I don't get the Barad-Dûr hate, I think it's likely the best set of the year, I think they did an excellent job at making an imposing adaptation of the tower seen in the films while also adding interest with things like saurons throne room or the dungeons below, and as a long time fan of Lego lord of the rings, the kitchen feels like something straight out of the game, I think it adds just the right amount of fun without impacting the overall appearance of the set, my only request would be more minifigs, and obviously cheaper price but that could go for just about any set
I think Sauron's throne and the dungeon at the base are great additions to the set. It has many great features, don't get me wrong, but when you compare it to Rivendell, it's clear they don't match up in any way. Even the building techniques in Barad-dûr are nothing innovative or special. As a Lord of the Rings fan, this set is honestly a huge letdown for me. I'm quite happy that I finally got to build something else with it.
@@Spaggetabout_It for me personally it's still a good set but imo the most underwhelming set above 350 or 400eur that ice ever built. A set of that price range should be just pure wow Barad Dur wasn't for me
@@lukasthebuilder nailed the eye up top. The source lighting design of the lava “lighting up” the rest of the tower was a great creative liberty taken as the tower looks like it’s glowing without the need for a cumbersome 3rd party lighting kit, the Minifigures are damn near perfect, new helmet molds are fantastic especially Sam and frodos, Sauron’s throne room is a chefs kiss, the detailing of the parapets and buttress, the modularity of all the floors which gives it the ability to make it taller to fit whatever scale you please as well as add your own rooms and stories to it, it’s a great mix between epic display piece and playable model, it’s Lego so I appreciate the nod to the meat meme that adds a little humor to the set, did I mention the🔥👁️ 🔥 ?!
I'm surprised you didn't discuss the X-Mansion, which is pretty terrible by any standard and a big letdown for both Marvel and modular fans. There was a lot of excitement for it and and an equal amount of mockery and disdain when it was finally released.
I completely forgot about that set, and you're right-it definitely deserves to be on the list, even though I’m not a Marvel fan. The design feels poorly executed, almost as if it was pulled from an archive dating back to 2010.
I think the reason why Magic of Disney doesn’t feel right is that it feels like they poured a bucket full of disney movies in a hat and then pulled anything out and put it into a set. We have movies from the Renaissance (Beauty and the Beast, pinnochio, Lion King, Little Mermaid, and Sorcerrer's apprentice.) Movies in the 2000's (or Disney's Downspiral era) like Lilo and Stich And then, very suddenly, Disney's 2020's movies (Enchanto) I think what wouldve been better is if they either had a set dedicated to an era of disney or just have a mixture of eras into one set that feels homogenous rather than just cluttered.
I would definitely try and switch out Lilo & Stitch and Enchanto for some more memorable movies. It does feel a bit cluttered and would look better after a bit of custom additions
I'd like the Family Tree, if it was just the tree. That tree would look good in a Lego City. But the rest of it (i.e. the base) isn't appealing at all.
Agreed on most all counts I picked up Family Tree on Sale as a parts pack, two Rebrickable's use it as just a tree for Castle, and intend to use it as just a tree. The Magic of Disney just seems like one of the key misses of the Idea sets, There are so many standout projects in the Ideas, and only a handful get chosen each year, I wonder if they will change things up in the future. I enjoyed the Mona Lisa, but do understand the criticism. But I've always been fascinated by Da Vinci, and it was a must buy.
I thought Barad-dur looked weak (and was comically overpriced, as with most all Lego), but while I take your point about the kiddie play features and imagery clashing with what the tower represents in the movies, Lego is still fundamentally a children's toy line, despite Lego's concerted efforts to sell sets to adults. So I don't think it's fully fair to knock Lego on those grounds. I don't know how you could make anything look genuinely evil and scary in the Lego medium.
Yes, I see your point, but there are definitely many ways to make Barad-dûr look menacing while staying true to the LEGO style. What we ended up with feels more like a mix of ideas rather than a cohesive design.
