REVIEW: 71004 LEGO Minifigures – The LEGO Movie Series

[Arigomi]

I was on the fence about Gail till this review. Her unique printing and hardhat with ponytail makes her stand out from the typical construction minifigs.

[Lord Vladivus]

Nice review as ever Whitefang! In terms of real-life people, wouldn't the basketball guys count as well?

[WhiteFang]

Thank you very much to all of you for your comments so far!

I wouldnt rely too much on the distribution shown above. Series 11 boxes were random, some boxes had none of a certain character yet the same character was found 10x in another box. Lego is trying to prevent resellers from figuring out the 'rarer' characters and reselling them online for a higher price point.

I am not sure where is your source to acquire the CMFs. However, for numerous past experience, the distribution which I have presented so far, are very accurate to the rest of the other sealed boxes so far that I have encountered. You may want to take a careful check on the seal of the box to ensure that no tampering is done earlier. I am afraid dishonest retailers may have done something to the distribution and sell it like a mint sealed box which is unreal and unethical.

Thanks once again to WhiteFang for another great review. I stil think this is the worst series so far (though the movie itself looks terrific), and I learned the European price will be 2.99, making it even worse.

I admit I will buy a complete series, as I did with all the other ones, but I hope something better is coming throughout 2014.

Thank you! It is sadden to know that the Euro price for this series will increase. I am hoping that pricing for this Minifigure Series will remain as a constant.

Great overall review Wild Fang, so detailed as usual. One thing though - I'm not sure how integral the cat lady (or Gail) are to the plot of the Lego Movie, the feel I'm getting is that there are very few major female roles in the movie. It seems more likely to me that TLC wanted to keep their fig series somewhat gender balanced, and so grabbed whatever quirky female characters the film had to offer.

Thank you! But moi is called 'WhiteFang' instead of Wild Fang.

On your note, with the LEGO Movie Series out for us to speculate, I am sure these characters may have played a slightly more significant roles in the movie, otherwise they might not stand a good chance to get selected in this series. Of course, I am just merely guessing.

Nice review as ever Whitefang! In terms of real-life people, wouldn't the basketball guys count as well?

Yes, of course. The NBA guys are counted as well. Geez, what am I thinking. I must have erased of their existence in my head unknowingly.

[Temet Nosce]

Great review, thanks. I love the cat jumper!

[LordLEGOtube]

why sometimes does emmett have eyebrows and sometimes he doesn't?

[Wardancer]

Thanks for the review.

A question: Are calamaty drone's arms pearl dark gray or is it just a reflection from the flash? That's a rare color for arms, isn't it?

Wyldstyle might be an army builder, but I don't know for what army yet. Some sinister female archer or mage.

[snefroe]

thanks for a great review still, this is by far the weakest series (if it is considered being one) of figs... the panda guy is great, the rest... hm.... not interesting...

[WhiteFang]

Thank you guys for your kind comments!

A question: Are calamaty drone's arms pearl dark gray or is it just a reflection from the flash? That's a rare color for arms, isn't it?

It is more inclined to matt metallic silver colour. I think. I am not good in colour differentiation.

[bekindsorewind]

Since it says they're released in December 2013 for some and January 2014 for others, does Europe get them in December?

[WhiteFang]

Since it says they're released in December 2013 for some and January 2014 for others, does Europe get them in December?

I do not know of the official distribution dates based on various continents, but we should be seeing them soon in December or January 2014.

[nesquik]

The review is very detailed as usual (Thanks WhiteFang), but for this particular series, it all reads just a little too over celebratory. I imagine that less people will be purchasing a 'complete set', instead opting for fewer but more likeable characters.

[vexorian]

I love Emmet's head figure. Both the main face and the super happy face are must have for me. I'll probably get at least one of each figure in this series.

I know right?! Though we should take the female distribution with a grain of salt, apparently. I would be well peeved if I didn't score a Wyldstyle - love that do - but why is she not in her iconic hoodie? Which I love?

Because the hoodie is used in the sets. I guess they want you to get the sets too instead of just buying the CMFs.

Great overall review Wild Fang, so detailed as usual. One thing though - I'm not sure how integral the cat lady (or Gail) are to the plot of the Lego Movie, the feel I'm getting is that there are very few major female roles in the movie. It seems more likely to me that TLC wanted to keep their fig series somewhat gender balanced, and so grabbed whatever quirky female characters the film had to offer.

