75573 lego avatar floating mountains site 26 rda samson 1

We continue the series of tests of the new features of the LEGO Avatar range and today we are quickly interested in the content of the LEGO Avatar set 75573 Floating Mountains: Site 26 & RDA Samson, a box of 887 pieces which will be available from October 1, 2022 at the retail price of €99.99. Don't be fooled by the product title, there aren't really any floating "mountains" in this set. I salute in passing the work of the graphic designers on the boxes of the range, it is sold with foliage everywhere and floating rocks in the background...

This product derived from the 2009 film therefore offers us to assemble an SA-2 Samson helicopter, a container embodying the Sector 26 mobile liaison unit and a small piece of vegetation. Everything is well accompanied by an honest handful of figurines but I still have a little trouble seeing where the 100 € requested by LEGO are.

Site 26 is actually two containers longer than the one proposed by LEGO and linked together in the movie, we only have one here. The latter is rather well done even if it is highly compressed as if the manufacturer had only had the means to offer us an economical version of this container. LEGO still manages to install the box that houses Jake Sully and a workstation for Dr. Grace Augustine while leaving a little space inside.

Everything is easily accessible by removing the roof associated with a section of wall, difficult to do better in terms of playability. The container cannot be transported by the SA2-Samson helicopter, nothing has been planned by LEGO to strap and hang the thing under the flying machine. The more adventurous will undoubtedly tinker with something in their spare time.

The other big construction of the set is the SA-2 helicopter with its coaxial propellers. Trudy Chacon being here at the controls, it is therefore the Samson 16. Most adult fans were probably hoping for better than the somewhat simplified toy provided in this box, but the construction remains in my opinion generally very correct at this scale.

75573 lego avatar floating mountains site 26 rda samson 4

We recognize the Samson 16 at first glance and that is the essential thing. The machine is flanked by a few stickers but the canopy of the cockpit is stamped with a very successful pattern. I think that LEGO had to simply resolve (perhaps even reluctantly) to print this part so as not to impose on the youngest the ordeal of having to stick a sticker on the angular surface of this part.

If the helicopter is well equipped with skids which allow it to be displayed correctly on a shelf, LEGO innovates a little by including a transparent support which allows it to be presented in flight or placed on the floating "mountain". The presence of the two elements that make up this support is also justified by the desire to offer us a "floating" rock and to kill two birds with one stone by fixing the helicopter to the top of the construction. The support itself is rather well designed, it offers maximum stability, well helped by the base of the decorative section of the product and by two pins which secure the two uprights.

It is by assembling the meager portion of vegetation, to be connected to the various modules delivered in the other boxes via the clip provided, that we finally understand the title of the product. The rock floats, it's not a montage but the symbolism is there. Pandora's interpretation is therefore also very minimalist here, and that's an understatement... A few flowers and other plants, some of which are phosphorescent, simply hide the anchoring system of the support on its base.

75573 lego avatar floating mountains site 26 rda samson 7

75573 lego avatar floating mountains site 26 rda samson 10

This box allows us to obtain five characters: Jake Sully, his Na'vi alter ego, Dr Grace Augustine, pilot Trudy Chacon and Norm Spellman in Na'vi version. I won't repeat the verse on the Na'vi for you, it's up to everyone to judge the relevance of this LEGO-style interpretation of the creatures that inhabit Pandora. Of the two figurines provided here, the frankly cartoon side prevails with facial expressions that seem a little strange to me.

For the rest, Grace Augustine's minifig looks like Sigourney Weaver and it's easy to imagine Michelle Rodriguez looking at Trudy Chacon's minifig. Bravo to the graphic designer for the face with the colorful patterns around Trudy's eyes, it's faithful to the film. Jake Sully is a little more neutral, here he is installed on a new version of the wheelchair different from the one available since 2016 in many boxes.

The two rear wheels change in diameter and the armrests gain in height. Why not. Sully and Augustine both enjoy alternate faces with the mask that allows them to walk around Pandora without dying of asphyxiation. It's graphically very well executed with a simple but effective reflection effect.

The two Na'vis figurines in the set are accompanied by a Pa'li ​​(or Equidius), the local six-legged horse. We come close to the type toy My little Pony with this blue figure molded without joints and it might have needed to put a touch of beige and some additional patterns on the mane to stick to the creature of the film. It is possible to install a Na'vi on the Equidius by removing a few parts, even if the almost tone-on-tone rendering obtained is not really convincing in my opinion.

75573 lego avatar floating mountains site 26 rda samson 12

75573 lego avatar floating mountains site 26 rda samson 9

On arrival, if we take this product for what it is, a colorful toy for children, it is in my opinion generally successful and there is something to have fun with, especially by combining the contents of this box. with that of other products in the range. Those who have dreamed for many months following the leak of the titles of the various products in the LEGO Avatar range are on the other hand a little for their expense: we obtain a half-container which is itself half of Site 26, a minimalist helicopter even if it is rather faithful to the reference machine, a floating "mountain" which is not a mountain and a blue horse much too flashy for my taste.

It's all a bit skimpy for a discerning adult fan, so it'll take a bit of skill and a lot of imagination to improve the various builds a bit. The leads are there with the design of the container or the principle used for the rotors of the helicopter, all you have to do is get started.

We note the arrival of the transparent element which is delivered here in two copies to serve as a support for the "assembly" and the helicopter, this piece opens up new possibilities for displaying various and varied flying machines at the using "official" coins.

Note: The set presented here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at September 29, 2022 next at 23:59 p.m. Just post a comment under the article to participate.

Update : The winner was drawn and notified by email, his nickname is indicated below.

Chapeltok - Comment posted the 20/09/2022 at 8:46
Join the discussion!
Subscribe
Receive notifications for
guest
609 Comments
the most recent
the oldest Top rated
See all comments
609
0
Do not hesitate to intervene in the comments!x