Today's News: loads of it

The haul of news from the last week:

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157156/nieuwe_trailer_oorlogsfilm_fury_met_brad_pitt

Last trailer focused on the action, this one's more about the drama. Can't say it looks any better when given more substance. Rookie soldiers faced with the moral burdens of battle has been done since time immemorial. Same goes for small bands of soldiers stuck behind enemy lines on suicide missions (Saving Private Ryan is just the tip of the iceberg there, you know). Heck, even Brad Pitt has dabbled in that before with Inglourious Basterds. Big change here is that particular persona of his didn't seem to mind his hard times as much as this one, even though in terms of character there don't seem to be that many differences between Wardaddy and Lt. Aldo Raine. I really hope there's more to the movie that what the trailers are showing us. Though if we're comparing notes, that certainly was the case with Inglourious Basterds, which turned out to incorporate a whole lot more to the plot than just the bloody retributions exacted on Nazis we were promised (though that element surely was also retained, to a lesser extent). On the other thand, there's the example to the opposite, in which the trailer promised more than the actual film delivered, like on the recent forgetabble The Monuments Men. Let's just say this tank can still roll either way.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157184/23_jump_street_aangekondigd

As the end credits for 22 Jump Street revealed, there's at least twenty more scenarios for the franchise's protagonists to get involved in. Of course the studio feels like trying out at least one more considering the success of that sequel. Will it be one of the outrageous possibilities offered by those end titles? Probably not, most of them seem a little too farfetched for any "serious" comedy flick. Doesn't mean there aren't enough possibilities for infiltrations taking zany turns left. Not that I need to see them. I have learned long ago that the number of sequels to successful comedies worth our while is pretty low indeed. Blatant regurgitation is their usual motto, a point the first film, 21 Jump Street (see the numerical pattern here?), already made both hilariously and painfully clear when the angry black police captain gave his poignant and speech about law enforcement officials just recycling old ideas ad nauseam, which was the movie at its most self-aware note. And here we have the prove studio execs do the same. Like we needed any proof...

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157183/eerste_fotos_batmobile_uit_batman_v_superman

I approve of this Batmobile. Not too realistic, not too unrealistic. Not too tacky, not too slick. Fits right into Zack Snyder's new DC-verse, while containing many a nod to past works, most notable Nolan's Tumbler design from the Dark Knight movies. The bat motif is not too obvious or overt, but definitely there. This basically is exactly the badass type of vehicle an angry billionaire would patrol the streets at night with to punish the guilty and protect the innocent, rather than doing drugs, banging scores of prostitutes and not giving a damn about the rest of the world because he is loaded, like real world billionaires prefer to do instead. Of course, we have yet to see it in action and discover its various funky gadgets - does it, too, feature a built-in escape vehicle and a self-destruct option, for example? - but in terms of looks and style this is right up Gotham's alleys. Good thing Hans Zimmer is still doing the music for the epic DC movies. Just add his stormy, percussive Dark Knight theme and this car is good to go.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157209/eerste_trailer_serena

Why change a winning team, the casting director of Serena must have thought? Cooper & Lawrence together have been the stuff of Oscars so far, and this movie clearly shows Academy Award aspirations, if the trailer is any indication. However, this movie is not directed by David O'Russell. Guess we'll find out whether it was the director that got the best out of his actors on Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle both, or whether it may have been the material after all. Susanne Bier certainly isn't a stranger in terms of character, since her movies often border on character studies, which equally seems to be the case on Serena. The language barrier doesn't seem to be present, as this is hardly her first English spoken film. This trailer definitely reaffirms the third time remains the charm.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157208/robert_downey_jr_mogelijk_in_assassins_creed

I'm starting to get a sort of 'Johnny Depp vibe' whenever Robert Downey Jr.'s latest project is mentioned. As Depp revels in playing quirky oddball types, Downey Jr. now seems to stick predominantly to playing witty, scienctifically considerate charmers (e.g. Sherlock Holmes and Tony Stark/Iron Man) when it comes to big budget Hollywood movies. He does that well, so the part of Leonardo da Vinci seems perfectly suited to him. However, as has been the case with Depp for quite a while, it's getting a routine, which may lead to typecasting (though I bet Downey Jr.'s hefty pay grade will halt such thoughts on studio execs' minds). Of course, there's many other types of characters Downey Jr. plays in smaller films in-between blockbusters (the Oscar buzzing The Judge would be a current example), but those are not the ones most audiences will get to see so they'll learn to appreciate the diversity inherent in his talent. Considering he's now the highest paid actor in Hollywood, it is interesting to see him accepting a sidekick part for a change. Unless Da Vinci is actually the assassin, which I have a hard time believing, though there is some logic to that notion. But then, I never played the games so what do I know? Don't have time for games, too busy watching and loving movies. Like those starring Downey Jr., for example.

Jurassic Park III: All Terrain Dino Trapper Vehicle

Year of release: 2001

Accessories:

-Dino damage door (with gun)

-Detachable gun/battery holder/sound generator

-Billy Brennan figure

Description: (note: the writer of this review is not an expert on cars, at least not in the English language. Some parts of this review might be a little confusing as a result, for which an apology is offered here.)

This large and heavy vehicle is pretty detailed and has a lot of features. The underside of the truck is black and so are the wheels, cabin and wind shields. The upper part is coloured yellow, adorned with silver highlights, including net device, gun and lights. It has some extra details, like large silver scratches at the front, indicating this car had a run in with an unpleasant creature. There are also a lot of little brown spots, making it seem this vehicle has driven on a lot of muddy roads. A small, hardly noticeable, JP III logo can be found on the right end of this car.

In the back of the car a heavy detachable device is installed, which controls most of the action features this model has to offer. This device is coloured metallic dark grey with some red highlights on it. On top of it a transparent gun is found, with a little red button to the right of it: pushing this button results in the gun lighting up in funky red colours and causes spiffy firing noises to be heard. On the middle of the front part of this jeep a large silver crane arm is attached, with a light blue rubber net on it to capture dinosaurs with. Pressing the lever on the left of the electronic device makes the net crane cut loose and violently crashing forward, so that any creature in front of it gets pushed to the ground with force. Added to this are some weird humming noises. Another lever on the right makes the right door fall off and produces crashing sounds. On top of the door is a second gun with a large tranquilliser dart in it: pressing the little button on this weapon fires the dart: but it doesn’t get very far since it’s attached to a rather short rope.