Movie is likely going to blow regarding gender. The only talking female characters in the trailer are Wildstyle and Wonder Woman, and WW's only use seems to be the invisible jet joke. And Wildstyle reminds me of this: http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2013/08/i-hate-strong-female-characters . I wish the actual movie turns out to somehow be much different in regards of gender than what the trailers are suggesting.

[Captain Nemo]

Thanks for the review Whitefang! I rather like a lot of these figures--I think the robots are cool even though the won't have a ton of use for the things I build. The Panda is indeed super cute, and I'm happy that even though this isn't the normal CM, we still get more animal suit figures.

It is a bit disapointing that some of the characters are the same ones (Or lose to it) as the ones we get in sets like Emmet and Badcop. But overall I think this is a good wave.

[WaysofSorting]

I for one am very excited about this set - to me it's got a number of army building elements. Panda notwithstanding (Not sure what kind of army they would make) I could use multiples of everything, except maybe Abe Lincoln. (Though, Abraham Lincoln Robots vs. All the Ex-Presidents would be an exciting sub theme).

I haven't been very keen on the "Hat and headphones attached to your hair" selection of accessories, but then I haven't had many of them to work with.

I'm excited about the LEGO Movie because it seems to celebrate the way children play with the bricks - and the ideas presented so far in the movie match up with the way I play in my own stories - so to me, all the figs work! This may be the first box I pre-order whole...

[kermit]

Nice review. Must have panda guy.

[VBBN]

A great review Whitefang,

Personally the only two figures I really want from this wave is Wyldstyle and the mermaid. Other than that it's a pass for me (Thankfully the two I want will be easy to feel for)

I have to ask, why was the picture with all of the boxes omitted? Due to the difficulty photographing it?

[Gabe]

Wonderful review WhiteFang, great to get an early look at these.

As far as the series goes though, it's a bit sad. Only a few figs that i 'm hanging out for and i'll only want one of each. That distribution is pretty wrongtown as well - 6 figs at only 2 a box??

[TeufelHund]

The nicest thing you can say about these figs is that some of the parts/torsos are occassionally interesting.

I guess if I had to buy some I'd go for Willy Shakespeare, Wildstyle for the rocking dress and maybe the Daniel Boone type guy for the cool Racoon-skin hat and nice outdoorsy torso.

No army building or generic historical figures is a bit of a killer for me though.

[MonkeyCrumb]

Excellent review White Fang! (as always :) )

Now, this entire series was validated in my eyes, personally, simply by including Abraham Lincoln. The rest of the set could have included awful figures and I still would have been thrilled just by getting Lincoln . In fact, I like the "break" from the traditional CMF's with the Lego Movie just because it's giving us a few characters I never thought we'd get.

Also, I never knew I needed William Shakespeare in my collection, but now he is at the top of my list! We now have the greatest printed tile in the history of Lego, "To Build, or not To Build". I want to include it in every City MOC I ever do know, because it's just so darn perfect!!

I actually expect this wave to do very well with the fans of the movie, which I really expect to be very good.

1: Calamity Drone - Meh. Too much reuse too soon from Lone Ranger's Stagecoach set. Well made though.

2: President Business - Not appealing to me on design alone, but again I'm sure the movie will help. Personally not a fan of the brick hair

3: Hard Hat Emmet - A bit too similar to the set version. But the hardhat with hair and the printed tile makes getting a few extras worthwhile

4: Wild West Wyldstyle - Too similar to the set version, really don't need more than one for myself

5: Abraham Lincoln - Oh Yeah!!! Winner of the series for me! I hope we continue to get more historical figures in future waves. I'm getting several Abes :)

6: Mrs Scratchen-Post - Well made, but too similar to s11 Grandma to get me too excited

7: Scribble Face Bad Cop - Likely to be a great character, like the new helmet most of all. The scribble face is a neat gimmick

8: William Shakespeare - Well done, I'm buying a lot of this one! That printed tile is worth it alone :)

9: Gail the Construction Worker - Sad they didn't take this chance to upgrade the jackhammer, otherwise a winner! getting a few of her

10: Larry the Barista - new coffee cup???? and a new hair piece? Put me down for a bunch!