The teal windows for The Burrow are on the original film set. I normally like your videos because they’re very well made, but I think it’s an unfair judgement on your part towards the LEGO group designers. If you don’t like the color choice of teal, that’s fine, but it’s not a reflection of the LEGO set, it’s a difference in preference you have from the original production design team. The windows are teal.
I agree with most things you said, however I do like the Barrad'Dur set. The only issue I have with it is stickers (which is a general hate for me) and the number of orcs - it could have done with 4-6 more orcs and accompanying weapons. The Mona Lisa is a great parts pack - will hunt it on discount if I can find it.
If you’re not planning to display the Mona Lisa, it’s a great set. Otherwise, her smile might feel a bit haunting-almost like Phoebe's Gladys painting in Friends.
@@lukasthebuilder yeah, not a huge fan of lego art. the only one I like is the milky way one (and I will use it as a backdrop for my space city collection). I prefer botanicals if I want to do home deco - but even those I get for a fancy build htat I can then part out.
A lot of people raved over the Magic of Disney set, but I thought it looked very messy and unfinished looking. The best part of the set was the exclusive minifigs (like Gepetto and Bruno) but I'm sure one could purchase them separately on the secondary market.
@@lukasthebuilder Yep, Mickey looks bad. But I also think that the bitty, piecemeal, feel of the entire set, doesn't work. I'm not sure the vignette-collage approach works because by its very nature it'll end up lacking detail and finesse (which is not to denigrate the fan designer of the original idea, because I can see what they were aiming for in view of the competition's brief).
@@lukasthebuilder Also, why is there Lilo but no Stitch? No wonder this set was on sale for so long in the US, where Lego sets never go on sale unless they fall well below sales expectations.
I honestly didn't even know the existence of some of these sets until you posted this video. And yes, I agree, they are disappointing. What's disappointing about the Barad Dur is that, I'm not a big fan of open back doll house concepts. I always believe that premium sets should have the option of opening up and closing, similar to the Lion Knights castle. Having an open back limits the ability to display the set from all angles. Granted, this would cost more, but I'm sure at the current price tag, I wouldn't mind paying extra to get it right.
With LEGO releasing hundreds of sets each year, it’s really easy to lose track of what they produce. I believe this could become an issue in the future. And yes, I completely agree about the open back-if the set were fully enclosed, the price would probably increase from $450 to $500 or more, but loyal customers would likely still be willing to pay that amount.
I understand that the Mona Lisa set has many great parts and looks fantastic overall. However, the face is a major letdown, especially since it's the defining feature that makes the painting so iconic. Additionally, the hands look a bit unsettling, which doesn't help the overall impression.
So sad the chinese restauration family réunion is already discontinued. It's not january yet 😢. I wanted it before retirement. Will look for it in a Lego shop but i'm not sure to find it.
@@sylvaingarel4753 No, you won’t find it in LEGO stores anymore as it has already been discontinued. It was one of the best sets of the year, but it’s still available on Amazon. amzn.to/428K5nT
I mostly agree with your list. Generally, I feel Lego started off the year strong, then the sets were disappointing for the second half of the year. I’d add ‘Travel Moments’ and ‘Shadow the Hedgehog’ to the list of terrible/disappointing sets.
I felt the same way. When the Chinese New Year sets were released, I was so impressed. Then came the Ornithopter, which isn’t my favorite, but I can still appreciate it as a great set. I thought this was going to be an amazing year, but it ended up being one disappointing set after another. As a trained architect, I was thrilled about Notre Dame, and finally, toward the end of the year, we got the Botanical Garden and the Endurance, which are my top two sets of the year.
Sadly your take on Barad dur is so undeniably wrong I have to unsubscribe. This opinion invalidates all your other opinions. Not only is it unequivocally the set of the year featuring one of, if not the best minifigure ever in Sauron, but it’s a top 10 Lego set of all time.
Thank you for sharing your perspective-it's clear you’re very passionate about Barad-dûr. I understand that opinions on LEGO sets can be deeply personal, especially for fans of iconic themes like The Lord of the Rings. While I may not feel the same way about this particular set, I respect your love for it and appreciate your thoughts on Sauron as a standout minifigure. It’s always my goal to share honest opinions, even if they don’t resonate with everyone. I’m sorry to see you go, but I hope you find creators whose takes align better with your preferences. All the best, and happy building!