Finally, this vehicle also comes with an exclusive Billy Brennan figure. This guy sports a green shirt, dark blue pants, black belt, black gloves, black boots, brown hair and very blue eyes. It’s got some asymmetric features (like the regular Billy figure) like a silver shoulder patch on his right arm, and a similar patch on his left knee. He’s also got a pair of sunglasses dangling around his neck. The figure stands in a fairly neutral position, except his right arm is moved to the right, like some invisible character is handing him something. It’s not possible to move the arm into a normal position.

Analysis: this car could have been better. It’s not dismally bad or anything, but it’s got so many features and details that it looks very busy and chaotic. The paint job is only decent, though I like the mud it gives the car some character. The scratches are overdoing it unfortunately: there already is a dino damage option anyway. The sounds are all fine, though pretty weird at times. The net mechanism works good, but the net itself is disappointing: it misses the realistic net feel of the nets on Kenner’s vehicles, mostly because this one is made of rubber and is very blue. But the net catching action does work properly, although only on smaller dinosaurs, because the net isn’t very large.

The dino damage action is also decent enough, but is hindered because of the irremovable gun attached to it. It would have been better if there was only one gun, because this vehicle now has two, both of them not very convincing. The gun which actually fires a missile (which incidentally looks very much like a reuse of the old Kenner TLWS1 Net Trapper vehicle’s gun), but this missile has a very limited range because it’s being held back by a very short rope. It would work better if there wasn’t a rope: of course this mistake is easily corrected by getting rid of the rope, if you’re willing to do that. The other gun is the one on top of the electronic device: this gun lights up red when activated. Though this looks funny it doesn’t add a lot. Like stated above, it would have been better if there was only one gun at the back, capable of firing a missile, and dump the light effects. Two guns is just overkill and hinders other functions.

The Billy figure is not impressive. It sports a very odd outfit, which is in no way reminiscent of Billy’s clothing in the actual JP III movie, though the head resembles Alessandro Nivola somewhat. His right arm is sticking out in a very annoying manner, further diminishing this figure. The figure fits in the driver’s seat, but it’s rather tiny in comparison to the vehicle, like the car was designed to hold bigger figures. In total, there is room for five figures; two in the seats, three on the sides of the car.

Playability: this vehicle would have had higher playability if it wasn’t so cramped with details. There should have only been one gun: that way the dino damage door would have come off more easily. The rope on the gun shouldn’t have been attached there. The light effects should have been left out, because they don’t really add anything and look silly anyway. Other that that this car should provide some good playability situations. Keep in mind it features electronics, so be careful when playing rough with it: it might break easily. It’s a good thing the electronics are all controlled by the removable box, so one can play rough with it after all.

It’s nice the car came with a special Billy figure, but sadly it’s a pretty lousy sculpt, mostly because of the redundant details like the sunglasses and patches. Though it doesn’t stand in a totally irritating posture like some of the regular human figures of this toy line, the right arm’s position severely screws it up. Fortunately the other limbs are normal enough, so it isn’t a total loss.

Realism: there was no car in JP III, at least not on Isla Sorna. It’s no surprise this vehicle looks totally unrealistic and was made up for the toy line. It has no connection to the movie whatsoever. The Billy Brennan figure looks a bit like its counterpart in the movie, though only because of the head sculpt. The clothing is also totally made up. And no, Alessandro Nivola’s eyes aren’t that blue…

Repaint: no. Both the car and the human figure wouldn’t be repainted for other toy lines either.

Overall rating: 5/10. It’s certainly not the best car in the history of Jurassic Park toys, but it’s fairly decent. It has some good options, like the net trapping action. But in general it’s more or less ruined by overkill, as well as overly weird and unrealistic design features. The Billy figure isn’t very good and doesn’t add to the quality of the set either. This vehicle is not very rare, so if you want one, it’s not all that hard to track down for an affordable price.

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: Air Heli-Sabre Marine Copter

Year of release: 2001

Accessories:

-Helicopter

-Missile

-Dino Damage piece

-Pilot figure

Description: this small chopper is about 20 centimetres in length and is coloured mostly green. The front part of the vehicle is painted in a dark metallic green, while the rest is painted in a lighter shade of green. It sports black propeller blades, as well as a dark grey tail piece and landing gear. The cockpit window is transparent green and the cockpit can hold one figure. Right under the blades a detachable piece of transparent green plastic is located, giving the impression an aggressive dinosaur attacked the chopper and did some dino damage. Removing this piece exposes a silver engine with a red button; it also causes a damage sound (which can also be made without the damage piece by just pushing the red button). Two more sounds can be made with this aircraft: first, by rotating the round button on the underside, the propeller blades also rotate and a typical chopper sound is produced. Second, by moving the landing gear on the underside, a firing sound is made, and when loaded, a missile can be launched as well. The chopper is nicely detailed for a vehicle this size, but not overly so. A JP III logo can be found on the left side of the front part.

The Pilot figure is dressed in a light green pilot outfit, adorned with darker green stripes. He also wears black shoes and gloves and a grey belt. He sports an interesting (irremovable) red helmet with black breathing equipment on it which runs to his chest. This breathing tube is detachable from his chest but it doesn’t seem to serve a purpose.

Analysis: this is a good and fairly realistic (as far as I know, but I’m no expert on aviation) military aircraft with some cool options. The sounds are all fine, and so are the actions it can perform. The rotating blades option is an interesting new feature I missed on Kenner’s helicopter sculpts, and the accompanying sound makes it more lifelike. The dino damage piece is a nice addition, though not very original. The firing mechanism used for this toy is similar to the one used for the weapons of the human figures from this toy line, except it works better in this case. The landing gear pushes the missile out (you don’t have to use your fingers this time), but it goes in a straight line and has a decent enough impact force to knock smaller figures over. The firing sound is a bit weird though, but not irritatingly so.

