OPENING (you can skip this part if you want):
I had seen reports of these buildable figures months ago and had been eagerly waiting to get one since, so I was really pumped to see them all on the shelf. As it happens, my Lego Star Wars collection didn't have any Vaders in any form at all (surprising, huh?); thus I plucked the Sith Lord off the shelf and made my way to the register. Below I deliver my thoughts:
PACKAGING & INSTRUCTIONS:
-The color scheme does feel very Final Duel-ish, and the way Vader curls his fist on the front side is reminiscent of the big Bespin scene (you know, when Luke has his own "nooooo"-scream session).
-The instructions can be a little bit hard to follow, because there are a number of relatively similar-looking pieces in relatively similar-looking colors. Just take your time and you won't have any problems.
-The box is made such that (with a little finagling) Vader will fit inside! The box itself isn't hard to deal with, either; at approximately the size of a tray of Oreos (sorry, I'm feeling a bit hungry right now), it should be pretty easy to slot into a bookshelf or closet or drawer for safekeeping-- or, for that matter, easy to hide from any kids hunting for the holiday stash.
FIGURE:
-Vader is very tall and imposing (and poseable). Builders will get the sense that they paid for something substantial; the traditional measure of value, the price-per-piece ratio, doesn't really apply/work in this context.
-Vader's head mold is very accurate, though set against such broad shoulders it seems just a bit smaller than it should.
-Tips, all pictured below: stick some of the pieces into Vader's back-- there are a number of Technic slots available-- and just cover the awkwardness with the cape; switch around two of the shoulder armor pieces to give your duelist a greater range of motion on the joint-- otherwise, armor may pop off during play; stick the neck piece through the big hole in the cape so the fabric looks more like a garment than a sail stapled to Vader's shoulder blades; use the little black slope pieces (my box had a few extra, and if yours doesn't you might have some from other sets) to cover up the tan Technic pins.
CLOSING (you can skip this part, too, if that's what works for you):
-If you haven't been able to tell, I've had a lot of fun with this product! In these figures, builders get the perfect blend of play ability and display ability.
-I know reviews aren't supposed to talk a lot about price, but I bought this set at the Rockefeller Center Lego Store for a marked-up $32.99 (that's before factoring in New York City's hefty sales tax), which led to the 4/5 for the value. It's really more of a 4.5, though; I believe the designers had to work really hard to make this all happen and I was willing to pay for their time and dedication. Grab this set elsewhere-- S@H, for example; I mean, you're already here-- at $29.99 and you get a truly tremendous bang for your buck.
-I'm hoping that Lego (Lego, can you hear me?!?) keeps going at least another full wave with these sets!
FINAL COMMENTS:
I hope all the effort and careful editing I put into this review (my first ever, by the way) will prove helpful, or at least a little humorous, to some curious prospective Lego Star Wars buyer out there! Even if you aren't really interested in the theme now, give this set a try and know that you'll have in your hands one of the most iconic science fiction characters ever.
~41stEliteGroup
