bola Launcher with the same accessories as in this JPS2 set, which would in that case be reused, not retooled or repainted. However, a third set that came with this Bola Launcher, the JP III Exclusive Dinosaur Tracking Set, would feature a repainted Bola Launcher instead, again with all the original accessories (also repainted). The Lycaenops hatchling would stay exclusive to JPS2 Bola Grant though.

Overall rating: 8/10. Grant himself is a bit of an odd figure and slightly out of style with the other JPS1/2 figures, but he's not bad, and he comes with an excellent and original weapon, and a very sweet hatchling to top that off. This set seems to have been released in the USA only, but it's not rare in that country, making it relatively easy (and often cheap) to find on the web. All the better, because this figure definitely comes recommended.

Jurassic Park Series 2: Alan Grant (Net)

Year of release: 1993-1994

Accessories:

-Aerial Net Trap with net

-Smart Bomb

-Stegosaurus hatchling

-Collector’s Card # 53

Description: Grant sports a simple set of clothes. Most notable is his famous white hat, basically the hallmark of the Grant character. This hat is not removable since it’s stuck to the figure’s head. Second, there is the white shirt with short sleeves, which is adorned with a small, light blue tag carrying a black JP logo on the left part of his chest. Grant sports blue pants and brown shoes, as well as knee patches of the same colour. A black flash light and walkie-talkie are attached to his belt at the front side. Grant’s hair, eyebrows and eyes are all coloured in the same shade of brown. He has a rather grim look on his face and stands in an almost fully neutral position, except for his right lower arm which is raised upwards, almost like it’s gripping his belt.

The Aerial Net Trap is basically a large dark green backpack, carrying a black arm with grips on it which can slingshot the net (when loaded obviously) away when the small black lever on the bottom of the pack is pressed. Two pairs of large clamps stick out on the left side of the pack, so Grant can carry the net on his back by storing it between these. On the front side a frame of grey straps sticks out so the launcher can be attached to the figure. The net consists of two long grey sticks with small hooks on each end, and a black net between them. It can be loaded on the launcher by placing the sticks between the grips of the pack’s arm. The smart bomb is basically a thick grey tube with several protrusions sticking out, adorned with a typical ‘radioactivity danger’ logo (not painted in a different colour). Grant can hold it by gripping either one of his hands on the underside of the bomb.

The Stegosaurus hatchling is posed in an walking stance, with its right front leg raised upwards as if taking a step. Its head is posed as if the creature is looking at something to the left of him. He has very small dark green plates on his back, and no tail spikes like adult Stegosaurs have. Its predominant colour is light green: its entire body sports this colour, while its underside has some yellow mixed in. The beastie has dark green spots on his back and tail on both sides of his plates, and an additional spot on his nose. He has black eyes, relatively small for his size. A black JP logo is found on the upper left hind leg.

Analysis: there's not much new stuff in this figure, since it's basically JPS1 Grant with a different coloured outfit and a new hatchling. His new colours are a little bland, the designers could have gone with something more appealing than a dull white shirt and blue pants. They also tweaked Grant's face a bit, though you would hardly notice. The point of retooling the JPS1 figures for JPS2 was so they would resemble the actors more, but this Grant figure doesn't look much more like Sam Neill than his JPS1 counterpart does.

No modifications have been made to the aerial net trap or the smart bomb, they are identical in shape, size and colour to the gadgets that came with the previous Alan Grant figure. The net trap thus has the same ups and downs as it did before (I refer to my review of JPS1 Alan Grant for further details).

The only thing that really stands out in this set is the Stegosaurus hatchling, which fortunately does not disappoint. It's a very cute little creature, and because of his big eyes, tiny plates, the lack of tail spikes and a small plump body it's a obvious baby dinosaur. It is a great addition to the Jps1 Stegosaurus figure, due to its very similar paint job. Interestingly enough, its plates are shaped in a more anatomically correct fashion than the plates of its mother.