I love the tree. I even consider buying multiple copies. It's the most cost effective large tree set Lego has released. Just change the leaves or flowers according to taste. I want to put a version of that tree in key parts of my city.
If the tree didn't have the base, it would have been a great set, ideal for a LEGO city. However, the way it's presented as a photo holder doesn't look good, especially when you place 16 photos on it.
Rivendell is considered one of the greatest LEGO sets by many fans, so I expected LEGO to put in equal effort to make Barad-dûr just as impressive. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. I'm curious to see how the 2025 Lord of the Rings set will turn out. If it’s Hobbiton as anticipated, it could either be an incredible set or a major letdown. Let’s hope for the best-we’ll find out in June 2025!
I think your choices are pretty much spot-on, especially if we're talking about the 'most disappointing sets of 2024,' rather than necessarily the 'worst sets' per se. Although I don't think they're quite as bad/disappointing as the five sets you've chosen, I'd also add the X-Mansion and Bumblebee to the conversation. The X-Mansion is a bit of a cheat, because it's a set I still intend to buy at some stage, but the fact that it isn't higher on my 'want list,' indicates how disappointing this modular IP building is (in view of all the things it ostensibly has going for it). It's rather small in height compared to other modular buildings, including other Marvel ones, the room choices are disappointing (I'd personally have preferred more of a functional boarding school with more bedrooms and teaching rooms), and I'm baffled by some of the aesthetic decisions like the stickers at back which make the mansion look more like a slum building than a prestigious private estate in Westchester. I think I'd have omitted the Sentinel mech-like figure and used up more of the piece-count to add to the building itself, and then included the Sentinel in a separate set (one that was much cheaper and therefore allowed consumers to buy multiple sets at a reasonable price, to make up a Sentinel 'army' of sorts). As for Bumblebee, although I'm not a big fan of Transformers, I was very impressed by the Optimus Prime set from a few years back, and the 2019 Bumblebee film is the one Transformers movie I *do* love, so this cumbersome, clunky-looking set, especially when it's in its car/disguise form, was one of the year's Lego disappointments.
Yes, I would definitely call them the most disappointing sets of 2024. And the X-Mansion-I'd completely forgotten about that set, but you're right, it absolutely deserves a spot on that list.
Great, honest, list. I like that you chose sets that got (inexplicable) raves elsewhere, like Barad-dûr. I must say, it's the interiors of the last two sets that are most disappointing, not that the Weasley House looks particularly good from the outside. It's particularly disappointing, seeing as it's a fully-walled set, so it had the potential to be a decent modular type of set but alas the lack of stairs and cramped rooms (perhaps they should have reduced the number of rooms and concentrated on one or two bedrooms; that said, I do rather like the bathroom, if nothing else) let it down.
Regarding the Burrow, I just wish it were a bit bigger and had stairs as mentioned. Compared to other collector's edition sets, it feels too small, almost as if it doesn’t belong in the collection.
*LEGO sets in this video (affiliate links):*
*Family Tree* ❯ bit.ly/LegoFamilyTree amzn.to/3VGpbLr
*Magic of Disney* ❯ bit.ly/LegoMagicofDisney
*Mona Lisa* ❯ bit.ly/LegoMonaLisa amzn.to/3ZqiSMf
*The Burrow - Collectors' Edition* ❯ bit.ly/LegoTheBurrow
*The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr* ❯ bit.ly/LegoBarad-dur
I don't get the Barad-Dûr hate, I think it's likely the best set of the year, I think they did an excellent job at making an imposing adaptation of the tower seen in the films while also adding interest with things like saurons throne room or the dungeons below, and as a long time fan of Lego lord of the rings, the kitchen feels like something straight out of the game, I think it adds just the right amount of fun without impacting the overall appearance of the set, my only request would be more minifigs, and obviously cheaper price but that could go for just about any set
I think Sauron's throne and the dungeon at the base are great additions to the set. It has many great features, don't get me wrong, but when you compare it to Rivendell, it's clear they don't match up in any way. Even the building techniques in Barad-dûr are nothing innovative or special. As a Lord of the Rings fan, this set is honestly a huge letdown for me. I'm quite happy that I finally got to build something else with it.
