Transformers Movie Toy Review: Voyager Class Mudflap

Transformers is not only a successful cartoon and summer blockbuster film, it is also a successful toy line. By enabling a robot action figure to convert into a vehicle, it's like buying two toys for the price of one. Though the Transformers movie by Michael Bay is over a year old and its sequel isn't due for another year, those interested in adding to their movie toy line collections have yet another opportunity. Exclusive to Toys R Us are two movie figures that sell at $19.99 each and I will be reviewing one of them. True, these figures are based on characters that didn't exist in the movie. But these figures are painted to resemble actual vehicles on the street so this qualifies them to join the movie line.

Movie Mudflap is based on a previous character named, oddly enough, Mudflap. The older version of Mudflap was seen during the Cybertron cartoon series and towline Movie Mudflap is described as a Decepticon who wanted to join the Autobots, but his sadistic reputation ruined that opportunity. This is similar to Cybertron Mudflap's biography, where he quit the Autobots to join the Decepticons because of his attitude. The Cybertron toy of Mudflap is no longer on retail shelves, but the movie version is the same toy with a more realistic paint job to join the movie toy line theme.

Alternate Mode: Mudflap comes packaged in his alternate mode: a large crane truck that measures about 9.5 inches in length. Sporting twelve black wheels, the vehicle is bright yellow with white and gray accents with some black stripes to add color and detail. There are also translucent window panels for the two cab sections of the vehicle. The crane can be rotated, lifted, and extended to simulate a real crane in action. Sadly, the crane hook is just for show and does not lower or rise. Looking at the bottom of the vehicle, you will see the torso and fists of the robot mode. Being a former toy in the Cybertron toy line, Mudflap features a couple gimmicks activated with the included Cyber Key. Inserting the Cyber Key in the designated slot on the cab flips a missile launcher forward. Pressing a button on the launcher launches a spring-loaded missile The crane also features a Cyber Key slot. After raising and extending the crane arm, inserting the Cyber Key flips up plastic saw blade to replace the crane hook. The saw blade can be positioned to serve as a bayonet for charging into enemies.

This vehicle is nicely colored and detailed. It does resemble a construction vehicle that one would see at a building site. The Cyber Key gimmicks detract from the realistic vehicle mode. The translucent missile projectile sticks out like a sore thumb and doesn't match the vehicle's yellow paint scheme. The saw blade is wobbly and feels like it could break at any minute. All of the twelve wheels do not roll very well on a hard flat surface. But it's a nice, large vehicle toy that could go along well with Hot Wheels cars.

Transformation: For best results, keep the Cyber Key gimmicks in the driving cab and the crane cab locked in their inactive states. With the front of the crane truck facing you, lift both cab sections, shift them towards the right, then lower and set both cab sections in their pegs. Raise the crane high. Lift the middle wheeled panels and rotate 90 degrees. Flip the toy so that the bottom faces you. Pull down the legs, rotate the shins 180 degrees so that the wheel point away from each other. Rotate the feet so that they face forward. Snap and lock the crotch halves in place. Lower the chest panel, flip up the head, and close the chest panel. Flip up the panels on the elbows to free them. Rotate the crane 180 degrees and lower. Now position the arms in any desired pose to complete transformation.

Robot Mode: Mudflap is a bright yellow robot with brown accents on his arms, legs, and chest add color to the robot. The white cab portions now become flat panels storing his Cyber Key weapons. Sticking out of his back are the panels holding his middle wheels. The head rotates and the appendages can rotate and lock in place for poses. The giant crane can be used to support the figure like a tripod or pointed at an enemy and used like a pole arm.

What works well for the alternate mode does not work well for the robot mode. The yellow color scheme is great for a construction vehicle, but as an evil robot the yellow doesn't convey a menacing presence of a Decepticon. The Cyber Key gimmicks don't function well in robot mode. The cab portions rest on the bottom of the hands. It's difficult to insert the key to flip up missile launcher because the torso gets in the way. Once you manage to activate the missile launcher, gravity causes the missile launcher to droop downward. Activating the bayonet results in a ridiculously long extension that is too comical to be practical.

This is not one of the better Transformers toys. It appears that Hasbro focused too much on the vehicle and considered the robot an afterthought. I then learned that this current toy of Mudflap has the exact same problems of its previous incarnation Cybertron Mudflap. It's not too surprising since they're the same toy but painted differently. It would have been nice for Hasbro to learn from its first mistakes and strengthen the springs and plastic to build a better quality toy. I would recommend passing on this toy unless you want a decent crane truck or are trying to complete your Transformers movie toy collection.