Review: 21363 The Goonies
Posted by FlagsNZ,
For many reasons, The Goonies movie, that was released forty years ago in June 1985, holds a nostalgic place in many people's hearts, including my own.
Being able to review this set has taken me right back to my teenage years. I remember the movie well, and I have a link to where it was filmed: Astoria and the Oregon coast.
Read on and come on a journey with me down memory lane as I review 21363 The Goonies.
Summary
21363 The Goonies, 2,912 pieces.
£269.99 / $329.99 / €299.99 | 9.3p / 11.3c / 10.3c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
This set will appeal a broad range of LEGO enthusiasts. It is beautifully designed and well constructed. It will be on lots of people's watch lists and I believe it will sell out quickly
- Impressive cast of minifigures
- Detailed torso prints for all the characters
- Lots of play features included
- The Inferno very closely matches the ship of the movie
- The ship is missing a rudder
- It would be nice to have had a display stand for the twelve minifigures
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
LEGO Ideas – If We Could Turn Back Time Challenge
The LEGO Ideas team initiated a historical challenge back in early 2024. It was called If We Could Turn Back Time Challenge. The criteria for this challenge were as follows:
We’re talking leg warmers and big hair: this challenge is all about the 80s!
Regardless of if you were around in the 80s or not, there are so many iconic TV shows and films from that era. With a huge amount of nostalgia and the chance to become a LEGO Ideas Fan Designer, could you build submissions that celebrate these shows and films using good old LEGO bricks?
There must be a retro show or film you love from that era that inspires you. A cult classic, something from your childhood, or an old-school action-packed adventure!
Challenge timeline
- March 6 – April 9: The building phase is completed
- April 10 – April 26: The LEGO Ideas team expert panel decided on the finalists
- May 1 – May 8: The voting phase was open to the LEGO community
- Aug 16 2024: The winners were announced
The Goonies (1985)
The Goonies (1985) was overwhelmingly voted as the competition winner. The fan designer is 3D artist Vaggelis Ntezes, also known as Delusion Brick.
When I was a child there were always LEGO sets in the house. I really loved, and still love, constructing and creating stuff. I think it played a huge role in what I do today, helping me develop visual and geometric perception and being able to combine shapes and morphs in 3D worlds.
Vaggelis Ntezes' advice to other would-be LEGO builders is:
To rediscover your inner-child; go back to your childhood LEGO memories, that limitless imagination, creation, persistence – and lots of patience.
Vaggelis Ntezes goes on to ask:
Who among us isn't familiar with The Goonies?
It wasn't just a movie for me in the '80s, it was an extraordinary adventure brimming with the spirit of youth and camaraderie. Inspired by this, I've endeavoured to create a concept that captures the essence of the adventures experienced by the film's characters, from the mysterious caves of One-Eyed Willy to the enigmatic lost pirate ship.
The set I've designed is a tribute to the journey's outset and its thrilling conclusion. On one end, we start at the Fratellis' hideout, navigate through caves laced with booby traps, and slide down into the heart of the adventure. At the opposite end, we encounter the legendary pirate ship of One-Eyed Willy himself. This set is a homage to all the movie's heroes: Mikey, Brand, Chunk, Mouth, Andy, Stef, Data, Sloth, Jake, Francis, Mama Fratelli, designed to rekindle that sense of wonder and adventure.
Runner-up – If We Could Turn Back Time Challenge
The runner-up for the If We Could Turn Back Time Challenge was Gizmo from the Gremlins movie.
21361 Gremlins: Gizmo was released on 1 October. The Gremlins movie gets an Easter Egg mention in The Goonies movie.
71267 The Goonies Level Pack
LEGO has had a relationship with The Goonies theme since 2017 with the release of 71267 The Goonies Level Pack. This was an extension pack in the LEGO Dimensions game theme.
71267 The Goonies Level Pack had Sloth as a minifigure, a micro build of the Inferno ship, and a brick-built Bone Organ.
The box
The box for 21363 The Goonies has an image of the cutaway side of the model with the tunnels leading to One-Eyed Willy's treasure trove. There is a similar image on both sides of the box.
There are small images on the rear of the box showing the interactive play features of the booby traps hidden in the tunnels.
There is a small image showing Inferno's starboard side and the finished model's dimensions.
