So, as if Aliens aren’t scary enough, they went and crossed them with rhinos. That dear friends, is the stuff of nightmares for most, but also the stuff of the sweetest dreams for fans of the franchise and action figure collects. As usual, NECA has their fingers on the pulse of what the fans want, and they have offered up a horrifyingly stunning new Rhino Alien deluxe action figure. Call your Colonial Marines and then go and hide.
I have admitted to being a huge fan of the original Alien movie before, and I have really enjoyed the action figure offerings NECA has been giving us over the past several years, and the new anniversary collection is the stuff of dreams for me. That said, I have also dabbled in other offerings from other movies and various media in past, and I have had a soft spot for the arcade and classic Kenner figures for quite awhile. That said, when I saw the announcement for this figure I knew I had to have it because, not only does it look cool, but it is also entirely unique from pretty much anything we have seen before, and that is saying something.
Unless you have been living under a rock for the past decade plus, you know that NECA makes some of the most detailed figures ever produced, and oh man, does this new Rhino show that off in an amazing way. This is one of those figures that will keep you discovering new and unnoticed details for a long time after you have placed it on the shelf. I have had it for a few days now, have given it a thorough going over, photographed, and I am STILL finding new things that I had not noticed before. I think that just about ever millimeter of this figure is covered in sculpted detail and not only does it fit the Giger aesthetic well, but it also helps highlight the intricate detail work that goes into the Aliens in this property. NECA has done a great job of translating the original artwork into an execution that fits the realistic movie style and this guy just blows everything out of the water.
Being a Rhino Alien, this figure obviously is meant to walk and be posed on all fours, and that really adds to the imposing nature of the design. The arms and legs work well together to allow the figure to pose dynamically, and some of the more action-based poses are really only possible due to the fact that this guy poses on all fours, so this gives an even more ferocious feel to horrific design that are already pretty scary. Obviously, the short tale, and of course the horns, offer some unique embellishments that fit the Rhino theme well, and continues to set it apart. Plus, when you add in the lava-like color scheme, you can pretty well plan on not wanting to be anywhere near this guy.
I do want to highlight that the dome is removable from the top of the head and there is some pretty cool cranial detail underneath. I mean, to me, it looks out of place to NOT have the dome on there, but at the same time, it is really cool to see that nothing was skimped on in terms of full service detail. It is really cool that NECA also included the Dark Horse comic (the media that expands on the original figure design) as it gives a look into the interactions and behaviors of the Rhino Alien, but to be perfectly honest, I think I need an army of Xenomorphs riding these guys into a swarm to completely wipe out everything in their path.
This figure is absolutely beautiful and am really blown away by a design that I never really had prior association with, so I am really grateful to have this figure. If you are fan of the Alien property, this is instantly an addition that is a conversation piece and will be unique, even amongst the quantity and variety that NECA has given us over the year. Don’t sleep on this piece, it is amazing, and you can order now at BBTS.
*Thanks to Peter and NECA for sending this piece along for a feature.