11: Velma Staplebot - I like the new hair piece, I'll get a few

12: Taco Tuesday Guy - Is his dish plate new? Otherwise the color scheme seems less intricate than the previous CMF version, but I'll get a few

13: Where's My Pants Guy - What!?! No back shirt printing?? What a wasted opportunity! This could have been the best "army builder"

14: Wiley Fusebot - OMG!! Without White Fang's review, I wouldn't have known that was a raccoon skin hat! I'm getting a ton! Love it!

15: Panda Guy - Awesomesauce!! Also buying a ton, but the inclusion of the miniature panda toy is the icing on the fabulous cake!

16: Marsha Queen of the Mermaids - My least wanted figure, the colors make her look too out of place with my other mermaids. Just one for me.

I'm now officially excited for this wave. Thanks again White Fang!

[ritzcrackerman]

A couple of observations- some specific to the design (which may be as much or more of a function of the movie design than that of the minifig depiction itself):

1) As previous commenters had mentioned, I am too a little disappointed as to the nebulous "this is not series 12- but there may be a series 12. Maybe not. Who knows." I think most collectors are by nature completists and I would like to have some reassurance whether this series should be canonical or not.

There are a number of figures I would probably pass on if I knew for certain, simply because they are from themes I don't find interesting or collect.

2) That being said, you can sure have some fun with some of these new pieces and swap out the android heads/hands to make a "normal" figure. I think this is the first of White Fang's reviews to demonstrate this. But it still bothers me that to make a series halfway useful you have to swap out a bunch of stuff.

3) I love how Emmet's eyes don't have the white pupil reflection of the modern minifig, but he still has a cartoonish mouth. It's very throwback and meets the modern/classic minifig halfway. It also gives his character a very "innocent" look in comparison to the other more defined faces with wrinkle lines, eyebrows, etc.

4) speaking of eyes - are Wyldstyle's spaced oddly apart, or is it just me? Something about the character expression is odd to me.

5) The mermaid has quite the low-rise printing on her fish tail, doesn't she? That's getting down into more dangerous territory than I've seen on a minifig before.

1: Calamity Drone - Too much of a Lone Ranger rehash.

2: President Business - Could be repurposed as any "pointy haired boss," a la Dilbert.

3: Hard Hat Emmet - Love the character design. See comment above.

4: Wild West Wyldstyle - Ok

5: Abraham Lincoln - Best of the series. Wish the hat and beard piece were separate, though...

6: Mrs Scratchen-Post - Meh.

7: Scribble Face Bad Cop - Scribble face is genuinely terrifying

8: William Shakespeare - 2nd best of the series

9: Gail the Construction Worker - Finally, a female fig face that's been dirtied up.

10: Larry the Barista - helllloooo army builder

11: Velma Staplebot - the beehive hairpiece is great. Very Mad Men.

12: Taco Tuesday Guy - Good to see they were able to come up with a reason to bring back mariaci man.

13: Where's My Pants Guy - disappointed there is no back printing on such an intricate shirt. Wasted opportunity.

14: Wiley Fusebot - will make for great character mods

15: Panda Guy - 3rd best of the series

16: Marsha Queen of the Mermaids - Like this one too

[Missing Brick]

Shakespear, Lincoln, Panda And Starbucks guy are great. The rest; not so much. Maybe some useful individual parts, but £2 is expensive just for a helmet or hairpiece.

[The_Creator]

As always an fantastic review White Fang!

Looking like a non-army builder series for me, thank goodness but some great parts and figs nonetheless. My only real disappointment was that Abe's hat and hair were one piece and not one, but oh well still super hyped to finally get an Abraham Lincoln minifigure!

[jonwil]

Don't forget the Ferrari drivers, they are real-world people in minifig form too.

And at least one soccer player got a minifig (starts with a z if I remember correctly)

[xray]

Great review as always, but a disappointing release. There are 5 figures I will probably acquire. The construction workers are good, but basically just City figures, nothing special. I am really tired of the mermaids, who has any use for these? Some of the accessories are good- the police helmet, the pants guy's shirt, the Octan brochure; but overall only the Taco Tuesday Guy, Barista, Lincoln and Shakespeare are must haves.

[streifen]

Great review again, Whitefang! Informative and helpful in my anticipation of this series!