Instructions
The instructions arrive well protected in a sturdy paper envelope.
The instructions are divided into two comprehensive books. The books are 199 and 243 pages long.
Sticker sheet
There is a small sticker sheet. There are numerous unique printed parts in this set.
Parts
This set has 2912 pieces spread across twenty-one numbered paper bags.
A plastic bag contains a Chassis 6X16X2 2/3 and two Flex Tubes.
The chassis piece is in Reddish Brown for the first time. The Flex Tubes also appear in 10335 The Endurance.
The two sails come protected in a dedicated envelope.
There are two tatty old sails.
The fabric used for these sails is the same texture and colour as used for the sails in 10335 The Endurance.
The connection points of both sails are one stud wider than the same points on the topsail of the Endurance.
Minifigures
21363 The Goonies has an impressive cast of minifigures. All twelve minifigures have new printed torsos. All the characters (except Sloth and One-eyed Willy) have alternate facial expressions.
The Goonies
The Goonies were a bunch of children who lived in the Goon Docks – a suburb of Astoria, in the state of Oregon, USA.
The Goonies were Mikey, Chunk, Mouth and Data. As these four characters were younger, the four minifigures have a shorter set of legs.
Michael "Mikey" Walsh was played by Sean Astin.
Mikey is wearing his blue denim jacket over a grey shirt. There is stitching detailing on the front and back of his torso.
Mikey holds an old map showing the way to One-Eyed Willy's lost ship and treasure. The map was discovered in the attic of his house. The map is printed on a 2x3 tile.
This link takes you to a poster of One-Eyed Willy's treasure map.
Lawrence "Chunk" Cohen was played by Jeff Cohen.
Chunk is wearing his red rain jacket over his iconic Hawaiian shirt.
Clark "Mouth" Devereaux was played by Corey Feldman.
Mouth is wearing a grey wind jacket over his Purple Rain T-Shirt. Mouth comes with a hairbrush accessory. He is seen brushing his hair several times in the movie and his hairbrush is carried in his back pocket.
Mouth's alternate expression has him sticking his tongue out. This references the scene in the attic of the Walsh house where Mouth sticks his tongue through a torn canvas painting.
Richard "Data" Wang was played by Ke Huy Quan.
Data is wearing a green sports jacket over a grey shirt.
Data has 007 on his belt buckle as he is a fan of James Bond and all his clever gadgets.
In the movie, this buckle opens up to reveal Data's small winch wire. Data has his gadget control panel under his jacket.
Older teenagers
The older sibling and friends of the Goonies.
Brandon "Brand" Walsh was played by Josh Brolin.
Brand is Mikey's older brother. He is wearing a grey sleeveless T-shirt. He is wearing blue gym shorts over his grey track pants.
Brand has a red bandanna tied around his head.
Andrea Theresa "Andy" Carmichael was played by Kerri Green.
Andy is wearing several layers. She is wearing a yellow Astoria Country Club letterman jacket given to her by Troy Perkins. The yellow jacket print extends to her legs element and is printed over Andy's white pleated tennis mini skirt.
There is a glimpse of a yellow shirt and white knitted jersey under Andy's jacket.
Andy's letterman jacket has been given to her by Troy. When you remove her hairpiece, you can see Troy's name embroidered onto the jacket.
Stephanie "Stef" Steinbrenner was played by Martha Plimpton.
Stef is wearing a burgundy hoody jacket which is held in place by a pink belt. Stef is also wearing a thin red scarf.
Stef wears a pair of white rimmed glasses and is chewing bubble gum.
Stef holds a stick of gum which is a printed 1x2 tile.
Fratelli gang
The Fratelli crime family consists of Francis, Jake, and their mother, Mama Fratelli.
Each member of the Fratelli gang carries a hand gun.
Francis Fratelli was played by Joe Pantoliano.
Francis is wearing a burgundy collar shirt under a dark grey waistcoat. Francis is also wearing a shoulder holster.
Francis has a grey cheese cutter hat.
Jake Fratelli was played by Robert Davi.
Jake wears a dark grey waistcoat over a pink shirt.
Mama Fratelli was played by Anne Ramsey.
Mama is wearing a short-sleeved black blouse and has a single string of pearls around her neck. She is wearing a pair of black leather gloves and a matching black beret.