It’s a nonsense take. One of the best sets ever.
@@Spaggetabout_It for me personally it's still a good set but imo the most underwhelming set above 350 or 400eur that ice ever built. A set of that price range should be just pure wow
Barad Dur wasn't for me
@@Myusernamehere33 What makes you think it’s one of the best sets?
@@lukasthebuilder nailed the eye up top. The source lighting design of the lava “lighting up” the rest of the tower was a great creative liberty taken as the tower looks like it’s glowing without the need for a cumbersome 3rd party lighting kit, the Minifigures are damn near perfect, new helmet molds are fantastic especially Sam and frodos, Sauron’s throne room is a chefs kiss, the detailing of the parapets and buttress, the modularity of all the floors which gives it the ability to make it taller to fit whatever scale you please as well as add your own rooms and stories to it, it’s a great mix between epic display piece and playable model, it’s Lego so I appreciate the nod to the meat meme that adds a little humor to the set, did I mention the🔥👁️ 🔥 ?!
I'm surprised you didn't discuss the X-Mansion, which is pretty terrible by any standard and a big letdown for both Marvel and modular fans. There was a lot of excitement for it and and an equal amount of mockery and disdain when it was finally released.
I completely forgot about that set, and you're right-it definitely deserves to be on the list, even though I’m not a Marvel fan. The design feels poorly executed, almost as if it was pulled from an archive dating back to 2010.
I think the reason why Magic of Disney doesn’t feel right is that it feels like they poured a bucket full of disney movies in a hat and then pulled anything out and put it into a set.
We have movies from the Renaissance (Beauty and the Beast, pinnochio, Lion King, Little Mermaid, and Sorcerrer's apprentice.)
Movies in the 2000's (or Disney's Downspiral era) like Lilo and Stich
And then, very suddenly, Disney's 2020's movies (Enchanto)
I think what wouldve been better is if they either had a set dedicated to an era of disney or just have a mixture of eras into one set that feels homogenous rather than just cluttered.
I would definitely try and switch out Lilo & Stitch and Enchanto for some more memorable movies. It does feel a bit cluttered and would look better after a bit of custom additions
I feel the same; they should have focused this set on a specific era or style at the very least.
I couldn't agree more with the points you raised.
Thank you
I'd like the Family Tree, if it was just the tree. That tree would look good in a Lego City. But the rest of it (i.e. the base) isn't appealing at all.
I completely agree.
Agreed on most all counts
I picked up Family Tree on Sale as a parts pack, two Rebrickable's use it as just a tree for Castle, and intend to use it as just a tree.
The Magic of Disney just seems like one of the key misses of the Idea sets, There are so many standout projects in the Ideas, and only a handful get chosen each year, I wonder if they will change things up in the future.
I enjoyed the Mona Lisa, but do understand the criticism. But I've always been fascinated by Da Vinci, and it was a must buy.
Overall, I feel that this year's Ideas sets aren't as strong as those from 2023, so I'm hoping the 2025 lineup will be great again.
@@lukasthebuilder But the Botanical Garden arguably exceeded expectations.
Hahaha that Mona Lisa. How did they not pull this…absolutely terrible! lol
I thought Barad-dur looked weak (and was comically overpriced, as with most all Lego), but while I take your point about the kiddie play features and imagery clashing with what the tower represents in the movies, Lego is still fundamentally a children's toy line, despite Lego's concerted efforts to sell sets to adults. So I don't think it's fully fair to knock Lego on those grounds. I don't know how you could make anything look genuinely evil and scary in the Lego medium.
Yes, I see your point, but there are definitely many ways to make Barad-dûr look menacing while staying true to the LEGO style. What we ended up with feels more like a mix of ideas rather than a cohesive design.
