Terminator 2: Judgment Day T-800 {Pescadero Escape}

Eagerly anticipating any news of additional Resident Evil 5 figures for this summer, I was bitterly disappointed to discover that NECA was releasing "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" figures. I recall NECA having already done "Terminator 2" in their "Cult Classics" line with their T-800 Endoskeleton several years earlier. However, after reading about other collectors' eager anticipation towards the T2 line and seeing photographs of the already packaged figures, curiosity got the better of me, and I ended up purchasing the "T-800 {Pescadero Escape}" figure. Lucky for me, I made a wise decision.


Flavor Text:

"TARGET IDENTIFIED

Specs: Model T-800 {Pescadero Escape}

- Under direct orders from John Connor, the T-800 sets out to rescue Sarah Connor from Pescadero State Hospital where she has been institutionalized for 10 years.

- Armed with a Winchester Shotgun the T-800 fights off the liquid metal T-1000, an advanced new prototype programmed to kill John. Ironically the same model Terminator that was once sent to kill Sarah has now come to protect John and reunite mother & son."


The Good:

• The level of detail on the T-800 {Pescadero Escape} figure is nothing short of amazing. The sculpt of the texture of the leather "biker" jacket looks quite real (it's made of plasticized rubber). There are even bullet holes in the back of Arnold's jacket (as seen in Terminator 2: Judgment Day)! Even the "belt buckle" parts of the leather jacket (at the bottom) are sculpted further enhancing the accuracy and realism of the on-screen character's clothing. The creases in the T-800's black shirt and pants are (as usual) superbly sculpted.
  

• The facial sculpt of Arnold's portrayal of the T-800 is just amazing. From the creases in his forehead down to his frown just screams "Arnold Schwarzenegger"! Even the sunglasses actually look good on his face.
  

• A total of 10 points of articulation: ball-jointed neck, ball-jointed shoulders, ball-jointed (hinged/swivel) elbows, swivel wrists, and swivel waist. Of all the articulation, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the highly detailed T-800 {Pescadero Escape} figure sported ball-jointed (both hinged and swivel) elbows. I hope this comes standard for all their figures.

• I was pleasantly surprised to see that paint application wasn't a problem this time.

The Bad:

• The T-800 {Pescadero Escape} comes with only one accessory: the Winchester Shotgun. It would've been nice to have included a pistol that was tucked in his front shirt (as in the movie). Also, additional pre-posed hands would've been really nice. Throw in a detailed base, and we're set. **Actually there's two accessories, if you include the "interchangeable head" (the T-800's head is interchangeable with any other T-800 [Arnold] figure!).**

• Despite the fact that the T-800 comes with approximately 12 points of articulation, I couldn't help but wish for a little more articulation, say, in the legs and knees.

• The T-800's left wrist refused to "swivel". After some persuasive pushing, it started to move, but not that much. I've read online of how to "un-stick" those joints, but I didn't pay for this figure to get extra work.

• The T-800 has a slight (balance) problem while standing up. It looks like he's somehow standing on his "tippie toes".

The Ugly:

• If you examine the pictures below, you'll notice that there's a giant "block" of plastic where the earpieces (on both sides) of the sunglasses are. The black paint is masterfully applied to the "flesh-colored" plastic "block" to designate that as part of the sunglasses. From far away, it's invisible to the naked eye. However, upclose, you can see the blocky ugliness (this also ruins the superb facial sculpt of the T-800's face).

I purchased the "T-800 {Pescadero Escape}" figure online via eBay for a total of $24.69. I recommend searching through eBay for better deals (but recently noticed that eBay sellers are trying hard to jack people). Go check out cornerstorecomics.com/amazingtoyz.com (both links bring you to the same website). I think they have the best deal out there so far, and from my experience with them, they ship on time and package your items in a secure manner. Also, check out bigbadtoystore.com if you want to purchase the entire set. They're pretty good about packaging and sending out item in a timely manner, but they seem to get their items later than other electronic retailers.

NOTE: I DO NOT REPRESENT EITHER CORNERSTORECOMICS/AMAZINGTOYZ OR BIGBADTOYSTORE. I HAVE NOT BEEN PAID TO MENTION THEIR NAMES. I AM ONLY RECOMMENDING THEIR SERVICES BASED UPON MY PAST EXPERIENCES WITH THEM.



Overall, the T-800 {Pescadero Escape} is an absolute "must-have" figure for any adult collector. The meticulous level of detail can be found all over this figure (from the "Arnold Schwarzenegger" likeness down to the detailed creases in his jeans). The only thing that keeps this figure from being the best figure is the lack of accessories. However, this T-800 renews my faith in NECA's action figure lines.