The paint job of this chopper is nothing special, but good enough. Green and black are of course usual colours for military aircraft, so it’s reasonable to assume the designers didn’t want to go all wild and use much different colouring. Nevertheless it would be cooler if they had painted some of the details in different colours, because now it’s quite monochromatic. The colour of the cockpit window piece, transparent green, is rather unrealistic: normal transparency would have looked better. The pilot figure perfectly fits in this cockpit though, but unfortunately most other JP III figures don’t. It would have been great had Hasbro made a bigger helicopter, similar to the ones we actually got to see in the JP III movie, capable of carrying more people. Still, this model is good enough.

The pilot figure is okay, but not brilliant. Like the chopper the paint job could have been better, and a removable helmet would certainly be an improvement. Fortunately the figure stands in a relatively neutral position, unlike most of the other human figures from this toy line. He does hold his arms in an odd pose though: it reminds me of the way C-3PO (from the Star Wars movies, obviously) holds his. However, this way the figure fits easier in the cockpit, so at least it serves some purpose.

Playability: good enough. The chopper has a nice number of options and actions, as well as some good sound effects. Though it’s not very big it’s a cool figure to attack dinosaur figures with, or of course to be mercilessly crushed by one of them big predatory dinosaur figures. The pilot figure is decent, but nothing more. It doesn’t work too well on it’s own, but together with the vehicle it makes a formidable pair. This helicopter is electronic, and more fragile than I expected (at least my particular model is). I suggest you be careful with it and don’t get too rough, because that might damage the electronics and nullifies the funky sounds, which would be a tremendous shame.

Realism: there was no helicopter of this type in the movie as far as I know. It certainly doesn’t remind me of any of the choppers I saw in the JP movies. Nevertheless it looks like a small military aircraft might look, mostly because of the paint job and the look of the pilot. The pilot also looks different from the pilots seen in the three JP movies, but he’s without a doubt a pilot with that helmet of his.

Repaint: no. Neither this model nor the pilot would be repainted for other toy lines.

Overall rating: 7/10. It’s a good model and has some neat features and cool sound effects. Though the pilot isn’t really impressive and the electronics of the chopper have a tendency to break easily (at least in my case), it doesn’t make much difference for the overall coolness of this realistically designed military craft. If you want one I suggest you get it, because it’s a fine model and should provide for some fun interaction with other JP figures. It’s not really rare, but can’t be found all that easily either. You might have to look for it somewhat and it may not be cheap, but it’s worth it.

Jurassic Park Chaos Effect: Mobile Command Center

Year of release: 1998

Accessories:

-Missile launcher (including three missiles)

-Dino damage cab area

-Telescoping crane

-Detachable computer with electronic sounds and lights

-Fold out observation lab

-Eight fence pieces

(Note: the reviewer is not an expert on vehicles like these, so any incorrect terms, or lack of detail, should be disregarded.)

Description: this play set basically consists of two trailers, which can be attached to one another via the black leathery thingy (what exactly do you call it?). The overall colour pattern of the trailers is bright green on the lower parts and underside of both trailers (as well as all on the inside, most notably on the fold out lab of the second trailer), while it's light blue on the top parts, with a big black stripe running between both colours in an edgy and triangular pattern, seemingly random (but largely symmetrical if you compare both sides of the trailers). All eight wheels are black with bright yellow hub caps. Together, the MCC (standard abbreviation for Mobile Command Center in the JP toys community) measures a good 80 centimetres in length. Each trailer comes with its own action features.

The front trailer is the largest of the two and has two pairs of wheels. The front cab area, with the transparent orange window and grey bumpers and windshields, can be removed as if being torn off by a dinosaur (though the damage doesn’t really appear to be caused by some ferocious creature, it looks too clean for that). On top of this cab area there’s some yellow detailing, including radar dish and antenna, adding a bit of a technologically sophisticated look to the trailer. The front trailer comes with a door on each side: a small door on the right (for people to enter and exit), and a larger rectangular door on the left side (for loading cargo and stuff like that). The front trailer is more or less empty on the inside, except for the grey drivers’ seats in the cab area. (with a yellow steering wheel) It’s very handy to store equipment in, such as the fence pieces when they're not in use. On the right top side of the front trailer there’s a large grey telescoping crane on an equally grey base. This crane can rotate in a full circle, and can be extended to cover more ground. On the right end of the crane there’s a pair of yellow claws, used to clamp equipment or dinosaurs on, in order to move them around. On the left end of this crane there’s a grey basket, basically a lookout station, with the capacity of carrying a single human figure. Next to it there’s a large green missile launcher, capable of full rotation like the crane itself. It fires grey missiles and comes with three of these (at least, it should when the set is complete).

On the left top side of the front trailer, right next to the cargo door, there’s a hole which can store the computer unit. It’s basically a beige box, with a lights section on top that can move in a 90 degree angle. It comes with a pair of lights and produces three different sounds: an alarm caused by pulling on the fences when they’re attached to the trailer, a damage noise produced when removing the cab area, and a third noise made when pressing the button on the left side of the computer. The lights are activated when producing any of these sounds.

The second trailer is a bit shorter but also comes with two pairs of wheels. Additionally, it sports a pair of big green antennae on the left back end, both identical though one of them positioned somewhat lower so it seems it’s shorter than the other (but both are about 20 centimetres in length). At the very back end of this trailer there’s another cargo door, similar to the one on the left side of the front trailer. The main feature of this trailer is the observation lab: the right side of the trailer including a part of the roof section can fold out to form the observation lab, complete with a pair of little green legs to support it on the ground. When folded out the interior of the trailer is revealed, which is adorned with a large grey table with details like computers and cups on top. Additionally, a grey operating bench is located right above the right wheel, with room enough for a human figure or a smaller dinosaur. Both the bench and the computers inside the lab sport various computer console stickers and other equipment stickers for detail.

