TYRANNOSAURUS REX - Unboxing Day 4

The inner package consists of a pair of clear plastic trays with the model sandwiched inside. The tail and all are wrapped in a plastic baggie .  The base is a simple matte black plastic with a silver nameplate faintly photo-etched with “T. rex Tyrannosaurus rex LIFE MODEL SERIES”. The etching is tiny and the font is quite thin, so seeing it from a distance will be difficult. But up really close it looks nice. I may be spoiled by Rebor’s gorgeous polystone diorama bases, but this one seems flimsy and cheap. I don’t mind the minimalist black, mind you, just the quality of the plastic. It doesn’t seem like something fitting for an expensive, artistically crafted model.

On to the main event…

The figure is beautifully rendered, but it’s got some significant issues to contend with. First, is feels a great deal more insubstantial than the Rebor Rex, or even than the Papo and Schleich Rex’s I have. It weighs the same amount as the Rebor model, despite being six inches longer and nearly 2 inches higher at the crown of the head. The details are not as sharp as Rebor’s, and the paint is not nearly as subtle and complex. But my main problems with the Griffon Rex are more basic: 1) it can’t stand on its own (the legs are warped and don’t allow for the feet to align with the peg holes on the base correctly,

2) there is no detail on the inner jaw flesh when the mouth is opened, 3) the tongue (though surprisingly articulated!) does not want to fold down and hold its position – the hinge is stuck,

and 4) the sculpt features a very boxy look at the shoulders when viewed from head-on, and 5) the wrists are twisted out and down rather than having the hands face inwards towards one another as they should.

My first fix attempt was with the legs. I need a dinosaur that can stand, at least with a stand! I heated some water in a pot and let the legs soak for a couple of minutes before attempting to pop them back on the stand. They did so with relatively little difficulty (though the front foot is still not laying flat). I then popped the entire model into the refrigerator for a quick chill. I may use the hot water method to see if I can adjust those wrists to turn inwards a bit, as well. I’m also hoping that the fridge gets the tongue joint to loosen up enough to get it to move a little more freely. All this aside, it goes without saying that one shouldn’t have to do this with an expensive product.

Tomorrow, we'll talk about how the "fixes" turned out, and take a closer look at the overall figure, itself...