Review Review: 70816 Benny's Spaceship, Spaceship, SPACESHIP!

[Legoman123]

I think this will be a day one buy for me when it is released in the UK. I absolutely love it.

[TNT apples]

I think this will be a day one buy for me when it is released in the UK. I absolutely love it.

I agree, both this and the Exo-suit are going to be must-buys for me. Lego is really taking all my money this year...

[Holodoc]

Once more an AWESOME review, thanks for putting 20 hours of work in it, Rufus!

I of course don't know how long it took you, but it looks like 20 hours.

So finally the set came to its best possible owner, congrats again for winning the speed-build.

The sticker sheet is a big letdown. How wonderful would have been if all parts were printed.

For me as massive Classic Space collector when I was 10-14 a sure buy (but not for 899 DKK ).

Let's see what the German retail price is going to be.

[___]

The set looks amazingly good and as someone else says really like some grown up classic space (if I can tell from looking at my classic space legokomplex here at home right now )...well,,I already made a place for it in there actually

But yea, those stickers again...ah, why not real prints on bricks as in old days, gee, is it really that big price difference to it?

P.S.: and of course, the review...one thinks how can be something like this even written by a human being...it is just so detailed and to the core of the thing, superb!

Edited May 15, 2014 by bublible

[ZO6]

Amazing review, Rufus! I'd been peaking at (and drooling over) your WIP for a while, but it's nice to see the finished review.

I picked up a copy of this set a couple days ago, and I agree with most everything that's been said about it. First of all, I want to get it out of the way that I really love this set. I'm super happy that it was put into production. With that out of the way...

Had all the parts been printed, this would easily be right up there as one of my favorite sets ever. Stickers just feel like cheating to me, so they knock the ship down a couple of points. The technic stuff under the wings is a massive eyesore. It reminds me of the most recent minifig Millennium Falcon that was built on a big ugly square of technic frames. The rest of the underside of Benny's Spaceship is pretty nice and slick, but then you've got those blocky technic things in three different colours (if they'd all been one colour at least it would have really helped). Also, the big yellow windshield isn't held on very well. It popped off every single time I opened it. I decided to shave down the dark gray click hinge plate a bit so that the windshield would open/close more easily. Two of the 2x2 click plates could be substituted, but then you'd have to rework the construction of the command area under the saucer.

Overall though the ship is great. It feels great swooshing it around too. Usually I don't care too much for minifigs, but I'm a huge fan of the classic space Uni-Kitty and Wyldstyle in this.

[Mr Meleca]

great review, thanks!

I am waiting for this set since They showed the ship in hands of the father, in the end of the movie.

[TheBrickHitHouse]

It's a real beauty, the vibrant colours really make the set stand out. Think this will be very popular with all types of fans.

[Cwetqo]

I can confirm that numbers on printed 1x4 tiles are indeed different, but they don't seem to follow any pattern, like in set 41999.

I got this:

[rollermonkey]

This might actually be my first Day 1 purchase.

Drool.

[WhiteFang]

How did you manage to do up this review within such a short span of time? I hope you have some enough well-deserved rest after doing up this long review! It is a huge treat for the EB Community and you have done superb great job! p.s: It was a very good win for the speed building!

This is one of the most iconic looking LEGO Movie set other than Metalbeard's Sea Cow which I am highly anticipated and will love to get my hands on. I do agree that the whole built kind of reflect as neo classic space and the many small spaceships are some lovely additions too.

Superb review with lots of nice details to drool! Awesome great work.

[Fugazi]

Superb review Rufus, considering your beautiful Classic Space restoration reports you were certainly immensely qualified to bring us Benny's starship!

My first LEGO set ever was Classic Space, and over the years I added more to my collection. I will always cherish the theme, and I think we're very lucky that Lego uncharacteristically approved of such an overt homage to a past theme. It's not a ship that I would mix with the old sets for purist reasons, but still one that I can enjoy on its own merits and for the lovely retro-modern design.

[WetWired]

This has got to be my most anticipated set for as long as I can remember, can't wait. Any idea when this will be on stores in Australia?

[edgedmangahas]

Awesome review!

[ETAV8R]

Excellent review.

I had many of the original CS sets when I was a kid and miss them dearly.

Edited May 16, 2014 by ETAV8R

[rodiziorobs]

Fantastic review!

