Review: 76109 Quantum Realm Explorers

This will be the only box marketed by LEGO to accompany the release of the film Ant-Man & The Wasp: the small set 76109 Quantum Realm Explorers (200 pieces - 26.99 €) that I tested for you and which does not contain only good surprises.

At first glance, this box has it all with the two heroes of the film, the villain on duty and an original vehicle. If I usually criticize the machines delivered in the LEGO Super Heroes boxes for serving as an alibi to sell us some pretty minifigs, it's the opposite in this set.

Le Quantum Sub delivered in this small box of 200 pieces saves the furniture. It is compact, solid and original with its cockpit bubble around which the two transparent domes are closed. It also seems rather faithful to the model of the film, which does not spoil anything.

The machine makes several appearances in the various trailers of the film published so far and it is therefore possible to try to compare the LEGO version with the vehicle of the film. The 76109 set model therefore seems really up to the task, with a sufficient level of detail and an overall look that makes it believable.

The youngest will have at their disposal two Stud Shooters discreetly integrated into the skids of the machine. The side thrusters are mobile and can be oriented to suit your mood.

I am less a fan of the use of barrels for reactors, I feel like I have already seen this designer tip too much even if these parts do the trick here.

There are half a dozen stickers in this box, but the two side windows are pad printed. Thanks for that. The machine will also be doing well without the stickers provided.

The problem with the 76109 Quantum Realm Explorers set lies elsewhere. You guessed it, these are the minifigs I'm talking about and it's all in the details.

While Ant-Man's outfit is true to the character's costume in the movie, the helmet is far from doing the job. This is the same one seen in 2015 in the set 76039 Marvel's Ant-Man Final Battle and this is not a reproduction of the helmet worn by Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) in the upcoming film of which set 76109 claims to be a derivative.

Regarding Hope Van Dyne aka The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly), it's worse: The helmet worn by the minifigure is the piece already on Iron Man's head (76077 Iron Man: Detroit Steel Strikes), Vulture (76083 Beware the Vulture) or Rinzler in the LEGO Ideas set 21314 TRON Legacy.

It's rude, oversized and pad printing is no illusion. Funny detail: The provided head displays two different expressions which will never be exposed anyway, the visor being fictitious ... Regarding the character's outfit, I do not find in the trailers the golden color present on the costume of the minifig and you will have noticed that I am not even talking about the wings ...

The results are eloquent: Two of the three characters provided in this box are in a configuration that does not really meet my expectations as a demanding fan. Too bad.

The third minifigure delivered in this box is quite successful. The Ava / Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) costume is correctly reproduced even though the hood would have deserved a new piece. If you feel like it, the included head can be placed to reveal the character's face.

This is the whole problem with this set, the designer seems to have limited the costs by reusing a maximum of existing pieces to the detriment of the fidelity of the different elements. Some approximations are always forgivable, but now it starts to show ...

We must already be content with a single set around this film whose pitch still offers many possibilities by playing on the different scales (The Pez Hello Kitty distributor!) As the set did very well. 76039 Marvel's Ant-Man Final Battle in due course, if the result is a little too lazy to convince, how not to be disappointed?

You'll have to live with it, this set is the only derivative product based on the Ant-Man & The Wasp movie and it's relatively affordable even if Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne deserved better.

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is included in the game. To participate in the raffle, simply post a comment on this article before July 2 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory.

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.