Face Off Review
Down to the final five, this week's episode of Face Off (The Industrial Revolution) is unlike any other challenge they've had before on the show. Testing their skills in fabrication, Daran, Rashaad, Tyler, George, and Niko are creating incredible robots. This challenge is unlike any other because the artists are given an extra day (four instead of three) to assure they have enough time to create these metal titans.
The episode kicks off, like always, with McKenzie Westmore introducing this mammoth challenge. The wrench is thrown in when McKenzie announces that each one of their robots will have a present day profession that has been futurized so there is no need for its human counterpart. The artists are then released to start sketching out a concept.
Niko has been assigned a construction worker, and promptly begins to create a bulky robot that resembles something you'd find on Easter Island. Donning an obnoxious light on top off its head, Niko's man of steel lacks luster and looks like an oaf. It becomes evident that the execution is a struggle for Niko as he glues the joints of his robot together leaving little to no room for his model to move, causing him to nearly start over as Rashaad has to give him basic pointers to piece it back together. Out of the five, Niko seems to have the least amount of skill and has spent much of his time in the bottom two, barely escaping elimination. Each week another artist is slightly worse, moving him to the next round. This challenge is forcing Niko to bite off more than he can chew, and at this point in the competition, it is paramount to up your game.
George has been given the task of turning a hairdresser into an iron dame of the future. When George begins sketching his concept, he doesn't seem to realize that he's gone for the "lowest hanging fruit" (a mistake that judge, Glenn Hetrick, scolded eliminated competitor, Graham, for). George is seriously considering giving his chrome lady a pair of blow dryers in exchange for a pair of breasts. Not getting the hint that this design choice is tasteless, mentor Michael Westmore (Star Trek), thankfully puts the kibosh on this and suggests that George should sculpt one dryer. After struggling with nerve pain, George is worried about his place in the competition. Fearing his medical issues are a hindrance, he pushes on, determined to finish his robot. Adding some cosmetic accoutrements, his Fembot of the future is ready for all beauty emergencies any future gal may have.
Tyler creates a medical specialist. Giving his robot a humanesque face to comfort patients while receiving medical attention, he makes the small mistake of fabricating a robot meant for a six foot tall model while his model stands a mere five feet. Consistently well constructed makeups and solid concepts seem to be Tyler’s forte, and he easily corrects his potentially disastrous error. His robot could easily fit in a movie such as Alex Proyas’ “I, Robot” or be an ally in an episode of Dr. Who. It’s no surprise that Tyler has once again hit the mark for this challenge.
Rashaad makes a firefighter of the future and really knocks it out of the park. His man of steel is well crafted and adorned in scorch marks, a hose for extinguishing flames, and an eagle representing his firefighting squad of the future. Transformers pale in comparison to Rashaad’s veteran flame fighter. It’s almost as if the toy everyone fought over as a child is standing next to Rashaad. “I created a makeup that my son would want to play with as a toy,” Rashaad says easily making everyone else green with envy. The stature, profile, and sheer capability to create this piece leaves audiences and judges alike speechless.
Finally, Daran creates a photographer robot. Having no experience in fabrication whatsoever, Daran takes a crack at creating his unique robot. Normally known for his off-the-wall creations and concepts, Daran attempts to build a robot whose body serves as a camera. Unfortunately, it’s apparent that Daran is not a fabricator, but what is more unfortunate is that he doesn’t seem to want to be one either. Narrowly escaping elimination last week, the judges gave Daran a second wind, interested in what he would come up with next. Sadly, Daran’s metal man is camera shy, and relatively plain sporting minimal camera features and oddly lacking in concept.
Judges, Glenn Hetrick (Optic Nerve Makeup, Hunger Games), Ve Neill (Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands), and Neville Page (Creature and Concept Designer) greet the artists as they do every week as last looks grows nearer. After showing off their labored looks, the judges determine that Rashaad’s tough firefighter is the clear winner of this challenge. Niko is in the bottom two (again!) along with Daran leaving George and Tyler safe to continue on next week. Coming down to Daran’s lack of work compared to Niko’s skill set, the judges struggle to determine who should be eliminated. When it becomes clear to the judges that Daran doesn’t want to learn how to fabricate, the choice becomes easy and Daran is sent home. Niko again barely slips into the next round, surviving another week.
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