I honestly don't expect to get this set-partly because to me CS is just another theme, but mostly because my Lego budget is already strained with so many other must-have sets this year!

But even though I don't plan to buy it, I kept reading because this is such a well-written review; not only thorough and organized, but well worded and thought out. If you hadn't already earned the set in the speed contest, you would have for sure earned it now.

Thank you, I look forward to future reviews!

[Vincent Kessels]

Great review Rufus. I don't understand how you build that droid so quick. I was only halfway.

This is definitely a must have set (or two) for me. I feel a heavy suitcase in my near future.

[King Aragorn]

Is it a real official new "old style" set?

AWESOME!!!

[burlogh]

Great Review, Rufus, thank you! Though I really miss a Swoosh video ;)

[Rick]

Great review Rufus. I don't understand how you build that droid so quick. I was only halfway.

I saw his secret, which I'm not going to reveal of course.

[bjorkan]

Agree with pals, great review and I enjoy it even more that I would enjoy the set itself, of course, as passionate train lover :) m.

[___]

@Rufus: BTW your Fabuland avatar...and as I see also in many other stuffers avatars - seems like it is special for you and I understand it very well...it was such a great theme once too and I remember as kids my younger sister always wanted it but she never really got any (you know, it was 80's living in socialistic Czechoslovakia then when the only small LEGO shop was in our capital...geeee )

P.S.: after many yeras, well this year I bought two Fabuland figures just for a nostalgia for my sister's children...nice

[antp]

I can confirm that numbers on printed 1x4 tiles are indeed different, but they don't seem to follow any pattern, like in set 41999.

Isn't that a code for one of the Lego games, like they did on 70813 "Rescue Reinforcements" and 60007 "High Speed Chase"?

edit: that's what was already said on page 2, http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=95637&st=25#entry1891683

I should have read the whole thing before replying :D

Edited May 16, 2014 by antp

[Adamskii]

Great review!. Are the grey parts old gray or light blue grey?

Adam

[ritzcrackerman]

As a non-space collector - I will still be buying this set on the first day. But for different reasons than any mentioned here thus far (nor in the review).

The scene in TLM where Benny is finally able to build his spaceship after being rejected twice before was the most emotionally transcendent in the movie (far more so, in my opinion, than the live action scenes which I found to be contrived and preachy).

I think we've all had felt rejection multiple times before finally succeeding and feeling validation. It captures rejection, trying again, sticking to it, perseverance, refusal to be deterred in the face of opposition, the human spirit. Benny's unbridled joy makes it that much more reasonant. It is simply my (and my wife's, and my 4-year old daughter's) favorite moment in the film.

My brothers had CS sets; I didn't, they were long gone by the time I got into LEGO. But I'll be buying this set not so much for nostalgia, but because in addition to looking like a fun set and a great value, it captures that emotional apex in the film. And makes me happy just thinking about it.

[AFOLguy1970]

As a non-space collector - I will still be buying this set on the first day. But for different reasons than any mentioned here thus far (nor in the review).

The scene in TLM where Benny is finally able to build his spaceship after being rejected twice before was the most emotionally transcendent in the movie (far more so, in my opinion, than the live action scenes which I found to be contrived and preachy).

I think we've all had felt rejection multiple times before finally succeeding and feeling validation. It captures rejection, trying again, sticking to it, perseverance, refusal to be deterred in the face of opposition, the human spirit. Benny's unbridled joy makes it that much more reasonant. It is simply my (and my wife's, and my 4-year old daughter's) favorite moment in the film.

My brothers had CS sets; I didn't, they were long gone by the time I got into LEGO. But I'll be buying this set not so much for nostalgia, but because in addition to looking like a fun set and a great value, it captures that emotional apex in the film. And makes me happy just thinking about it.

That was a good moment in the movie.

-----potential spoilers ahead-------

I found it a bit ironic that the Man Upstairs did not appear to be moved by the spaceship, because he would have been a kid around the time of Classic Space. Certainly, that would have brought back some good memories. I would be ecstatic if my kids could produce something like Benny's ship. This set is certainly special, because it has a potential to be a bridge between many AFOLs and their kids. My Classic Space sets are long gone to a garage sale, but perhaps this could help restore the memory in addition to being fun for the next generation. Funny for me, June 1 is my 44th birthday, and I will be ordering it right on that day.