The paintwork was also well done throughout the figure, but I may be giving some sloppiness a pass based on the figure’s design. The important lines (the fingers & gloves, the layers of clothing) are all pretty solid and well done. There is some general sloppiness on the buckles & buttons, but nothing that really stood out or bothered me. Other than some paint slop under his right collar, it’s remarkably clean for this level of detail. Again, the head sculpt is the highlight of the figure, but there does appear to be some random brown paint here and there, namely on his ear & nose. The upside here is that it just fits in with the dirty/jungle/facepaint theme and it really blends right out for me. Paint looks sharp.
Finally, Dutch includes four accessories: a rifle, a pistol, a knife, and a machete. The rifle has really been my go to accessory out of the group. He holds it great and can get into some good two-handed poses thanks to the great articulation. The rifle also features a removable strap to sling it around Dutch’s back. The pistol fits similarly well and looks great too. Meanwhile, the two blades are nice to have, but they tend to stay sheathed because the hands weren’t really designed for them. Dutch is capable of holding them in various poses if you get them situated just right, but he really can’t hold them. It does appear some thought went into the hands being able to balance the knives without messing up the gun grips, but ultimately he just can’t do both guns & knives without more articulation or alternate hands.
The thing is though – you don’t play with this figure and think about what it should’ve had instead. He doesn’t need alternate hands or articulated fingers. I only point out bicep swivels because I personally favor those over ball-elbows. I’m just not a fan, but even I can’t deny that Dutch utilizes them well. And that really sums it up. For me, Dutch really wasn’t a nostalgia purchase. He is missing an articulation point that I normally consider crucial.
But I don’t have to make a single excuse for this toy.
Here’s a figure with a gorgeous sculpt, sharp paints, top-notch articulation, four accessories, and you can go pick him up right now for $18. I know that we’ve slowly become desensitized to how much items cost, but for this high quality of a figure, that price seems like a steal.
I’m not sure if it’s because I really do just have a soft spot for Dutch or that I secretly always wanted a super-articulated Arnold Schwarzenegger figure – and, hey, it may just be that I really love cool toys and this one pays out in spades, but in the end, Dutch has been one of my best toy purchases this year. I can’t give it better praise than that.
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I couldn’t decide, even after consulting a couple trusted cohorts I ended up getting “Patrol” (shirt & vest) Dutch, but there was a big piece of me that wants, nay, needs “Extraction” Dutch, if only for the cigar head. Also for some reason this is my definitive Dutch.
This is the Dutch I was most excited about, but I also picked up Patrol, and Disguise Dutch. This is by far my favorite, and like you he is my definitive Dutch. If you pick him up you will not be disappointed.
Looks sweet. I might have to track him down.
One thing I did notice, tho, was the flesh showing under the jacket when you lean him back in several shots (name gag, Predator fight, Freeze gag). Is it that noticeable in person, or just something that shows up in those camera angles? It’s cool that they apparently made it a second piece, but does look a bit distracting in these pics.
It is noticeable if you have the gun belt low on his waste. I just pushed mine up a bit, I don’t think it looks unnatural at all and you have to work at it to be able see that flesh colored plastic now.
I was just looking at Hot Toys’ head sculpts for Bruce Willis and Chris Reeve’s respective SDCC Joe Colton and Evil Superman while thinking: “Man, if only I could afford this stuff. Why can’t the smaller ranges allow for such freakin’ Madame Tussauds level of quality?” Then your e-mail arrived with the Dutch review link.
Wow. I’ve been waiting for a proper Schwarzenegger figure since the Kenner days and it has finally arrived. I’m fan of military stuff along with early Arnold, so Commando and Predator are his ultimate movies for me. I look at that Terminator figure and it might as well be Stallone behind those shades when compared to Dutch.
The only thing missing aside from getting Dutch done right was some reasonable articulation. Nothing extreme such as Toy Biz Marvel Legends but no semi-statues either, especially like the kind we usually get in the 7” inch category, where there is literally nothing below the belt to work with.
Finally, an Arnold Schwarzenegger figure worth hunting down. Love the pics as always and the captions are especially funny here due to the material being covered. You’ve got me sold on old Dutch here for sure.
Wow. Amazing figure, excellent review and pictures. I am SO tempted right now to get into this Predator line. But I’ve got to start being heartless with my money and space budgeting, and I simply can’t get into another line, no matter how devastatingly cool it is.
But thanks loads for sharing!
That last comic: PURE GOLD!
My Figure of the Year as well! Total gem!
The last two Dutch figures are out now, and have been for a bit. I picked up Jungle Encounter Dutch a couple weeks ago. I couldn’t decide which of the four Dutches I wanted (I don’t really have the room or money to get all 4), and since none of them seemed definitive to me, I went with the most versatile. Jungle Encounter can be both vested and shirtless, while Extraction and Patrol permanently have their clothes on, and Disguise is permanently covered in mud. Until this figure line, it never occurred to me how many changes of outfits Arnie had in that movie.
Until NECA first showed off these figures, I dreaded passing on the Hot Toys Dutch for only $200 initially (it might have been even less). If there was one figure in 12″ form I would want, it’d be him. Now, I’m glad I passed on it. NECA has done amazing things with these figures with Muddy Dutch being the best of the bunch.
to see you!
that crack about how he earned the nickname dutch… that might be the IAT comic of the year right there. i laughed till my kids were worred i’d flipped my lid.
Now I love all 4 Dutch figures. One thing bugs me about this one and ruins my enjoyment of it. HIS UNPAINTED FLESH COLORED BELLY. It peeks and screams at me every time I look at it….
I’ve been waiting all my collecting life for a Predator Arnie. I’ve got all 4 versions and this one is easily my favourite. He just looks so boss. The cigar, the massive bowie knife, the gloves… just so badass.
I also love the use of coloured plastic, rather than paint, to achieve skin colour. NECA have mastered it with their Rocky and now Predator lines. It’s a shame the Aliens figures have returned to painted figures, as it really changes the look of the figures. I think it also contributes to “hiding” of the great sculpts they do.
I picked up Muddy Dutch a few weeks ago, mainly so I could give the knife-tipped spear to my Marvel Legends Shanna the She-Devil, but damned if I didn’t fall in love with that figure anyway.
Surprisingly, Dutch is the first NECA figure I’ve bought…but it won’t be the last. I’m eager to hit a comic shop again so I can grab a Predator, the “Aliens” xenomorph, and maybe another Dutch.
I love these guys. Incredible sculpts and great articulation all around. The only Dutch I wasn’t going to pick up is Jungle Encounter, but someone at the Fwoosh mentioned he would make a great Matrix (Commando) custom, now I’m hunting for him, too.
They only bad thing is that it makes me want figures of the rest of his team even more.
Got all the 6 figs from series 8 n 9.. Fig of the year indeed !!