Lego has launched a new product in the colors of The Lord of the Rings. This construction, invoiced 500 euros, makes it possible to assemble Rivendell, birthplace of the Fellowship of the Ring.
About 12 hours is the time it took me to build the latest Lego based on the license The Lord of the Rings. This is more than the duration of the first season of the series The Rings of Powerr (559 minutes, or a little over 9 hours) and the entire trilogy of films in short version (9:18, against 12:04 for the longest versions). So it goes without saying that this highly detailed reproduction of Rivendell, birthplace of the Fellowship of the Ring, is one hell of a piece.
This Lego Rivendell — a place also called Rivendell or Imladris — is neither more nor less than the biggest set in the colors of the Lord of the Rings, while the association between the Danish brand and the work of Tolkien dates back to 2012. If we can think that it is a construction intended for the youngest, the price makes it rather a real collector’s item : 500 €, an enormous sum justified by the inventory of pieces (more than 6,000), the number of characters provided (15, including Frodo, Aragorn, Gimli…) and the incredible variety of details that the artists were able to put of Lego. For the fans, it’s a real gold mine.
A long construction, but very rewarding
For the record, Lego has already reproduced the sequence of the Council of Elrond, but in a very, very minimalist format. Here, it must be recognized that the multinational has pushed the limits of imagination and creativity to design an assembly of buildings that are copious, detailed and faithful to what we see in the films of Peter Jackson. We know why there are more than 6,000 parts and the final rendering is really impressive, colorful and very rich. Moreover, the fragility of the many elements that make up the diorama greatly limits the possibility of playing or even manipulating the figurines. Admittedly, there are some open accesses in the buildings, but we will quickly place a character and never touch it again. Plan space for the exhibition: Rivendell extends over more than 70 centimeters.
The construction process, less ingenious than that of the Bowser of the Super Mario range, only too rarely falls into repetition (placing the small bricks to draw the roofs is). This observation is supported by the fact that the whole is in fact the association of three large distinct constructions, which do not look alike at all. They each have their own booklet: one for the tower, the forge and the council. It’s up to you to start with the place of your choice or to share the pleasure of construction with someone (each on his own).
Apart from a few slightly tricky steps, which require careful placement of certain parts, the construction is not very technical. You just have to be careful to check everything at each step, to avoid having missed a small part to be installed. On this point, we will not forget to remember that the plans provided by Lego go through numbered stages, associated with bags which are also numbered. It’s hard to get lost, but mistakes can still happen quickly if you lack concentration. This is particularly true with Rivendell which multiplies the small parts and the colors. If you are not used to Lego, favor short sessions, take your time and enjoy.
On the other hand, as pleasant as it is when you build it, the product could have spared us the stickers… They require you to be very meticulous when you put them on, and are not very reassuring as regards durability. For an exceptional product billed at €500, this is a real defect that Lego could avoid. Especially since the majority of stickers cannot be seen when everything is assembled and displayed. It’s more of a constraint than anything else.
Sausages and ice cream make seats
Wheel arches for an arch
All these little details that are way too cute
What always strikes when building a Lego is the clever way in which the company recycles improbable parts to give rise to believable elements. The best example here is the council seats of Elrond: they combine a mirror for the backrest and the sausages for the armrests. It may sound strange, but the magic happens. Tricks like these, Lego uses plenty to give Rivendell some substance (special mention to the wheel arches normally used for cars). This building, which honors the Lord of the Rings is a constant reminder of how very, very talented Lego artists are.
At the same time, Rivendell is filled with little nods to the world of Lord of the Rings — from the very large box, decorated with scenes reproduced like paintings (example: the defeat of Sauron).
Here are some details to remember :
- The One Ring is of course provided, and you can place it in the center of the board (just like in the movie);
- There is a hiding place under the tower for Sam to spy on like in the movie;
- The board can be easily removed and conceals…the eye of Sauron;
- A plate with the image of the mithril armor is provided (too bad it’s a sticker);
- Narsil’s sword, or rather what remains of it, can be admired by Boromir;
- There is a plaque with the phrase “There and Back Again”, the name of the book written by Bilbo Baggins to narrate his adventures;
- There is a map of Middle-earth.
We obviously discover these little winks step by step, as the stages follow one another. This increases the pleasure of construction tenfold.
Included in the box are Frodo Baggins, Bilbo Baggins, Boromir, Elrond, Arwen, Aragorn, Gimli, Meriadoc, Peregrin, Gandalf, Sam Gamegie, Legolas, Gloin and two Elves.
They are all very similar, with a size scale respected (the Hobbits are the smallest). In some cases, we can choose the expression of the face (it is printed on two sides) and Lego has also thought of offering additional pieces to make the characters who do not have articulated legs sit (the Hobbits, Elrond and Gandalf).
Three booklets…
…to get there
Lego Rivendell in numbers
- Number of rooms: 6,167;
- Number of miniatures: 15
- Measurements: 39 cm high, 75 cm wide and 50 cm deep (with display stand);
- Recommended Age: 18+;
- Number of stages for construction: 911;
- Number of pouches: 49;
- Time required for construction: between 12 and 15 hours;
- Price (Lego website): €499.99.
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