Described in 1994, Cryolophosaurus is notable for being the first named dinosaur and first theropod discovered on Antarctica. Antarctopelta was the first dinosaur discovered on the continent, but Cryolophosaurus was named before it. Cryolophosaurus comes from the Handon formation and unfortunately the dinosaur material recovered from there is very scant. Cryolophosaurus itself is decently well known however, with remains consisting of skull and hip material, and assorted ribs, vertebra, and arm and leg bones. And of course there is its distinctive crest, which has helped Cryolophosaurus achieve a moderate level of popularity. Indeed, many figures of the genus exist, including those by the Carnegie Collection, Papo, Battat, Mattel, Schleich, CollectA, and Creative Beasts Studios. Today we’re looking at the Safari Ltd. 2022 Cryolophosaurus, a figure that is long overdue for a blog feature.
The Carnegie Collection Cryolophosaurus was one of the first figures I ever bought and remains to this day one of my favorites in my collection, and my favorite depiction of the “cold crested lizard” but I also have the excellent Battat version as well. As such, I didn’t originally plan to get the Safari Ltd. one, although I was quite taken with its striking paintjob when it was announced. Upon seeing that it still needed a review I decided to get it. Plus, I’m a sucker for primitive theropods.
The Safari Cryolophosaurus measures 8” (20.32 cm) long and stands 3” (7.62 cm) tall at the top of the head. The actual Cryolophosaurus is estimated to have measured 20-23’ (6-7 meters) which would put the figure at 1/30-1/34.5 in scale. The figure is presented with the feet spaced far apart, which aids in stability, and the tail dipping low to the ground. The figure can stand without the aid of its tail but it’s nice to have the tail there for it to lean back on, if needed. The head is looking to the left and slightly downwards with the mouth open and the arms are spread far apart, as if the theropod is about to grapple with some unsuspecting prey.
This is a Doug Watson sculpted figure, so you can rest assured that it is a well-sculpted, well-researched, and quality product. The figure has a gracile and muscular build and includes small but appreciated touches, like lips and a vestigial fourth finger on each hand.
The faint outline of the shoulder and hip bones can be seen and there are sagging folds of skin along the torso. The feet are well padded with nicely overlapping scutes running down the toes. There is no scale detail over the rest of the figure, which is fine, since any attempt to sculpt them would result in scales that are too large in proportion to the toy. Instead we have a fine, pitted texture across the body. The crest has a ridged texture, like a potato chip.
The paintjob is really extravagant on this one, with a lot of different colors in play. The body and legs are a deep icy blue above that fades to burnt orange along the flanks. The underside and inside surface of the limbs is white and the face is white too, giving it an appropriately frosty look. The tail is a brighter shade of orange with sharply contrasting blue stripes running down it. The crest is vibrant red and glossy, the eyes are blue, the teeth are white, and the inside of the mouth is maroon. The claws are black and the cloaca, nostrils, and ear openings are picked out in black.
I absolutely adore this color scheme, which gives the figure a sort of cold-weather vibe that seems appropriate for the cool-temperate climate of early Jurassic Antarctica. That said, there is jarring contrast between the blended colors on the body and sharply contrasting ones on the tail. The switch from one of the others is too abrupt. A more gradual transition or just sticking with the blended colors would have worked better for me.
Although my heart will always belong to the Carnegie Collection Cryolophosaurus I do believe that thanks to Doug Watson’s craftmanship and a vivid and unique paintjob that this one is a worthy successor to it, and the best mass produced Cryolophosaurus that is currently available. It’s certainly the best when it comes to accuracy. Although I have some minor quibbles about the paintjob this is still a figure that I highly recommend.
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