This play set comes with a total of eight fence pieces, all of them painted in a bright orange paint job. They can be attached to one another, and the smaller piece of fence can also be attached to the left side of the front trailer, in which case it makes contact with the computer so an alarm is activated when any reptilian vermin tries to break through the fences. The fences can form a protective barrier around one side of the MCC, most logically the right side to protect the observation lab. However, there’s no point on the back end of the second trailer to attach the fences too. Of course, the fences can also be used by themselves, so you can imprison animals.

Analysis: though this is “only a repaint”, it's one you wouldn't want to miss out on if you haven't got the original TLWS1 Mobile Command Center. It’s very cool and quite detailed, though its paint job is hardly appealing, considering the weird colour combinations that would certainly draw attention to hungry dinosaurs roaming the vicinity. However, it fits right in with the rest of the colourful Chaos Effect line, and at least doesn't sport the most appalling paint job in that line (though the bright orange fences certainly are more irritatingly coloured than they should be). If you look past its weird paint job, you'll find this play set is as good as ever, loaded with a variety of cool action features, definitely making this set worth any JP fan's while. Though most of these features aren’t particularly new, they make for some fine overall playability altogether. I’ll describe them separately for a general overview of this wonderful play set.

-Missile launcher (including three missiles): the typical missile launcher seems an obligatory action feature of any vehicle or play set, and the MCC is basically both so naturally it can’t miss one of these. The launcher works properly and has a decent firing range (about a metre); missiles have enough impact force to knock most smaller dinosaurs over. It’s also neat to see this particular gun being fully rotatable. And since it comes with no less than three missiles, there's spares in case you lose one.

-Dino damage cab area: also an often used action feature. The dino damage of this set isn’t very convincing though: it looks far too artificial, like it’s caused by mechanic disassembly instead of an attack by a nasty predator. However, the fact it’s hooked up to the computer so it produces noises when being removed makes it more original and a decent action option after all. It's also quite extensive: carnivores can basically chunk most of the front part of the trailer off, leaving the driver's seat fully exposed for attack.

-Telescoping crane: though the poseability of the crane is fine (it can swivel in a full circle, tilt up and down in a 180 degree radius and be extended by some 15 centimetres), it doesn't work very well, mostly because of the poor design of the grappling claws which are meant to carry stuff: they just can’t support things at all, dinosaurs or otherwise. Nothing can really be clasped between the claws without coming loose and falling down. Though the rotating and telescoping aspects of the crane are good, and the armed extra station for a human figure comes in handy, these few nuisances make it a disappointment.

-Detachable computer with electronic sounds and lights: very fun feature, though it’s a shame only three different sounds can be produced, and one of them is quite annoying. However, they enhance the realism of the action features they’re attached too, and add another level of playability. The lights are quite strong, especially in the dark: you could use them as a decent flash light if you needed to. It's an excellent idea to make the computer removable, so you can take it out if you're going to play wild with your MCC, instead of risking damage.

-Fold out observation lab: a great option, giving us a good look of the inside of the second trailer. The inside could have used some more detail though, but the various computer equipment and the few details that are there, like the mouse and key board are very neat, and overall the folding out of the lab is a useful feature which hugely advances playability and leaves more space for figures and action options.

-Eight fence pieces: easy to assemble and attach to the trailer. It’s a bit odd they can only be attached to one end of the set though, because now dinosaurs won’t have such a hard time sneaking inside the perimeter on the other end. However, the alarm that goes off when the fence is compromised provides for a good warning, as well as a fun action option.

Playability: this play set scores quite high on any playability scale. It has loads of good action features, providing for hours of fun in combination with human figures and dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes, and it comes with an abundance of neat accessories. It also has funky sounds and fine lights (when in proper working order of course). Another thing that adds to the playability is the fact the electronics are easily removable, so when you feel like playing rough with it you can do so without risking damage to the sounds and lights.

Realism: this trailer play set looks very similar to the trailers seen in the TLW movie in overall shape and size (some of the details are off though – the trailers seen in the movie did not feature a crane, missile launcher or even fences – but this was obviously done for playability options: it’s a toy after all). The colouring is of course very different since this is the Chaos Effect version of the TLW trailers and has been painted to fit in with the rest of that line: bright, unrealistic colours, hinting at the absurdity and fantasy of this particular toy line.

Repaint: yes. This Mobile Command Center is a repaint of the play set of the same name from the TLWS1 toy line. It comes with all the parts of that original set, except for the Kelly Malcolm figure (nor does it come with any other human figures as replacement). This set would not be repainted for later toy lines.

Overall rating: 9/10. Though the new paint scheme of this play set is certainly less successful than the colours of the original MCC, it's still a grand toy loaded with lots of sweet action features, and it comes highly recommended (particularly if you can't get the TLWS1 MCC). It's a shame there's no bonus figure attached to this set, but given the quality of the other Chaos Effect human figures, that's hardly a loss. The Chaos Effect Mobile Command Center is very hard to find, even more difficult to obtain than its TLWS1 predecessor. It almost always goes for high prices, both loose and MIB, so be warned if you're out to get one yourself.

Jurassic Park Chaos Effect: Trike Dozer

Year of release: 1998

Accessories:

-detachable lights section

-rotating capture crane pole with noose

-giant grappling claw

Description: this medium sized vehicle sports a total of four huge black wheels (like airplane size) between a bright green “platform”, which is enriched with protrusions and detailing to make it seem more elaborate and technical than it actually is. In the middle of the space between the wheels, there’s a white cockpit capable of holding one figure (including foot space, which may not fit all figures though). The inside of this cockpit, including the driver’s seat, is coloured in the same green as most of the vehicle. On top of the cockpit there’s a black framework with grids on each side and on the topside, to protect the human inside from any potential dinosaur attacks. At the back end of this “roof section”, there’s another black frame which supports a large lights section on the top of the vehicle. It consists of a network of a total of 18 round lamps supported by a frame, and two rectangular lights on top; the entire lights section is made of a transparent orange plastic.