The teal windows for The Burrow are on the original film set. I normally like your videos because they’re very well made, but I think it’s an unfair judgement on your part towards the LEGO group designers. If you don’t like the color choice of teal, that’s fine, but it’s not a reflection of the LEGO set, it’s a difference in preference you have from the original production design team. The windows are teal.
I agree with most things you said, however I do like the Barrad'Dur set. The only issue I have with it is stickers (which is a general hate for me) and the number of orcs - it could have done with 4-6 more orcs and accompanying weapons.
The Mona Lisa is a great parts pack - will hunt it on discount if I can find it.
If you’re not planning to display the Mona Lisa, it’s a great set. Otherwise, her smile might feel a bit haunting-almost like Phoebe's Gladys painting in Friends.
@@lukasthebuilder yeah, not a huge fan of lego art. the only one I like is the milky way one (and I will use it as a backdrop for my space city collection). I prefer botanicals if I want to do home deco - but even those I get for a fancy build htat I can then part out.
A lot of people raved over the Magic of Disney set, but I thought it looked very messy and unfinished looking. The best part of the set was the exclusive minifigs (like Gepetto and Bruno) but I'm sure one could purchase them separately on the secondary market.
The minifigures are great, but for me, the biggest issue is Mickey-he just looks too creepy.
@@lukasthebuilder Yep, Mickey looks bad. But I also think that the bitty, piecemeal, feel of the entire set, doesn't work. I'm not sure the vignette-collage approach works because by its very nature it'll end up lacking detail and finesse (which is not to denigrate the fan designer of the original idea, because I can see what they were aiming for in view of the competition's brief).
@@lukasthebuilder Also, why is there Lilo but no Stitch? No wonder this set was on sale for so long in the US, where Lego sets never go on sale unless they fall well below sales expectations.
I honestly didn't even know the existence of some of these sets until you posted this video. And yes, I agree, they are disappointing. What's disappointing about the Barad Dur is that, I'm not a big fan of open back doll house concepts. I always believe that premium sets should have the option of opening up and closing, similar to the Lion Knights castle. Having an open back limits the ability to display the set from all angles. Granted, this would cost more, but I'm sure at the current price tag, I wouldn't mind paying extra to get it right.
With LEGO releasing hundreds of sets each year, it’s really easy to lose track of what they produce. I believe this could become an issue in the future. And yes, I completely agree about the open back-if the set were fully enclosed, the price would probably increase from $450 to $500 or more, but loyal customers would likely still be willing to pay that amount.
Someone had to say it about Barad-Dur. Rivendale the only great. X mansion also was way too small and expensive.
I completely forgot about the X-Mansion, but it definitely deserves a spot on that list.
I loved Mona Lisa. The frame was incredible. I agree with the rest of your list. Thanks for this thoughful video.
I understand that the Mona Lisa set has many great parts and looks fantastic overall. However, the face is a major letdown, especially since it's the defining feature that makes the painting so iconic. Additionally, the hands look a bit unsettling, which doesn't help the overall impression.
So sad the chinese restauration family réunion is already discontinued. It's not january yet 😢. I wanted it before retirement. Will look for it in a Lego shop but i'm not sure to find it.
Which set are you referring to?
@lukasthebuilder sorry i forgot a part of my message. It's now édited
@@sylvaingarel4753 No, you won’t find it in LEGO stores anymore as it has already been discontinued. It was one of the best sets of the year, but it’s still available on Amazon. amzn.to/428K5nT
I mostly agree with your list. Generally, I feel Lego started off the year strong, then the sets were disappointing for the second half of the year. I’d add ‘Travel Moments’ and ‘Shadow the Hedgehog’ to the list of terrible/disappointing sets.
I felt the same way. When the Chinese New Year sets were released, I was so impressed. Then came the Ornithopter, which isn’t my favorite, but I can still appreciate it as a great set. I thought this was going to be an amazing year, but it ended up being one disappointing set after another. As a trained architect, I was thrilled about Notre Dame, and finally, toward the end of the year, we got the Botanical Garden and the Endurance, which are my top two sets of the year.
