Review : LEGO ICONS 10327 Dune Atreides Royal Ornithopter

Today we are quickly interested in the content of the LEGO ICONS set 10327 Dune Atreides Royal Ornithopter, a box of 1369 pieces available since February 1, 2024 on the official store at the public price of €164.99. As usual, there is no question of revealing too much about what this product has in store for you; you have to give everyone who spends their money in these boxes the privilege of discovering the techniques and surprises that they offer. Just know that this model from the LEGO ICONS range has a little more to offer than a simple static construction destined to collect dust on the corner of a shelf.

We could indeed have been satisfied with a relatively faithful but static reproduction of the machine flying across the desert of Arrakis seen on the screen, many fans would not have been choosy. The designer has gone a little further here in treating his subject and we are not going to complain about it with on arrival a real pleasure in the assembly process and a real satisfaction in the discovery of the reasons for the complexity of certain construction sequences.

It will also be necessary to remain vigilant during certain phases so as not to be disappointed at the end of the thick instruction booklet, but we can say here without having the impression of being in the emphasis that the assembly of the product offers a truly unique experience for a product in this range.

This is indeed a set intended for adult customers looking for a model with an accomplished design, but the model intelligently combines bricks considered "classic" and numerous elements from the LEGO Technic universe to offer a little more than just a tasteless ornithopter.

My advice: take your time, enjoy the successful integration of the built-in mechanisms and don't hesitate to test how well they work along the way. Don't worry about the wing moving function, it will seem almost inactive during the first few editing sequences and you may wonder if you have made a mistake at some point. other, you will understand what makes it so satisfactory at the end of the process when it comes to attaching the flexible wings to the cabin.

The amplitude of the movement is in fact very small at the fixation points and it is the extension of the different appendages which causes the expected movement. You have an overview of the different functions in the reel below:

 

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The mechanism which synchronizes the deployment of the landing gears with that of the access ramp to the ship is also perfectly designed, the offset wheel on the side of the machine makes it easy to handle and we will have fun for a few minutes with just for the pleasure of enjoying the elegance of the solution used which allows you to obtain a quite stunning effect.

The cockpit glazing is packaged separately and this is the assurance that the large panels will not be too scratched on arrival even if it is not perfect in my case. As usual, do not hesitate to contact the brand's customer service if the condition of the parts you received does not seem to meet your requirements in relation to the price paid for this box.

I know that some will consider that this model leaves too many studs visible to really convince, I myself had this impression, particularly at the level of the tail of the device which seems to me almost a little too basic compared to the rest of the model. the model. You end up getting used to it after a few hours and the smooth wings visually compensate a little for this impression of a too pronounced presence of tenons in certain places.

Same remark for the numerous red colored elements which remain clearly visible on the body of the device: some fans will consider that it is an almost essential "signature" effect of the LEGO Technic universe whereas others will only appreciate moderately this visual “pollution” on a high-end model. Everyone has their own perception and tolerance regarding the limits of realism in LEGO products.

On arrival, the 57 cm long and 80 cm wingspan model with its wings extended is strong enough to be handled without losing parts, so it is also a toy for adults that will hold up without any problem. to repeated activations of integrated mechanisms. The product is obviously reserved for a category of fans of the treated universe who also like LEGO sets but in my opinion it sets a new milestone by redefining what a LEGO model can be which really takes advantage of all the possibilities offered by the ecosystem of available elements combined with the know-how of the most motivated designers.

If Dune is not your cup of tea, don't look away, the assembly of this machine remains in my opinion one of the most accomplished experiences to date of what we find in this range and you might be missing out on a few very entertaining and satisfying hours.

The supply of minifigs in this box is relatively substantial with 8 characters but it seems almost anecdotal to me, we discover each of the characters through the bags and we quickly put them in a corner to take advantage of the machine. The casting is well chosen, fans of Zendaya (Chani), Timothée Chalamet (Paul Atreides) or Jason Momoa (Duncan Idaho) will be served but I personally remained focused on the ornithopter more than on the presence of this handful of figurines which are graphically very well executed.

You already know since the announcement of the product, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is perched on a transparent support which allows the toga which covers the minifig made up of neutral pieces to be lowered. It's visually interesting although I'm not a big fan of these capes and other clothing attributes that aren't made of plastic.

The pad prints are all very accomplished, we feel the care taken in the creation of these figurines and the result seems very convincing to me except for Lady Jessica whose "real" rendering is a little less flamboyant and contrasted than in the very promising official visuals. but obviously retouched.

What is perhaps missing is a small display stand to place the figurines on and not be forced to simply line them up around the model. No one will play with them and they would have deserved a real highlight with, for example, a colored support Tan (beige) reminiscent of the dunes of the Arrakis desert. Some will also regret the absence of an identification plate giving some facts about the machine, just to give character to this toy for older children.

You will have understood, I am nevertheless really won over by this proposal which in my opinion brings together the best of both worlds when it comes to LEGO models: A very acceptable finish based on "classic" bricks and the integration successful elements of the Technic universe which makes it possible to offer some real functions to a machine which could, for example, have been satisfied with a manual wing deployment system without anyone being offended.

This product risks making me even more demanding in the future, especially with the LEGO Star Wars range which would cope well with some creations of the same barrel, it sets the bar very high and embodies in my eyes what a set should be for adults in 2024, without compromise or shortcuts.

I'll say it again, if you intend to fall for this box, keep the pleasure of discovery and don't spoil too much which is the whole point of it. Take my word for it, you will not be disappointed with both the assembly process and the final result, the 165 € spent will seem justified to you. This is not always the case at LEGO.

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at 14th February 2024 next at 23:59 p.m. Simply post a comment below the article to participate. Your participation is taken into account regardless of your opinion. Avoid “I’m participating” or “I’m trying my luck”, we suspect that this is the case.

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