On both the front part and the back part of the Trike Dozer an arm is attached, each with a different function. The one on the front is the vehicle’s main weapon and defence: it’s labelled a ‘giant grappling claw’. A green arm, held together by grey highlights including a button at the end which makes the whole contraption rotatable in a full circle, sticks out of the front, ending in a white “hand” with two grey “fingers” sticking out on either side. Pushing the red button in the middle of the white part, or better yet have a dinosaur figure push it, makes the “fingers” snap towards each other with force, closing the claw and trapping any creature unfortunate enough to get caught between it. The green arm on the back end of the vehicle is actually a crane, standing on a small green pole which is also rotatable 360 degrees. On first glance the crane is only about ten centimetres in length, but two smaller parts can be pulled out of it, making the total length about 30 centimetres. In this way it’s adjustable to various heights, making it easier to lift things over obstacles and keep them at safe enough distance from humans. At the end of the crane there’s a black hook, which holds a light green strip. This strip has holes on either side, making it form a noose when both ends are attached to the hook (adjusting to various sizes of whatever it needs to carry). In this way it’s easier to move dinosaurs around.

Analysis: this is an okay vehicle, but nothing special compared to most of Kenner’s earlier vehicles. However, it is more original qua design since it differs a lot from most other vehicles. The grappling claw is a new action feature and the bulldozer like look of the Trike Dozer also makes it stand out. The same goes for the odd combination of colours this truck sports, consisting of green, white and grey. It’s not the most appealing colour scheme, but certainly restrained by Chaos Effect standards.

The grappling claw is an interesting new option and makes for a very powerful weapon. It’s easy to picture: a dangerous hybrid monster prowls about, the Trike Dozer thunders out of the bushes and rams the monster, thus springing the claw’s mechanism and trapping the beast. In come the humans with their guns and stun sticks (or whatever they use to kill or sedate the animal), after which the crane arm lifts it up and transports it to its enclosure, or grave. It may seem a bit silly, such a weird arm sticking out of the vehicle, but it’s certainly a handy tool. Does it work though? For the most part. When the button is pushed the claw closes with force. However, because the “fingers” aren’t that big, it’s easy for dinosaur figures to slip away. It’s also not strong enough to lift larger dinosaurs off the ground. So the humans better sedate any animal the vehicle catches quickly, before it breaks loose…

The crane is a fine addition to this set, though less original. It’s basically the same thing we saw on the Mobile Command Center (of both this toy line and TLWS1), being both fully rotatable and extendable. However, the MCC used a small claw to carry its loads, while the Trike Dozer uses a noose. In both cases it doesn’t work all that well, since here too any creatures being transported easily slip loose. Still, the rotation and extension parts of the Trike Dozers’ crane work well, though the mechanism which is used to left the crane to various heights isn’t smooth to operate.

Overall, this is a fun addition to the toy line and Kenner’s range of vehicles, though not all of it’s action features work as well as one would hope. The vehicle’s look is decent enough, particularly the funky lights on top, but not overly appealing. 

 

Playability: adequate. The trapping arm mechanism works fine, though it’s only useful for smaller dinosaur figures, which slip through its grasp easily enough unfortunately. The same goes for the noose which can hold a dinosaur while it’s being moved around by the crane. The crane itself, being both rotatable and extendable (though neither very smoothly) works fine. Though it’s not specified as such, the removable lights can be called dino damage, adding to the range of playability options. The fact there’s room for only one figure takes something away though.

Realism: as a rather odd, almost over the top, dinosaur catching instrument this vehicle fits in perfectly with the rest of the bizarreness which makes up the Chaos Effect toy line. Its colours aren’t even all that extravagant, unlike most of the dinosaurs. Needless to say the Trike Dozer was never featured in any of the JP movies. However, as a maintenance bulldozer unit this vehicle doesn’t seem all that out of place with non Chaos Effect figures. It’s not hard to imagine this vehicle riding around the Command Compound closing fences and moving dinosaurs about.

Repaint: no. This vehicle was designed specifically for this toy line, and as such, it would not be repainted for any following lines either.

Overall rating: 6/10. It’s an adequate addition to the range of JP vehicles, but doesn’t offer anything really noteworthy. The colour scheme and action features aren’t remarkable, despite the strong grappling claw, but it’s still a welcome change from the usual variety of ‘track & trap’ jeeps seen in the previous toy lines. It’s one of the more common items in the Chaos Effect line, and shouldn’t prove all that hard to find, though in areas where this toy line wasn’t released it’s usually somewhat harder to get your hands on.

Jurassic Park Chaos Effect: Air S.A.B.R.E.

Year of release: 1998

Accessories:

-Rocket Launcher with rocket

-Exclusive Dieter Stark figure

Description: this small aerial vehicle basically consists of a flying cockpit with overly big landing feet and rather short heli-blades. The bulk of the chopper is coloured dark green, while the remaining parts (blades, landing feet, windshield, rocket and lights) are all black. On the vehicle's underside there is a small rocket launcher which comes with a single rocket. The tail section of this helicopter ends in a rather big joystick like appendage which sports a large grey button: pushing this button launches the rocket. The cockpit, which sports an all black interior and has little detail by itself, holds a single figure: the windshield section (no windows, so the cockpit is partially exposed to the elements) can be opened so the figure can get in. Right above the cockpit the chopper blades are found (two, not four like the JPS1 Capture Copter had): giving them a push makes them spin around in a decent fashion. On the front part of the cockpit a set of lights sticks out of either side, while a smaller contraption, presumably also a light, is located on the very nose of the chopper; this piece can be tilted up and down in about a 120 degree radius, but this serves no particular purpose. The Air S.A.B.R.E. is equipped with huge landing gear which is attached to the vehicle at the bottom part of the cockpit. Large protrusions stick out of this gear in a rectangular shape, with teeth like serrations at the edges, so the landing gear can hook on to vicious dinosaurs to take them out. This vehicle comes with various stickers for decoration, most notably some with the familiar black and yellow striped pattern carrying the texts 'caution' and 'step', as well as stickers with the InGen and Jurassic Park: Chaos Effect logos on them. There's also a sticker carrying a serial number for this vehicle (G961TJ-12) and two stickers saying 'warning!missile'.

