Batman vs Superman, it’s the stuff of comic book legend, it’s almost every young superhero fan’s dream about, and we are mere weeks away from seeing one of DC Comics’ most popular crossover stories reimagined on the big screen in, Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice.
Pieces: 306
Set Number: 76045
Minifigures: Batman, LexCorp Henchman x2
RRP: £29.99/$29.99
With Batman and Superman already being well established within the realms of LEGO and over a decade of the collaboration projects with Warner Bros., it was never going to be much of a surprise when the toy company announced that they would be releasing movie tie-in sets to coincide with the blockbuster release.
Much like DC Comics rival, Marvel and their own big superhero bust-up, three sets have been released which take huge inspiration from the upcoming movie; from the low-budget Clash Of The Heroes set, to the larger, minifigure heavy, Heroes of Justice: Sky High Battle (even LEGO is trying to set up the Justice League movie). It is, however, the mid-range set, Kryptonite Interception, which is likely to get most of the attention from fans, not necessarily because it is the best of the three, but because it includes a newly designed Batmobile, reimagined in LEGO.
As a huge fan of the Dark Knight and his vehicle of choice, this set was always going to get my attention.
The set includes three minifigures, Batman (unsurprisingly) and two LexCorp henchmen. While it is disappointing that the set didn’t include another of the named characters from the movie, the two henchmen are at least individual, not generic in the way that so many LEGO Star Wars sets use filler stormtroopers to pad out their minIfigure line-up. The henchmen figures are also entirely exclusive to this particular set and unlikely to show up anywhere else in the near future, a fact that may find collectors taking note.
The Batman minifigure is a brand new variant based on the upcoming movie version of the character, it is also very different in design from the armoured version you’ll find in the cheaper Clash Of The Heroes set. Sadly, however, LEGO have reused both the head and cowl from the 2015 versions of the character, which may not seem like a big issue, but ultimately this is a movie tie-in set and Ben Affleck has a very distinctive chin which could have been depicted here.
The impressive dual-mould two-tone legs have also made a reappearance after their debut last year, as well as the new softer cape material we’ve seen in similar sets. It is the torso piece that finally brings us some originality with this Batman minifigure, with a design that looks much more like the Batman we all know and love and not the armoured (and incredibly awesome looking) Batman we see in most of the promotional material for the movie – which ironically looks more like LEGO Batman anyway.
The torso print features an oversized bat logo which occupies a huge space on his chest, very much like the early images we saw of Batfleck, and the Dark Knight’s iconic gold utility-belt has made a welcomed return. The body itself is the same dark grey we saw last year, but if you hold the minIfigure up to a light source, you will notice that there is an incredibly subtle, yet impressive, detail layer which brilliantly simulates the armour look of the new movie version of the character.
I get the feeling that the LexCorp angle to this set was an afterthought once the designers had finished the glorious-looking Batmobile that we’ll get on to shortly. The two additional figures in the set are LexCorp henchmen – at least they aren’t identical twins. The two henchmen both feature the same green worker’s uniform torso piece, which includes detail printing of LexCorp ID badges.
Part of me thinks that LEGO has gone to a little too much effort to make these guys look different as they not only sport different head and hair pieces but also have different coloured legs, it’s like the set designers are trying to hide their laziness. Sadly, these are easily forgettable minfigures.
Despite being a blatant afterthought, the LexCorp forklift is a surprisingly great little model in its own right. This is also the warm-up to the main event, the first thing that you build as part of the set.
Unlike similar designs from across the full LEGO range, the forks aren’t held in place by ridges which, in the past, would allow you click the forks up and down and maintain whatever height you were looking for. Instead, this design actually incorporates a rubber band which snaps the fork back to the top automatically after you let go. Which is the better design is down to personal preference, but it is nice to see that the designers haven’t just copied and pasted an existing design and slapped a LexCorp logo on it.
The set also includes a pallet for the forklift, which sits comfortably on the forks without the fear of falling off. A nice highlight of the set is the inclusion of pieces of Kryptonite and the brilliant little containers that the crystals sit in, they look fantastic.
Back to the forklift and the colour scheme looks great, even with the use of stickers rather than purpose printed pieces and in addition to the fork itself, there are a couple of other areas for interactivity, though the realism and practicality escape me. I’m not sure what health and safety would have to say about it, but this particular forklift comes equipped with flick-fire missiles, seriously? What lunatic would attach missiles to a forklift? Oh, wait, Lex Luthor.
