Despite its many inaccuracies the Dilophosaurus in the original Jurassic Park was one of my favorite dinosaurs in the entire franchise. Fanciful yes, Spielberg deliberately altered the Dilophosaurus for his film for an added punch, and being the master movie director that he is, it worked. The Dilophosaurus scene in Jurassic Park was the scariest moment of the film for me when I originally saw it. I actually left the theater before it could dispatch Nedry. On my first viewing anyway, I sat through it for the next two. For whatever reason the “Spitter” (the pop culture name for it at the time) hasn’t made another real appearance in the franchise thus far, I can’t say if it’s in Fallen Kingdom or not. You get mentions of it, and a hologram even, but no Dilophosaurus. It still shows up in the Jurassic Park/World merchandise however and in the case of Mattel we got one in their Attack Pack range.
Being in the Attack Pack line we can expect this toy to be small and cheap. But if you think that size and price dictate the quality of this figure you might be mistaken. Aesthetically, I like this little toy a lot. It’s posed quite dramatically with the head reared up and mouth agape. The tiny digits on the forelimb kind of wiggle about the air, the tail snakes out behind the body which balances nicely on two admittedly oversized feet. It’s dynamic and fun and displays nicely from multiple angles.
There is some limited articulation with this toy. The arms can rotate completely around and while the legs can rotate too they also lock into their neutral standing position which is nice. Aside from that there is the frill which can fold back against the shoulders or open up for display. A little glob of plastic venom comes with the toy and can be inserted into a hole in its mouth. The frill, body, and legs are made of a harder material while the head, hands, and tail are a softer more pliable plastic.
The detail work on such a small, and seemly innocuous toy, are quite well done. Naturally the toy is scientifically inaccurate but Jurassic Park fans will be pleased with the attention to detail. Like its movie counterpart this is a lightly built, slim predator. Ribs are slightly visible under the skin, muscle and sinew along the tail and limbs, fenestra within the skull. There are even visible striations in the duel head crests, and labial scales along the lips. Stiff fibers and veins are visible within the iconic frill.
The color choices aren’t what you would expect from a Jurassic Park Dilophosaurus. The body overall is a shade of blue-green similar to that on the Action Attack Stegosaurus that I previously reviewed. A streak of cream coloration runs down the neck. The crests and eyes are red. Also red is the frill but it’s painted with a shiny, metallic sheen that really makes this little toy pop on the shelf. If you don’t like this paint scheme, keep in mind that there are at least two more. This includes a more traditional variant in the Legacy Collection.
So far I’ve been heaping praise on this little toy but there is one major issue I have with it that could potentially be a deal breaker for some. It’s not the unpainted claws either. Directly behind the head there is a mechanism that allows the frill to open and close. Okay, that seems necessary, but it’s also painfully obvious. Two metal pins can be seen prominently attaching the frill to two over-sized slots in the neck. Now when viewed head on there is no real issue.
I can get passed it but I won’t lie and say it’s not distracting. I would have much preferred a removable frill or one that is permanently affixed in the open position. I suppose for play purposes, and for children, it’s not a big deal but for me it harkens back to the days of visible screw holes on the Hasbro dinosaurs. It’s not something I expected when looking at the toy in the package either, or maybe I just didn’t look that hard.
Despite my one negative but significant remark, I really do quite like this little toy. For me it’s pleasing to look at, fun to display, and brings back the nostalgic feels of the original Jurassic Park. If you’re looking to make a Jurassic World toy collection on a budget, or don’t have the space for the large figures, then this one is a must have in my opinion. Once again Mattel hit it out of the park, for $6 what more could you want?
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I’m still holding out for the legacy version (which has a more classic color scheme), but I understand now there’s a reason this has a much more simplified color scheme, which I had unfairly criticized it for when I had first seen images of it. Maybe I’ll pick this one up after all.
Yes, I’ve seen the movie, and there is a reason this toy was given these colors. I didn’t want to include potential spoilers in the review though. I like this color scheme, other Dilophosaurus toys for the franchise didn’t really match the movie character anyway.
I can’t get over those clown feet. To me, this is one toy which did not surpass the original Kenner version(s).
Well to be fair, most of the Mattel theropods appear to have oversized feet. All the ones I have do at least. And I agree, this toy is a far cry from the original Kenner toys, but it’s also a much smaller toy with a low price point. And unlike them, it can stand. It would be nice to get a larger Dilophosaurus in the Action Attack or Roarivores line. That would be more comparable to the Kenner toys.