Playability: the same as JPS1 Alan Grant. This new Alan has the same range of poseable body parts. The Stegosaurus has no moveable parts of any kind, as is usual for hatchling figures. The Aerial Net Trap works the same way (as good, or as bas, judge for yourself) as ever. Therefore, the word of caution remains: the net easily gets entangled with other toys and is thus prone to damage. So if you want to keep it intact, go easy on it.

Realism: despite the designers' intentions, this figure looks less like the Alan Grant in the movie than the JPS1 figure did. The new outfit isn't something Grant wore in the movie (except for the iconic head). And though his facial features have been changed a bit, it's still hard to look at them and think 'yeah, that's Sam Neill'. Alan’s weaponry wasn’t like anything seen in the movie, it’s just accessories to give the figure some action features. Though Stegosaurus wasn't featured in the first movie, it's good to see this hatchling resembling the adult sculpt, so a level of consistency is added to the line.

Repaint: as mentioned, this is a repainted (and in case of the head sculpt, retooled) JPS1 Alan Grant, with a reused Aerial Net Trap and smart bomb. The only real new thing in this set is the baby Stegosaurus. Neither Grant nor the hatchling would be repainted again, but the Aerial Net Trap would. It was repainted for both the TLW exclusive Dino Tracker Set and the JP III exclusive Dinosaur Tracking Set, featuring different colours and a redesigned launching system (which was unfortunately inferior to the one used for this figure). In both cases it would come with a repainted smart bomb.

Overall rating: 6/10. This figure doesn't add much to the line, except a less interesting colour scheme and more of the same weaponry. The only reason you would want this set (other than being a completist like myself) is the new hatchling, which is its great redeeming feature since it's so cute and cuddly while staying consistent with the JPS1 Stegosaurus. This figure in nowhere near as common as JPS1 Alan Grant, though it's not really rare. Its release was most likely limited to the North American continent, so for other territories it can be harder to locate. Ebay is your best bet, usually for relatively low prices, since this figure isn't in great demand for obvious reasons.

Jurassic Park Series 1: Alan Grant

Year of release: 1993

Accessories:

-Aerial Net Trap with net

-Smart Bomb

-Pteranodon hatchling

-Collector’s Card # 11 (alternate card for 1994 re-release)

Description: Grant sports a simple and, as far as JP outfits go, iconic set of clothes. Most notable is his famous white hat, basically the hallmark of the Grant character. This hat is not removable since it’s stuck to the figure’s head. Second, there is the blue shirt with short sleeves, which is adorned with a small tag (also blue) carrying a black JP logo on the left part of his chest. Grant sports dark beige pants and dark greenish brown shoes, as well as knee patches and a belt of the same colour. A black flash light and walkie-talkie are attached to the belt at the front side. Grant’s hair, eyebrows and eyes are all coloured in the same shade of brown. He has a rather emotionless face and stands in an almost fully neutral position, except for his right lower arm which is raised upwards, almost like it’s gripping his belt.

The Aerial Net Trap is basically a large dark green backpack, carrying a black arm with grips on it which can slingshot the net (when loaded obviously) away when the small black lever on the bottom of the pack is pressed. Two pairs of large clamps stick out on the left side of the pack, so Grant can carry the net on his back by storing it between these. On the front side a frame of grey straps sticks out so the launcher can be attached to the figure. The net consists of two long grey sticks with small hooks on each end, and a black net between them. It can be loaded on the launcher by placing the sticks between the grips of the pack’s arm. The smart bomb is basically a grey tube with several protrusions sticking out, adorned with a typical ‘radioactivity danger’ logo (not painted in a different colour). Grant can hold it by gripping either one of his hands on the underside of the bomb.

The Pteranodon hatchling is posed in an active posture, its wings outstretched as if flying. If it weren’t for the head which looks to the left the figure would be nigh asymmetrical (the right wing is raised just a little higher). The underside of the animal is all bright grey, while the top of the wings and legs as well as the back is painted in a darker grey. Most of the head (including the crest) and neck is light blue, except for the lower jaw and throat. The inner mouth and eyes are black. A small white JP logo is found on the back of the right wing.

