Transformers Masterpiece Movie Blackout review

Last year, we only got one MPM in the form of Optimus Prime's appearance in the Bumblebee movie. While it was confusingly hard to obtain (probably the Geewun style that people only like from the stupid movie), the figure had tons of problems, from the hampered budget to the lousy truck mode. If anything, one would hope that we can recover from the disaster of that figure itself. With a lack of any announcements, and the fact that we didn't get a second figure in 2021, we were wondering if Optimus killed the MPM line, but after so long, we finally got Blackout announced. He was certainly an expensive figure, but I am happy to have him get into the mix along with Megatron, Starscream, and Barricade. Now we can get into the review!

Here is Blackout in his vehicle mode, a massive MH-53 Pave Low helicopter that infiltrated a military base in Qatar before everyone witnessed the attack he caused. It's a pretty iconic element to the movie, especially with him being best known for landing on the base before he sets out his attack. The proportions, sculpted details, and shade of blue are great. And I like how dark the windows are on this guy, it helps add a more sinister look to the helicopter than it would normally have. And if you look closely, the stars on the back are not upside down like on the Studio Series figure!  And the propellor spints smoothly like Grindor, but it's a little neature here.

The most surprising thing about the toy is that the figure has rolling wheels and nearly none of the robot parts are exposed! That's something they didn't have to do but they are pretty neat if you ask me. It also helps this guy stand out further from the Studio Series Leader Class figure. There are even guns added underneath it that the original figure didn't have.

Scorponok has a storage spot within the back, almost like an entrance for where the troops would enter the helicopter in a way. Removing him from the back, he functions similarly to the Studio Series version yet has a few more paint apps, and ball joints at the part of the tail where the stinger lays as well as the ball joint.

Now before we transform him, if you really want to recreate the scene where Blackout's propellers fold away, you have to remove the propellor weapon. 

Transformation is similar to the Studio Series version of the toy, but it is much more involved so as to continue making it look less like a shellformer in the process. And compared to the budget of a Leader Class figure, this guy manages to better refine what he already has while also adds even further to the engineering with the higher budget. And the resulting robot modes is much better made than with the current MPM quality that has improved since 2019. Blackout's robot mode feels slightly leaner and doesn't deel as baggy as the Studio Series version. For example, Blackout's head doesn't feel as sunken into the rest of the body as much as his SS counterpart. The arms are slightly longer than before, but he still feels more like he transformed his parts properly, even integrating some parts of the vehicle mode without making it feel too much like a shellformer. In fact, some of the kibble in the back folds away better than before.

Head sculpt is more refined than the original version, having a little more definition than before. Not much else that is different from the Studio Series version. As for his articulation, his head is on a ball joint, shoulders move front and back on one set of hinges for the arms and in and out for another set, bicep swivels, double-jointed elbows, wrist swivels and hinges, finger articulation, a surprising waist swivel, hips that move front and back as well as in and out with proper ratchets, leg swivels, digitigrade knees, and ankle pivots. He feels.much better to pose than the Studio Series version thanks to the sleeker design he has and featuring less kibble/clutter.

One of the little features of the torso was having a minigun pop up from the chest, much like in the movie when he was about to shoot Epps. And we even have some effect pieces for it and the guns; while some of the effects were kind of cheesy on a more realistic figure in stock photos, maybe giving them a paint wash can make them look nicer.

The iconic weapon he is known for, the propellor blade, is the best it's ever been on an official Hasbro toy. On the old Voyager, it was the entire propellor that was overkill. On the Studio Series version, it was the more practical yet inaccurate rear propellor. It also plugs underneath the hand this time around, which seems to be accurate. As for Scorponok, he can stay on the back to keep the blades from spinning.

For a size comparison, here he is in-between Starscream and Megatron, two other Decepticons in the same movie who happen to possess aerial vehicle modes! He's shorter than them at the head, but the weight he has is fairly equal to both of them. I'm sure people would anticipate him to be bigger than both of them, but that's Grindor's job, and if you really insist, he can be used in the Studio Series line as Grindor since he'd practically tower over everyone else. But that being said, I'm happy we got this guy after feeling as if Hasbro would abandon this line ever since the MPM line-up gaves us an embarrassing version of Beewun Prime. Next year, we'll have HasTak recoup their budget with the repaints for said Prime in Nemesis colors and Starscream in his ROTF deco. I hope we can get Bonecrusher and Brawl to complete the Decepticons as we did the Autobots, because I'm not too confident if I can have enough room to get more characters from Revenge of the Fallen to Rise of the Beasts. Either way, Blackout is my favorite MPM of the line, almost being tied to MV1 Bumblebee, even if his transformation is no cakewalk compared to the scout.

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