The Air S.A.B.R.E. comes with an exclusive Dieter Stark figure. He looks rather thin, with overly long legs and a rather small head by comparison. He has black eyes and eye brows, white hair in a rather 'flat' hair style and shows an evil grinning expression on his face, exposing his teeth. He's also quite muscular and has both lower arms raised upwards as if holding something, clearly showing off his biceps. He wears a tight beige suit with red highlights around the torso and sides of the legs. He sports big black boots and gloves of the same colour, while carrying orange elbow patches on both arms and a big orange shoulder patch over his right shoulder. Additionally, he sports a red utility belt around his waist and black knee patches on both legs, as well as beige gun holsters on the sides of both upper legs and a console like communication device (if that's what it is) on his left upper leg. Most of these attributes are strapped around his legs with black straps. He also carries three more black wires on his chest though it's unclear what they're intended for. Dieter has some slight tears on his suit, closed with stitches.

Analysis: out of the few helicopters of the various JP toy lines, this is definitely the least appealing chopper. It looks rather odd, more like something out of G.I. Joe than from Jurassic Park. It has a sombre paint job, with a rather military style to it thanks to the dark green colouring. It's not the most successful paint job, but it suffices. The paint job isn't the problem though, it's mostly the design of this chopper. It just looks silly, with the big appendage on the tail and the annoying little lights sticking out on the sides which keep getting in the way of the action, not to mention the huge landing feet it carries around. This chopper could have used a slicker and tougher design to make it look more appealing.

Also, there's the lack of action features on this vehicle. The package boasts a 'heli-blade' action but what's actually meant by that is left vague. You can swivel the blades around, but if that's all, it's one hell of a lousy, cheap action feature. The blades are pretty short and have little impact force when something gets in their path. A similar problem comes with the rocket launcher, which by itself is a rather overused and predictable feature, especially on aerial vehicles. Though the joystick mechanism is pretty neat and not only makes the chopper easy to hold but also delivers an efficient firing mechanism, the range and impact force of the rocket itself leave much to be desired. The rocket can be fired over little more than half a metre, and isn't strong enough to knock over most figures, except the really small ones (like hatchlings) which are not the easiest targets to hit. The landing feet may look odd, but at least they can grab on to various smaller or medium sized dinosaur figures, and can even transport them (though for a light weight vehicle like this most figures are already on the heavy side). It's not sure whether this is their actual purpose, since no mention is made of it on the vehicle's box, but the picture on the front of the box, showing this helicopter grabbing a Velocirapteryx with its landing gear, hints at this particular function. The landing gear and the adequate paint job are basically the Air S.A.B.R.E.'s only redeeming features.

The same can't be said for the hideous Dieter Stark figure that completes this set, and has got to be one of the ugliest JP figures ever produced. It has a totally ridiculous outfit (though not unusual by Chaos Effects standards), being overly elaborate with all kinds of superficial detailing and an awkward colour scheme, and sports a bizarre head sculpt, with a silly hair style and stupid facial expression (for a JP figure at least). This human figure looks more like some anime cartoon figure than being recognizable as a Jurassic Park character. Also, its head and legs are out of proportion with the rest of its body, which also doesn't help. This is definitely one of the worst JP human figures around and makes the Air S.A.B.R.E. set even more of a failure.

Playability: half decent. The Dieter Stark figure has the usual range of poseable body parts, head, arms and legs only (though the way he holds his arms doesn't help playability). The chopper is equipped with a disappointing rocket launcher but at least comes with extra options in its landing gear (though because of the size of the feet this could also hinder playability because it might get in the way of the action). The joystick style of its tail section may look odd, but it does make this vehicle easy to hold. The Air S.A.B.R.E. only comes with a single missile so if it gets lost there's no back-up, but because of its small firing range the chances of it being lost are reduced to some extent.

Realism: realism isn't something to look for in the Chaos Effect line and the Air S.A.B.R.E. forms no exception on this rule. In fact the Dieter Stark figure is one of the least realistic and most cartoonish figures of them all. He also doesn't resemble the Dieter Stark character from the Lost World movie in any way, not to mention Dieter got mauled by Compies in that film so he shouldn't even be alive at all. Compared to the other Chaos Effect figures this chopper isn't actually all that deterring. It at least sports a moderate paint job without flashy bright colours. However, the overall shape and size, even for a single manned type of aircraft, is quite unlikely.

Repaint: no. This vehicle was designed specifically for the Chaos Effect toy line, and would not be repainted for any later lines.

Overall rating: 4/10. The chopper itself is of little interest though there are some good qualities to it, but it's the ridiculous Dieter Stark figure which really makes this set a largely unappealing addition to any JP toy collection. Though it didn't get a worldwide release, the Air S.A.B.R.E. isn't a rare set and can often be found for rather low prices, even MIB, mostly because it isn't particularly sought after, unsurprisingly.

Jurassic Park Chaos Effect: Land S.A.B.R.E.

Year of release: 1998

Accessories:

-Dino Grappling Arms

-Exclusive Eddie Carr figure

Description: this small four wheeled vehicle basically consists of a single cockpit on wheels equipped with two big arms on top for catching dinosaurs. The vehicle sports an overall white paint job, adorned with various blue and silver highlights (also on the arms). Its wheels are coloured dark grey while the driver's seat is black with a black handle on each side for the driver to hold on to. It features no glass or other protective layer over the driver's seat, so the driver is exposed to the elements. On top of the driver's seat there is a big metallic grey device, ending in two handles at the back so you can activate the big white grappling arms it has on the front side. These arms end in big 'hands', which can clasp a dinosaur between them real tight. The arms can move both up and down and side to side, though in neither case in more than an 80 degree radius. The Land S.A.B.R.E. Comes with various stickers as detailing, mostly smaller ones showing mechanical stuff or symbols, as well as two with the JP Chaos Effect logo on it, and two carrying the text 'no step' for on the arms.