Analysis: for many, this is the most well known and popular JP figure. At the height of the JP craze in 1993-1994, virtually every kid owned one of these figures and most people vividly and fondly remember playing Dr. Grant with it. Since Grant was one of the most popular characters in the movie Kenner made figures of (JPS2 Malcolm was released later and unfortunately not in all territories) it was produced in large quantities, making it the most common JP figure. As such it’s one of the most recognizable JP toys. But objectively, is it any good?

Of course it is! Grant looks much like his movie counterpart and isn’t “enhanced” with any odd non removable details, like some of the other figures of both this and the following JPS2 line (Nedry with his gun, Tim with the ammo belt). However, he does come with a bit of a silly but also fun weapon. The Aerial Net Trap looks rather sophisticated and detailed but works according to a very simple design. Just place the net on the throwing arm, press the button and slingshot the net towards any creature you feel like capturing. Though the net is often thrown over a decent distance, it’s hard to really catch anything, but this provides a good challenge. Quite handy: Grant can use the Trap as a backpack and store the net between the clasps. Additionally, Grant comes with a weird radioactive bomb. It doesn’t do anything, it’s just a neat little extra.

The Pteranodon, not featured in the movie itself, is a cute little critter, though its posture and lack of poseability are a minor nuisance, particularly because it can’t stand but needs to be supported; otherwise it can only lie down. The fact it closely resembles the larger Pteranodon of this line makes up for the otherwise dull paint job.

Playability: just fine. Alan has the usual range of poseable limbs and head. The way his right arm is posed may hinder playability at times, but it does make for a fine Grant-holds-onto-hat pose when his arm is positioned next to his head. The Pteranodon has no moveable parts of any kind, which is usual for hatchling figures. The Aerial Net Trap is an interesting net launching device with both pros and cons. It’s handy Grant can strap it to his back with room to store the net, but when it’s attached to him it’s hard to use the launcher in an effective way. It’s more convenient to use the weapon separate from the figure, but in this case the straps are a nuisance since they disable the launcher to lie in a steady position. Still, the launcher works fine: pressing the lever makes the launcher sling the net away over a respectable distance. However, it’s not easy to catch any creatures with it, since it’s hard to predict where the net will end up. The bomb is just an extra gadget and has no functions to speak of. It has been speculated it can be used to grip both handles of the net together to make sure any creature caught in the net doesn’t escape, but it’s doubtful the designers of this toy had such a function in mind.

A word of caution: the net easily gets entangled with other toys and is thus damaged easily. Also, the legs of the little Pteranodon are quite fragile and have a tendency of breaking off with ease. So if you want to keep both intact, don’t play too rough with them.

Realism: though Grant’s outfit isn’t too dissimilar from what Alan Grant, as performed by Sam Neill, wore in the JP movie, it’s not an exact match either. The hat and blue shirt are a dead giveaway though. The facial features of this Grant figure don’t resemble Sam’s face at all, but overall this is a good enough toy version of the Alan Grant character. Alan’s weaponry wasn’t like anything seen in the movie and it’s just accessories to give the figure some action features. Pteranodons weren’t featured in the film, but this figure is fairly accurate and as a species unmistakable for other Pterosaurs due to the crest on the head. It’s a good thing this hatchling sports the same colouring as the adult version of this toy line, adding some welcome continuity.

Repaint: since this figure belongs to the very first JP toy line, it’s obviously not repainted. However, the figure would be repainted for the JP Series 2 line, featuring a new head sculpt but the exact same set of accessories, save a new hatchling (a Stegosaurus). The Pteranodon baby would not be repainted for later toy lines, but the Aerial Net Trap would. It was repainted for both the TLW exclusive Dino Tracker Set and the JP III exclusive Dinosaur Tracking Set, featuring different colours and a redesigned launching system (which was unfortunately inferior to the one used for this figure).

Overall rating: 8/10. Despite the few flaws of the Aerial Net Trap, this is one of the most classic and remembered JP figures, one which lights up deep feelings of nostalgia in anyone who ever owned it in the early days of JP toys. Besides, it’s just a cool figure with a lovely little hatchling. Also, it is very likely to be the most common JP figure of all toy lines and therefore still very easy to find for cheap prices, both MOC or loose.