Metro

I haven’t seen Real Steel yet, but I probably will. Big budget robot movies not called Transformers are rare, and I liked the previews well enough.

I’ve rifled through the Real Steel toys a few times. Nothing has grabbed me. The designs are clunky and anonymous and too American for my tastes. Metro is part of the second wave of figures, and something about him appealed to me. The goofy, colorful, mismatched composition caught my eye.

From what I can tell, Metro is the Glass Joe of Real Steel, Atom’s first opponent. Metro is an awkward agglomeration of spare, mismatched parts.

Metro is packaged on a compact blister card. This figure is part of the basic series. Each character features detachable limbs and a light-up gimmick.

As I said, I like the odd character design, with its unusual mashup of colors and massing. The finishes are really rich. Slick glossy plastic with painted wear contrasts with weathered matte machinery.

There is a healthy amount of thoughtful sculpted detailing.

Articulation is woeful. The knees bend about five degrees each. The thing barely stands. The left arm is okay, the right moves uselessly. This thing is a brick, which is completely unnecessary in this day and age.

The limbs are removable and interchangeable with other basic series figures.

When you depress Metro’s head, his chest lights up. I like the effect.

A mediocre figure with a compelling design. Not terrible, not essential.