I tested for you: 70912 Arkham Asylum

This is one of the centerpieces of the first wave of sets based on The LEGO Batman Movie: The Set 70912 Arkham Asylum with its 1628 pieces, its 12 minifigs (and a monochrome statue) and its retail price of 164.99 €.

Seen from afar, this set has it all. Closer, I find it has many qualities but also some flaws. We don't remake ourselves.

As usual, the purpose of this article is not to describe to you through the menu what we find in this box, you can either buy it, or analyze the gallery of visuals present on the LEGO Shop product sheet. The building is full of nice details, it's up to you to discover them by assembling this set.

Once again, the stickers are very present in this set, almost intrusive: 27 of them are essential to give the building and the police vehicle their final look.

Architecturally, everyone will have an opinion on the bias to represent this Arkham asylum. I prefer this version to those of the sets 7785 Arkham Asylum (2006) et 10937 Arkham Asylum Breakout (2013) both closer to a Transylvanian mansion than to an asylum / prison. This new version offers in my opinion a perfect balance between an old psychiatric hospital and a prison from another era. In short, from Shutter Island with a touch of prison Break...

The set consists of four separate elements, the entrance and the two wings can be combined, and the watchtower that you will place where it pleases you (preferably behind the rest to hide the meta-rooms used for the to assemble).

As with the Batcave from the set 70909 Batcave Break-In, this is a really very simplified version of the building that appears in the film. Too bad for the absence of the gate and of one end of the perimeter wall with some barbed wire visible below.

As usual with this type of sets, we are actually entitled to half a building. Behind the facade, a LEGO version "doll's house" with many thematic areas, their furniture and their functions. For a set at this price, I think the customer is rather well served: A body scanner, cells, a visiting room, a laundromat, a cafeteria, an office, a basketball backboard, bodybuilding accessories ... it is cramped but the spaces are numerous and varied.

The official description reads: "...Batman ™ enters Arkham Asylum and chases the Joker ™ and the other Super Villains with the searchlight towards the Phantom Zone ...". LEGO could therefore have integrated the possibility of being able to use the drone seen in the polybag 30522 Batman in the Phantom Zone.

As with any self-respecting dollhouse, there is something in the box to furnish the different spaces. Some parts are pad printed (donut, slice of watermelon, video cassette, computer, milk and fruit juice cartons, keyboards) and the removable furniture is rather well done.

The only vehicle provided in this set is not the same size as the other rolling vehicles in The LEGO Batman Movie range. This police vehicle could also patrol the streets of Springfield rather than those of Gotham. In my opinion, it would have been wiser to include a prisoner transport van like the one seen in the promo visual for the film.

About the minifigs provided, 12 in number if we do not count the monochrome statue, I am rather divided. Each of the "bad guys" is delivered here in their prison outfit, which is quite logical. The five characters are therefore decked out in the same orange outfit, with a slight distinction for the female characters at the waist level. Catwoman is entitled to an orange belt and keeps her mask, who knows why ...

Still, I find it hard to think of these minifigs as "variations" of their "classic" versions, even though LEGO provides hands that match each character's usual costume. The torsos and legs are way too generic. Each torso could have benefited from a personalized badge according to the character, in order to give each one consistency even in the outfit.

Double face for everyone, it has become the norm, nothing exceptional.

Among the good guys, Batman (always him) is identical to the version available in the sets 70900 The Joker Balloon Escape, 70907 Killer Croc Tail-Gator et  70908 The Scuttler.

Robin's head is however exclusive to this set. The rest are identical to the versions of the character available in the sets 70902 Catwoman Catcycle Chase, 70905 The Batmobile.

For the rest, Barbara Gordon is here in civilian clothes, with the same head as the minifigure in SWAT clothes seen in the set 70908 The Scuttler.

Harleen Quinzel, Aaron Cash and two generic GCPD officers complete the inventory. No double face for the male officer, probably because the pad printing would be visible under the back of the cap.

Despite the few remarks above, this set is in my opinion a fine example of LEGO craftsmanship. It's really playable with many thematic spaces and the characters that go with them, the box is full of accessories and the building is original and sufficiently detailed. Everything is not perfect, but I let myself be charmed by the whole. I say yes.

Below, two videos: The first is the usual presentation of the set staged in a short animated sequence. The second is a promotional video produced by LEGO for the Toys R Us brand that has all the attributes of the usual presentations made by designers for large D2C sets. To put it simply, it's a bit like when Mac Lesggy advertises Oral B with an E = M6 vibe.

Note: The set presented here is involved. To participate, you must intervene in the comments. You have until February 14, 2017 at 23:59 p.m. to contribute to the discussion and a draw will determine the winner. The winner's name / nickname will be posted here within 24/48 hours of the contest closing date.

Update : The winner has been drawn, his nickname is indicated below.