What better way to document the addition of a new LEGO Groot to the family than with the help of a 1:1 scale baby Groot.
The LEGO Groot set was a fun build, and only mildly difficult for my 12-year-old son. The entire build took about two hours with brief breaks. While the body was pretty straightforward in terms of building techniques, the head turned out to be the biggest challenge. Certain pieces needed to be moved out of the way to make room for the face sections. This is where my son struggled the most, but he got there in the end.
I really feel that the two legs should have been different builds. While the instructions state to build them both the same when you add them to the body, problems soon develop. There is a small leaf section near the foot that falls off constantly due to the fact they are the same. If it had been built to be on the outside, when you play with it, it would be in place. I ended up making a quick fix, And while it looks different from the box; it’s infinitely more playable.
From the point of view of articulation, the LEGO Groot wins! His poseability is fantastic. While this is a nice addition, the fact that the head is so heavy makes it hard to balance. You notice this the most when you want the iconic leg-up in-the-air dancing pose. While I could add a light coating of varnish to the ball joints for friction, I’m not a big fan of this technique with LEGO.
Of course, more options for facial expressions would be cool. Clearly, this would be a plus for toy photography and being able to express more than one emotion. Of course, since this is LEGO, maybe someone has devised some alternative builds to help with this issue.
Including a brick-built mixtape to the set is a nice touch. To the untrained eye, you can easily pass it off as the real deal.
In conclusion, I cannot wait to get this ‘lil guy outside and take some photos of him. This is a figure that has much potential for toy photography.
Review by Mark Phillips (@frame_the_toys)
Awesome series, Mark! I love the Lego Groot and can totally sympathize with the difficult parts of the build. Your son did a wonderful job. I’ve taken Groot out for any number of shoots and he works really well outdoors. Can’t wait to see your future shots with him!
Nice review! I also had to modify one leg to be able to bend it to make Groot sit.