This vehicle comes with an exclusive Eddie Carr figure, standing in a fully neutral posture. He wears a yellow jumpsuit, including helmet. The suit is covered in a black vest on his torso and he also sports a black belt around his waist, grey gloves with black armbands, grey knee patches and black boots. He carries some light green highlights and has a big blue console patch on his left upper leg. On his back he carries some sort of breathing apparatus over the black vest. His helmet, which is black on the inside, has no protective surface over the facial area, so his face is exposed. Eddie perfectly fits in the Land S.A.B.R.E.'s driver's seat, with his hands on the steering handles and his head just between the grappling arms.

Analysis: it's not only the dinosaurs of the Chaos Effect line that are overly wacky, the vehicles of this line follow the same oddball design schemes which makes them fit in perfectly in this line, but not so much in Kenner's other JP lines. This Land S.A.B.R.E. is undoubtedly the weirdest vehicle of the three that were released for the Chaos Effect line, and also the least appealing of the bunch. For starters, it has a rather bland paint job, making it look like something from a cheap science fiction movie. Another nuisance is the fact that there's only a few Kenner figures that really fit in the driver's seat. It's obvious this vehicle was designed specifically for the Eddie Carr figure that comes with it, so most other figures are incompatible. This Eddie isn't a very interesting human figure, and though it's supposed to be Eddie Carr, there's nothing on him that even remotely hints at the character of the same name in the Lost World movie (but he makes a decent Chaos Effect style nameless Park Ranger). Eddie wears the typical colourful outfit for a Chaos Effect figure, though it's not as far-fetched as the gear the Roland Tembo or Dieter Stark figures of this toy line carry. At least it looks like a decent protective suit, which is exactly what he needs given the lack of protection he gets from his poorly designed vehicle (though why his face is so blatantly exposed for dinosaurs to slash open is beyond me).

The Land S.A.B.R.E.'s only means of defence are the grappling arms, which fortunately do a good job of grabbing and holding dinosaurs. They can open wide enough to catch most dinosaur figures between the arms and they close tightly enough, but the 'hands' are too smoothly surfaced so especially smaller creatures easily slip out between them. The arms surely aren't shut strong enough to be able to lift dinosaurs in the air. All they can do is hold a dinosaur when it keeps standing still. And even if they were powerful enough to restrain prey that fights back, what then? This vehicle isn't equipped with something like a tranq missile launcher to fully subdue them and make sure they don't claw at the driver in his unprotected seat. A cockpit window or something like that would sure have come in handy for poor Eddie, since now he's just an easy prey for hungry critters. In cooperation with another vehicle or a set of weaponry carrying equipment that can really knock a dinosaur out this vehicle might do the trick, but it definitely doesn't on its own.

Playability: not all too good. Eddie has the typical poseable body parts, namely head, arms and legs. Even though the grappling arms still aren't up to battling dinosaurs, these are one of the better functioning sets of grappling arms we've seen on JP toys. At least they can also grab bigger dinosaurs, and they have a rather tight grip, while neither can be said for the bigger Trike Dozer vehicle of this toy line. Though the vehicle's wheels are a decent sort and the Land S.A.B.R.E. rides a fair distance when given a push, more flexible all-terrain wheels (like those of the JPS2 Jungle Runner) would be more suited for a small land based vehicle like this.

Realism: this is not the most applicable term on any Chaos Effect set, and the same goes for this vehicle. The Land S.A.B.R.E. is definitely one of the more bizarre and less likely JP vehicles, as well as poorly designed, leaving the driver open for attack by vicious mutated monsters. Though big grappling arms for grabbing dinosaurs aren't such a bad idea, they don't beat a good old rocket or net launcher, especially since you can' t fully subdue beasties with just these arms. The Eddie Carr figure looks nothing like the Eddie seen in the TLW movie, though the jump suit which covers all of him also has a hand in this. Only his face is revealed, and that at least isn't reminiscent to Eddie Carr. More importantly, Eddie Carr died in the Lost World movie, so what's he doing being alive here anyway?

Repaint: no. This vehicle was designed specifically for the Chaos Effect toy line, and would not be repainted for any later lines.

Overall rating: 4/10. A rather lousy vehicle, with a human figure that's of little appeal. Though the grappling arms aren't a total failure, they're not enough to make this a successful vehicle. This is one of the more common Chaos Effect sets, so if you feel the need to get one you can probably find it for a pretty low price, especially because it's – unsurprisingly – not highly sought after. However, it also doesn't come recommended, so you might want to skip this one entirely in favour of better designed vehicles.

The Lost World Series 1: Mobile Command Center

Year of release: 1997

Accessories:

-Missile launcher (including missiles)

-Dino damage cab area

-Telescoping crane

-Detachable computer with electronic sounds and lights

-Fold out observation lab

-Eight fence pieces

-Kelly Malcolm figure

(Note: the reviewer is not an expert on vehicles like these, so any incorrect terms, or lack of detail, should be disregarded.)

Description: this play set basically consists of two trailers, which can be attached to one another via the dark leathery thingy (what do you call it?). The overall colour pattern of the trailers is green with asymmetrical beige spots, suggesting camouflage. The wheels are black with grey hub caps. Together, the MCC (standard abbreviation for Mobile Command Center) measures a good 80 centimetres in length. Each trailer comes with its own action features.

The front trailer is the largest of the two and has two pairs of wheels. The front cab area, with the transparent orange window and grey windshields, can be removed as if being torn off by a dinosaur (though the damage doesn’t really appear to be caused by some ferocious creature). On top of this cab area there’s some grey detailing, including radar dish and antenna, adding a bit of a technological look to the trailer. The front trailer comes with a door on each side: a small door on the right (for people to enter and exit), and a larger rectangular door on the left side (for loading cargo and stuff like that). The front trailer is more or less empty on the inside, except for the grey drivers’ seats in the cab area. It’s very handy to store equipment in, including the fence pieces. On the right top side of the front trailer there’s a large white telescoping crane on a scarlet red base. This crane can rotate in a full circle, and can be extended to cover more ground. On the right end of the crane there’s a pair of grey claws, used to clamp equipment or dinosaurs on, in order to move them around. On the left end of this crane there’s a grey basket, basically a lookout station, with a capacity of carrying one human figure. Next to it there’s a large green missile launcher, capable of full rotation like the crane itself. It fires white missiles and should come with three of these.

