Review: LEGO Star Wars 75276 Stormtrooper Helmet

Today we take the tour of the LEGO Star Wars set 75276 Stormtrooper Helmet  (647 pieces - 59.99 €), a product clearly identified by LEGO as intended for an audience of adult fans, or at least major. The objective here is to start a collection of helmets from the Star Wars universe, a collection which currently consists of three references and whose future will probably depend on the commercial success of the various products launched this year.

The (too) big packaging announces the color, here we do not have fun, we collect and we exhibit. The product is also staged in a context a little more "luxurious" than usual with an instruction booklet with a glued square back and pages on a black background reminiscent of those in the Architecture range booklets.

Even if I stuck a minifigure next to the helmet on some photos, I think the product is sufficient on its own without the presence of a Stormtrooper figurine in the box: the target audience for these products is much larger that of LEGO fans and this attempt to appeal to an audience of fans of exhibition products based on the saga must in my opinion focus on the essentials. Despite everything, I find that LEGO was a little shy on this issue in terms of the scale of the final product: this helmet is finally only 13x13x13 cm without the base which allows it to take a little height and reach 18 cm from above.

If the finished product is relatively sober, the first stages of construction are a little more festive with an assortment of colored parts to assemble to constitute the "skeleton" of the model. Some will undoubtedly appreciate this visual distraction and the techniques used to make this part of the product before embarking on the assembly of the two-tone texture of the helmet, for my part I am very insensitive.

As for the ship in the set 75252 UCS Imperial Star Destroyer, I find that these colored insides distort the experience of assembling this collector's product a bit, but it's very personal. What is less is that several of these colored parts remain visible from certain angles on the final model, by small touches certainly, but they break a little the uniformity of the external texture of the helmet.

No big surprise here, when the internal structure is assembled, we start to add the different textured elements with large visible stud reinforcements that will gradually give its final shape to this Stormtrooper helmet. The designer is doing in my opinion honorably given the scale chosen and the curves and other hooks to reproduce. We could discuss certain angles or certain volumes, but in my opinion it is useless to seek absolute fidelity to the reference model on this scale.

There are still a few empty spaces here and there, but observed from a reasonable distance, this helmet therefore seems rather faithful to the model from which it is inspired. The tastes and colors are indisputable and some will appreciate this rendering all to the glory of the brand and its Studs where others would have preferred a slightly smoother finish.

The helmet being mostly white, it is difficult to escape two aesthetic flaws that are really obvious: the white parts are not all "the same white", with variations ranging from cold white to creamy white, and the different stickers to sticking on the model, however, they are printed on a really white background. This patchwork of hues is a bit annoying on a high-end product intended for exhibition and whose pieces can only tarnish a little more over time.

As you have noted, the black base is dressed with a small pad printed plate which reminds us that this is a helmet of ... Stormtrooper. By putting a smaller logo, there was room to possibly print a few facts on the character concerned, just to reinforce the premium aspect of the product a little.

Was there a different scale (and higher price) for these models to be considered in order to be able to fine-tune the level of detail of the product? Maybe yes. As it stands, there are a lot of aesthetic compromises that a LEGO fan will gladly forgive as they know and understand the limitations of the brand's concept. I'm not sure that a collector of Star Wars merchandise accustomed to high-end models offered by other manufacturers is so forgiving and understanding. The future will tell.

Concerning the target of the product clearly identified on the packaging via the 18+ classification, the construction experience does indeed call for some unusual techniques but it does not require any particular know-how to reach the end of the model. A child used to putting together LEGO sets will do well. The product does not offer any playability beyond the assembly phase, it is above all in the sense that it is intended for an adult audience.

In short, if you like LEGOs and the Star Wars universe, this product is for you: It reproduces an emblematic element of the saga, it does not take up too much space and it costs only 60 €. You will find a place available on a corner of the shelf to display this helmet and display your passion for the universe in question without cluttering your living room. If you are a fan of derivative products without necessarily being a fan of LEGO, this product is probably not the ultimate LEGO version mockup you were hoping for despite its large attractive box.

Note: The product shown here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at 2th May 2020 next at 23pm. the shipment of the prize to the winner will only take place when the sanitary situation allows it.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.