Sadly your take on Barad dur is so undeniably wrong I have to unsubscribe. This opinion invalidates all your other opinions. Not only is it unequivocally the set of the year featuring one of, if not the best minifigure ever in Sauron, but it’s a top 10 Lego set of all time.
Thank you for sharing your perspective-it's clear you’re very passionate about Barad-dûr. I understand that opinions on LEGO sets can be deeply personal, especially for fans of iconic themes like The Lord of the Rings. While I may not feel the same way about this particular set, I respect your love for it and appreciate your thoughts on Sauron as a standout minifigure.
It’s always my goal to share honest opinions, even if they don’t resonate with everyone. I’m sorry to see you go, but I hope you find creators whose takes align better with your preferences. All the best, and happy building!
I love the tree. I even consider buying multiple copies. It's the most cost effective large tree set Lego has released. Just change the leaves or flowers according to taste. I want to put a version of that tree in key parts of my city.
If the tree didn't have the base, it would have been a great set, ideal for a LEGO city. However, the way it's presented as a photo holder doesn't look good, especially when you place 16 photos on it.
Thanks for calling out Barad-dûr. I never understood the hype. Maybe *maybe* a true army of orcs would’ve helped…a little.
I didn't buy it myself, but from all the reviews I saw, it looked like an enormous step down from the Rivendell set.
Rivendell is considered one of the greatest LEGO sets by many fans, so I expected LEGO to put in equal effort to make Barad-dûr just as impressive. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. I'm curious to see how the 2025 Lord of the Rings set will turn out. If it’s Hobbiton as anticipated, it could either be an incredible set or a major letdown. Let’s hope for the best-we’ll find out in June 2025!
Of the sets I got I Was really only disappointed by Barad Dur this year
I think your choices are pretty much spot-on, especially if we're talking about the 'most disappointing sets of 2024,' rather than necessarily the 'worst sets' per se.
Although I don't think they're quite as bad/disappointing as the five sets you've chosen, I'd also add the X-Mansion and Bumblebee to the conversation. The X-Mansion is a bit of a cheat, because it's a set I still intend to buy at some stage, but the fact that it isn't higher on my 'want list,' indicates how disappointing this modular IP building is (in view of all the things it ostensibly has going for it). It's rather small in height compared to other modular buildings, including other Marvel ones, the room choices are disappointing (I'd personally have preferred more of a functional boarding school with more bedrooms and teaching rooms), and I'm baffled by some of the aesthetic decisions like the stickers at back which make the mansion look more like a slum building than a prestigious private estate in Westchester. I think I'd have omitted the Sentinel mech-like figure and used up more of the piece-count to add to the building itself, and then included the Sentinel in a separate set (one that was much cheaper and therefore allowed consumers to buy multiple sets at a reasonable price, to make up a Sentinel 'army' of sorts).
As for Bumblebee, although I'm not a big fan of Transformers, I was very impressed by the Optimus Prime set from a few years back, and the 2019 Bumblebee film is the one Transformers movie I *do* love, so this cumbersome, clunky-looking set, especially when it's in its car/disguise form, was one of the year's Lego disappointments.
Yes, I would definitely call them the most disappointing sets of 2024. And the X-Mansion-I'd completely forgotten about that set, but you're right, it absolutely deserves a spot on that list.
Great, honest, list. I like that you chose sets that got (inexplicable) raves elsewhere, like Barad-dûr. I must say, it's the interiors of the last two sets that are most disappointing, not that the Weasley House looks particularly good from the outside. It's particularly disappointing, seeing as it's a fully-walled set, so it had the potential to be a decent modular type of set but alas the lack of stairs and cramped rooms (perhaps they should have reduced the number of rooms and concentrated on one or two bedrooms; that said, I do rather like the bathroom, if nothing else) let it down.
Regarding the Burrow, I just wish it were a bit bigger and had stairs as mentioned. Compared to other collector's edition sets, it feels too small, almost as if it doesn’t belong in the collection.