Review : LEGO Indiana Jones 77015 Temple of the Golden Idol

We end this quick overview of the three new additions to the LEGO Indiana Jones range expected for April 1st with a look at the contents of the set. 77015 Temple of the Golden Idol, the biggest but also the most expensive of the three boxes planned with its 1545 pieces and its public price fixed at 149.99 €.

Fans of the franchise already know this but it may be useful to specify it for others: this is about assembling a diorama that reproduces the opening scene of the film Raiders of the Lost Ark released in halls in 1981.

The sequence lasts a good ten minutes on the screen and it contains its share of scenes that have become cult for a whole generation, so it was logical that LEGO is seriously looking again at the subject after the very minimalist but still very exhaustive set 7623 Temple Escape marketed in 2008.

I'm not going to make the suspense last, I think the designer of this new set has accomplished his mission brilliantly. This top-of-the-range derivative product does have a few flaws that I will mention below, but everything is there and with a good dose of interactivity capable of satisfying all those who will make the effort to spend 150 € in this box.

This is, however, a pure exhibition product imagined in the form of a linear diorama which distills the different sequences seen on the screen. LEGO could have been content to give us static snapshots of these different moments without encumbering themselves with various and varied mechanisms, many would not have been choosy for all that. The set offers an interactivity which may also seem a little anecdotal compared to the primary purpose of the product but which ultimately proves necessary to really have the impression of enjoying it a little more after having patiently assembled it. It's LEGO in the truest sense of the word, with what I find a compelling combination of building fun and functionality.

The diorama is divided into three sub-sections that must be linked together via a few pins before definitively "sealing" the construction by installing a few finishing elements that overlap the different junction areas. This last point does not pose any problem, the three sections are not really intended to be separated anyway and it is the overall linearity of the scene that takes precedence.

Was it necessary to bend the diorama slightly at the risk of increasing its size? I'm not sure that this aesthetic bias, which probably reinforces the immersion a little, was the best choice, but that's how it is and you'll need to provide space on your shelves with a footprint of about 51 cm long. for 19 cm wide.

Some may regret that LEGO did not isolate the most cult of these sequences in separate products to increase the level of detail and finish, there was indeed enough to fill a few boxes with the scene of the chasing ball Indiana Jones in the corridors or that of the withdrawal of the idol from its base with its consequences.

These two scenes are somewhat summarized here in a very symbolic way, but it is indeed the whole diorama and its minifigs that save the furniture by integrating them into a coherent suite faithful to the sequence seen on the screen. go and return.

Indiana Jones and Satipo enter the premises, the young future traitor finds himself with a slew of spiders on his back, the trap encountered on the way is present on the right of the first module as is the chasm to be crossed next using of the lasso which occupies the second module and the room in which the idol is exhibited finally arrives with the third module.

Indiana Jones replaces the sculpture with a bag of sand to compensate for the weight of the object, everything begins to crumble, the stone door of the second module closes, Satipo passes through it, the ball arrives, Indiana jones comes out narrowly and falls on Belloq accompanied by a handful of Hovitos warriors. The set is visually rather exhaustive except for a few details and pitfalls, in particular thanks to the finish of the minifigs provided, and all those who have seen and re-watched this sequence on a loop should in my opinion largely find their account in it.

The various integrated mechanisms are well designed, they work every time and the possibility of activating them via the wheels placed on the front of the diorama guarantees an easily accessible and coherent play experience.

No hidden or hard-to-reach knobs or levers, all functions are available here at your fingertips. The counterpart to this very well done integration of the different mechanisms: the back of the diorama is lined with Technic beams. Nothing serious, this product is anyway designed to be exclusively exposed from the front.

A luminous brick is integrated into the idol room, its activation is combined with two other functions: the sinking of the base of the idol and the collapse of the adjacent wall. For once, I'm not going to criticize this light brick from another age that it is impossible to leave on permanently: this technical limitation is used wisely here with temporary lighting that perfectly underlines the dramaturgy of the scene. . The combination of the different features works perfectly, I'm satisfied.

This exhibition product does not escape a large sheet of stickers, once again graphically very successful, which it will be difficult to do without. These different stickers really contribute to the finish of the diorama but LEGO could have at least made the effort to stamp the black pieces which present next to the logo of the film a few lines of dialogue without much interest and in English only.

Everything that is not on the sheet of stickers that I scanned for you is pad-printed, so this is the case for the four round pieces that cover the knobs and the eight decorative elements placed on the front at the foot of the diorama.

The endowment in minifigs is very limited here with only four figurines. It's hard to blame LEGO, the construction only depicts the sequence that takes place inside the temple. Out of ten minutes, nine only concern Indiana Jones and Satipo. Some mummies identical to the one seen in the set 77013 Escape from the Lost Tomb would probably have been appreciated, as would a few additional Hovitos warriors, just to reinforce the squad that awaits the hero when he leaves the temple, knowing that Belloq is provided.

The pad prints are successful on the background with real attention to detail: a double-faced head for Indiana Jones, one of the faces of which reproduces the cobwebs encountered during the hero's exit, the spiders in the back and the t Satipo's torn shirt or the sweat stain on Belloq's back. On the form, Indiana Jones' neck is once again too pale to match the color of the figure's head. Same observation for that of Belloq. The Hovitos warrior also suffers from a noticeable difference in color between the hips and the sides of his loincloth. The golden idol is identical to that of the set 7623 Temple Escape marketed in 2008, but here it is flanked by a new reference. Two hats provided for Indiana Jones is the rule in this series of three sets.

As you will have understood, I am rather seduced by this derivative product which is clearly aimed at a nostalgic adult clientele. The exhibition potential is obvious, the built-in features are well designed and allow you to really enjoy the set and the set remains compact without overdoing or omitting too much. This will therefore be the only set that I will buy from this first wave of derivative products, the other two seeming to me in comparison a little too minimalist and difficult to present on the corner of a shelf as it is.

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at March 26, 2023 next at 23:59 p.m. Just post a comment under the article to participate. Your participation is taken into account regardless of your opinion. 

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