On the left top side of the front trailer, right next to the cargo door, there’s a hole which can store the computer. It’s basically a white box with a lights section on top that can move in a 90 degree angle. It comes with a pair of lights and produces three different sounds: an alarm caused by pulling on the fences when they’re attached to the trailer, a damage noise produced when removing the cab area, and a third sound made when pressing the button on the left side of the computer. The lights are activated when producing any of these sounds.

The second trailer is a bit shorter and only comes with one pair of wheels. Additionally, it sports a pair of green antennae on the left back end, both identical though one of them positioned somewhat lower so it seems it’s shorter than the other. At the very back end of this trailer there’s another cargo door, similar to the one on the left side of the front trailer. The main feature of this trailer is the observation lab: the right side of the trailer including a part of the roof section can fold out to form the observation lab, complete with a pair of little legs to support it on the ground. When folded out the interior of the trailer is revealed, which is adorned with a large white table with computers and details like cups on top. Additionally, a white operating bench is located right above the right wheel, with room enough for a human figure or a smaller dinosaur.

This play set comes with a total of eight fence pieces, all of them painted in a shiny metallic reddish brown paint job. They can be attached to one another, and the smaller piece of fence can also be attached to the left side of the front trailer, in which case it makes contact with the computer so an alarm is activated when any reptilian vermin tries to break through the fences. The fences can form a protective barrier around one side of the MCC, most logically the right side to protect the observation lab. However, there’s no point on the back end of the second trailer to attach the fences too.

The MCC comes with an exclusive Kelly Malcolm figure, somewhat smaller than the other TLW figures; she’s supposed to be a kid after all. She stands in a mostly neutral pose, and wears a red shirt, dark blue pants and dark grey shoes. She has black hair, and looks very much like the Kelly Malcolm seen in the movie.

Analysis: this is one big play set you don’t want to be missing in your JP collection. It’s very cool and quite detailed, sporting a paint job with an abundance of green and camouflage spots not unlike what was seen on the trailers from the TLW movie. It’s a shame the interior of both trailers is a bit bland and could have used more detailing, but the MCC comes with a variety of features making the overall set worth your while. Though most of them aren’t particularly new, they make for some fine overall playability. I’ll describe them separately for a general overview of this wonderful play set.

-Missile launcher (including missiles): the typical missile launcher seems an obligatory action feature of any vehicle or play set, and the MCC is basically both so naturally it can’t miss one of these. The launcher works properly and fires missiles over a decent distance with enough force to knock most smaller dinosaurs over. It’s also neat to see this particular gun being fully rotatable.

-Dino damage cab area: also an often used action feature. The dino damage of this set isn’t very convincing though: it looks far too artificial, like it’s caused by mechanic disassembly instead of an attack by a nasty predator. However, the fact it’s hooked up to the computer so it produces noise when being removed makes it more original and a decent action option after all.

-Telescoping crane: though the crane works fine, the paint job is pretty ugly, and not very logical considering the overall camouflage look of this play set. The red and white of the crane might as well be a big sign saying ‘Get your human snacks here!’. Another irritating thing about the crane are the claws which are meant to carry stuff: they’re not designed very well, and can’t support things at all, dinosaurs or otherwise. Nothing can really be clasped between the claws without coming loose and falling down. Though the rotating and telescoping aspects of the crane are good, and the extra station for a human figure comes in handy, these few nuisances make it a disappointment.

-Detachable computer with electronic sounds and lights: very fun feature, though it’s a shame only three different sounds can be produced, and one of them is quite annoying. However, they enhance the realism of the action features they’re attached too, and add another level of playability options. The lights are quite strong, especially in the dark.

-Fold out observation lab: a great option, giving us a good look of the inside of the second trailer. The inside could have used more detail though, and like the paint job of the crane, the white colouring displayed here isn’t very appealing. Still, a very neat and useful feature.

-Eight fence pieces: easy to assemble and attach to the trailer. It’s a bit odd they can only be attached to one end of the set though, because now dinosaurs won’t have such a hard time sneaking inside the perimeter on the other end. However, the alarm that goes off when the fence is compromised provides for a good warning, as well as a fun action option.

-Kelly Malcolm figure: a very realistic figure, and a wonderful addition to this set, though Kelly wasn’t the most popular character in the TLW movie. Instead of having her do gymnastics to kill dinosaurs with, she makes a perfect victim for the Bull T-Rex…

Playability: this play set scores quite high on any playability scale. It has loads of good action features, providing for hours of fun. It also has funky sounds and fine lights (when in proper working order of course), and Kelly too enhances options, as do the fences. Another thing that adds to the playability is the fact the electronics are easily removable, so when you feel like playing rough with it you can do so without risking damage to the sounds and lights.

Realism: this trailer play set looks very similar to the trailers seen in the TLW movie. The colouring is not that different, as is the overall shape and size. Some of the details are off though – the trailers seen in the movie did not feature a crane, missile launcher or even fences – but this was obviously done for playability options: it’s a toy after all. And it’s certainly a successful toy version of the trailers from the film. Besides that, the Kelly Malcolm figure is about as movie accurate as any of the human figures from the various toy lines ever got. She sports a similar outfit and paint job, and the head sculpt looks pretty much like Vanessa Lee Chester (back in 1997 that is).

Repaint: no. However, almost all of this play set would be repainted for the JP Chaos Effect toy line, again labelled as Mobile Command Center and sporting some pretty hideous colouring. The only part of this TLW set that wouldn’t get repainted is the Kelly figure.

Overall rating: 10/10. This play set is relatively movie accurate, comes with loads of great action features and is otherwise plain cool. It’s highly recommended, but sadly, not very easy to get. It can prove hard to find, in part due to the fact it didn’t get a worldwide release. It’s difficult to find in MIB condition, and when you find one loose it’s usually incomplete. Competition for MCCs is often pretty intense on Ebay, and prices are almost always quite high. However, it’s a great set and worth the money for any serious collector.