Weaponry aside, the forklift also features a nice play function on the back, like most sets these days integrating the super jump interactive designs. By pressing down on a plate on the back of the vehicle, you can dismantle the enclosure and cause the driver to hurtle out of his seat – again, not great for health and safety, but definitely adds play value to the otherwise bland foe for Batman’s Batmobile.
Speaking of the Batmobile…
The Batmobile has seen many different looks over the years, especially in LEGO. From movie-inspired designs to unique reimaginings, it’s safe to say that the iconic vehicle has never been too long without cropping up in bricked form. I had the pleasure of reviewing last year’s Jokerland set which also included a LEGO Batmobile, a largely comic book influenced version with just a hint of Tim Burton’s Batman in the design, I still love that model to this day, it’s a personal favourite of mine, but this new 2016 model is a very different monster.
Nowadays, thanks in no small part to Christopher Nolan, the Batmobile has to not only be aesthetically pleasing but also functional, audiences have to believe that there is a purpose to every aspect of the design. While it is clear that the new vehicle has taken a turn back towards its comic book roots, there is also a hint of the Tumbler in there too, this looks like a stealth fighter on wheels, and I adore it.
The build itself will take up the majority of your time with the set, it’s a hefty portion of the 300+ pieces included so it is no surprise that the completed model feels incredibly sturdy with a good deal of weight to it. While it does contain a few purpose-built elements, such as the cockpit doors, it is the use of standard LEGO pieces throughout the design that really excite.
The cockpit is easily the most impressive feature of this Batmobile, splitting in two to open thanks to the new moulds which look amazing as they slope downwards to give the Batmobile a truly iconic look. It’s great that the designers chose to add these new elements in, rather than attempt to build something using existing pieces, because it has allowed for this more authentic functionality which we’ve already seen in the movie trailers.
The doors are tightly fixed with technics connectors and clipped to studs when closed, so you can rest assured knowing that these unique pieces aren’t going to easily detach and go AWOL on you. The cockpit interior is compact, to say the least, but with only needing space for the Dark Knight himself, it works perfectly. There’s no steering wheel is this model, instead, we have two stickered panels on each side simulating the computerised controls.
The roof of the vehicle, just behind the cockpit, is definitely another of the highlights of this particular design, the way it uses all standard LEGO elements to create such a unique look. Using standard hinges mixed with triangular pieces, the flaps that can move slightly to give it a very Dark Knight’esque look that you wouldn’t normally be able to achieve using standard designs.
It’s a very creative solution that accurately depicts the layered look from the movie and yet is fully functional is the LEGO world. The overall look created by this substantial rear design gives the impression that this vehicle is dynamic, it can adapt, part of me is expecting it to turn into a Transformer at any minute.
Weaponry wise, this is the Batmobile we’re talking about, after all, there are two stud blasters attached to the front of the vehicle, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a tad disappointed with this when compared to my beloved Jokerland car and it’s fully functional spring-loaded dual missile launcher. That said, it does blend in nicely with the lean look of the vehicle, using grey studs as ammunition to subtlety set the weapons apart from the almost entirely black body.
There are also twin cannons that emerge from just behind the front wheels that can point outwards at an angle. Sadly these are purely for the look of the model rather than as a usable feature, but it is still a great addition and one that yet again reproduces the look of the movie vehicle brilliantly.
Of course, no vehicle operated by the Dark Knight would be complete without some subtle branding and this Batmobile is no exception, with the front of the vehicle complete with a stickered grey bat logo. It’s much more subtle than previous versions and that in part adds to the overall theme of maturity. Unlike the much more comic book style designs of the past, this Batmobile is aiming for a mature, serious look and considering this is only a 300 piece, £30 set, it achieves it brilliantly.
Overall, the Kryptonite Interception set is an odd one, with so much effort taken to ensure the perfect LEGO recreation of the movie Batmobile, and yet the rest of the set just seems like an afterthought.
The minifigure line-up is one of the biggest disappointments, despite the two henchmen being unique, they still don’t quite cut it. Had the set included another named character, maybe Lex, then a great deal more value would have been added to the set. Despite being an old choice for the set, with some rather interesting design decisions made, the forklift is still a great build which adds additional play value through the use of interactive features built-in.
The star of the show, though, is the Batmobile, it’s glorious in every way, from the build time through to the finished model, this makes the set more than worthy of your attention. Though a little light on weaponry, the vehicle has more than enough subtle interactive points to keep the children happy, especially the dual-door opening cockpit.
Collectors will also be impressed by the design, as for the first time in such a small set, we get a very mature, very adult orientated looking Batmobile which merges both the comic books and the previous movies to create something to admire. It is astounding how much detail the LEGO designers have managed to include in this Batmobile, superb design.
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