Review
Tyrannosaurus Rex - Lab Lockdown Jurassic World Rebirth Review
If there is a figure which was recycled more than the Velociraptors it is Tyrannosaurus Rex. This time however we are lucky to have the most detailed and realistically looking Rexy so far. So buckle up and get ready to survive the Lab Lockdown if you can.
Sculpt Context: The Rebirth T-Rex Generation
About the Toy
1. Sculpt and painting
The color scheme looks a bit sus as it looks like ten different shades of brown but the overall result is one very very convincingly looking T-Rex. Multiple shades of brown, which on paper looks a bit dull but on the figure creates a level of realism that we have not seen in a while.
Dark brown stripes run along the snout, stripe over the top of the head, and continue down the back in a smooth pattern that reminds me of the original Jurassic Park T-Rex and this is always good.
The head sculpt alone is enough to make this figure a landmark release. There is an extraordinary amount of variation in the scale detail, from fine scales in the palate area with a few osteoderms mixed in, larger scales toward the back of the jaw, wrinkles and creases replacing scales around the eye socket, and larger, prominent scales along the jawline and toward the nostrils.
There are also two battle scars on one side of the face, which are a nice storytelling touch and something that will appeal to fans who want to leave their touch and paint the figure later.
The teeth use the newer rubber material and look genuinely sharp, although they are completely safe for kids to play with and a massive improvement over the harder plastic teeth of older T-Rex figures.
The neck is thick, muscular, and held in a natural S-curve rather than the straighter neck posture of older Mattel T-Rex figures. Multiple articulation points in the neck allow the head to move up and down, swivel, and go left and right independently, giving real display poseability.
The arms are correctly proportioned this time. Short, muscular, and held close to the body with the fingers curled inward and the wrists positioned correctly. This is one of the most talked-about improvements in the Rebirth T-Rex design, and it makes an immediate difference to how the figure looks from every angle. Arm articulation covers forward, back, and out away from the body. The finger sculpt is clean, and the nails are nicely shaped, though they carry no paint.
The legs are another massive improvement over older T-Rex figures. Big and strong muscles are visible through the skin. The feet are much smaller and in proportion with the body not like the excesively large feet of previous releases of T-Rex.
2. Action Feature & Articulation
The Lab Lockdown T-Rex comes with a button activated Jaw Chomp feature. A button near the tail activates the jaw chomp. Both upper and lower jaws articulate, and the tongue lifts slightly during the motion.
The chomp works cleanly, and the rubber teeth stay visible in an impressive open position.
- Jaw (action feature)
- Neck: (up/down, left/right, swivel)
- Arms (forward, back, out from body)
- Legs (forward and back)
- Ankles (swivel)
- Tail (swivel, up/down, left/right)
Verdict Should I buy it?
The Lab Lockdown Tyrannosaurus Rex is an instant purchase as it is the definitive Mattel T-Rex figure so far. The sculpt is breathtaking, the proportions are finally correct, the neck articulation adds real display value, and the dark dorsal striping is the most elegant paint application seen on a Mattel tyrannosaur.
How to unlock
How to unlock Tyrannosaurus Rex Power Devour in Jurassic World Rebirth Collection?
Open up your Jurassic World Play App (previously known as the Jurassic World Facts App), press the Scan button and point it towards the DNA code here:
"There's no such thing as good or bad dinosaurs. There are predators and prey. The T-Rex in Jurassic Park took human lives and saved them. No one interpreted her as good or bad."
— Colin Trevorrow
3. About the Tyrannosaurus Rex
Tyrannosaurus rex (meaning “tyrant lizard king”) is one of the most complete and well-studied dinosaurs in the fossil record, and one of the largest land predators to have ever lived. It inhabited what is now western North America approximately 68 to 66 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period. The most complete known specimens reach up to 12.3 to 12.4 metres in length, with some fragmentary remains suggesting individuals approaching 13.2 metres. The estimated mass ranges from 8.4 to 14 metric tons for fully grown adults. Despite its size, Tyrannosaurus rex is estimated to have exerted the strongest bite force of any known terrestrial animal, capable of crushing bone.
Tyrannosaurus is classified as a tyrannosaurid within the broader ceratosaur lineage, and was the last and largest known member of the tyrannosaurs before the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event 66 million years ago. Its forelimbs, while short relative to its body, were actually unusually powerful for their size. Debate continues around its speed, precise physiology, feather coverage in some life stages, and feeding strategy. Recent studies in 2022 proposed splitting the species into three on the basis of differing femur and incisor morphology: T. rex, T. imperator (“tyrant lizard emperor”), and T. regina (“tyrant lizard queen”), though this remains scientifically contested.
Yes, by a significant margin. The Lab Lockdown Tyrannosaurus Rex is the best T-Rex sculpt Mattel has produced for the Jurassic World line. The scale detail, wrist positioning, foot proportions, neck articulation, and paint application are all clear improvements over every previous version.
The two figures are very similar in overall length, but the Lab Lockdown version is noticeably bulkier and beefier. The sculpt quality is dramatically better on the Lab Lockdown, with superior scale detail, correctly positioned wrists, much smaller and more proportionate feet, and new sharper rubber teeth. The paint is also improved. It is a night-and-day difference when the two are placed side by side.
A button near the tail activates a jaw chomp feature on the T-Rex. Both the upper and lower jaws articulate as part of this. The tongue lifts slightly during the chomp, similar to older Extreme Chomp T-Rex figures. There are no sounds on this figure.
No. The Lab Lockdown T-Rex has no sounds or electronic features. The only action feature is the button-activated jaw chomp. Given the overall quality of the figure, this is not a meaningful omission.
Open the Jurassic World Play App, tap the Scan button, and point it at the DNA barcode on the T-Rex figure’s foot.