Sloth and One-Eyed Willy
The last two characters in 21363 The Goonies are Sloth and One-Eyed Willy.
Lotney "Sloth" Fratelli was played by John Matuszak.
Sloth is wearing a tricorne hat with gold trim.
Sloth wears his distinctive Superman sleeveless T-shirt with red braces.
The director of The Goonies, Richard Donner, also directed the 1978 blockbuster Superman: The Movie, which starred Christopher Reeve in the lead role.
Sloth wearing this Superman T-shirt is one of the many Easter Eggs hidden in The Goonies movie.
One-Eyed Willy has an eyepatch over his left eye, and he is wearing a plain tricorne hat.
He is wearing a baroque patterned jacket. Over his shoulder is a leather belt, and he wears a gold chain around his neck. He wears a twisted lace scarf under his jacket.
Comparing the two Sloth minifigures
71267 The Goonies Level Pack came with Sloth as a minifigure. As you can see, both the head and torso prints are new for 21363 The Goonies.
Sloth's toothless grin is different. He has a different coloured tongue and both the front and rear torso print are slightly different.
The build
21363 The Goonies is assembled in four discrete modules.
Instruction Book 1 assembles the forward section of the hull.
- Bags 1 to 6 assemble the forecastle.
- Bags 7 to 9 assemble the remainder of the hull forward of amidships.
Instruction Book 2 assembles the aft section of the hull.
- Bags 10 to 13 assemble the hull aft of amidships.
- Bags 14 to 21 assemble the aftercastle and poop deck.
Book 1 - Module 1
Bag 1
Bag 1 assembles the cavern and pipework that sits underneath the Astoria Country Club bathroom.
Bag 2
Bag 2 begins with the assembly of the basement under the Lighthouse Lounge. This is the derelict restaurant near Cannon Beach that was used as the hideout by the Fratelli family.
There is the small nook where Sloth is normally chained up. His black and white TV is showing his favourite pirate movie. The screen is a sticker on a black 2x2 tile.
There is a refrigerator full of an assortment of snacks.
Bag 3
Bag 3 completes the basement under the Lighthouse Lounge.
The image mimics the Astoria Ledger page from the Goonies movie which has the date October 14, 1985.
The date on the sticker is 4 June 1982. This is Vaggelis Ntezes' birthday.
There is a small, brick-built printing press that is printing counterfeit $100 notes. In The Goonies movie, the Goonies discovered that the Fratelli crime family were printing counterfeit $50 notes.
The fireplace swings open to reveal the start of a hidden tunnel.
There is a small ladder leading down to the tunnels below.
Bag 4
Bag 4 assembles the Lighthouse Lounge. A table is set with drinks and there is Mama's blender sitting on a ledge.
Bag 5
This image captures the shape of the ship's side. This inward sloping ship's side is called a tumblehome and this construction technique was very common in ships of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
The shape of the bow is becoming apparent, and the muzzle of one cannon has been run out of the gun port.
The name Inferno has been applied as a sticker.
Bag 6
Bag 6 completes the forecastle. This nautical term can sometimes be contracted as fo'c'sle or fo'c's'le.
This is literally the Castle at the fore end of the ship.
The remains of the foremast and a stump for the bowsprit can be seen.
This small deck next to the figurehead is called the Head Deck. This was where the ship's primitive toilet facilities were located. Ship's toilets are still called the heads today.
A monochrome Reddish Brown minifigure represents Inferno's figurehead.
Module 2
Bag 7
This is the skeleton of Chester Copperpot who went missing in the 1930s while looking for One-Eyed Willie's treasure. The Goonies found his wallet, which contained a Lou Gehrig baseball card. By finding Chester Copperpot's body, the Goonies realised that they were on the right track to get to One-Eyed Willy and that they had got further than anyone else before them.
Data opened Chester Copperpot's leather backpack and discovered some candles inside.
Chester Copperpot has a skeleton key which the Goonies collect for their onward journey. The skeleton key is a printed 1x2 transparent tile.
Bag 8
Bag 8 assembles the rocks that crush unsuspecting treasure hunters as they navigate the hidden tunnels. One of these rocks has crushed Chester Copperpot.
You can lift the rocks by rotating the handle. The One-Eyed skeleton minifigure head is a sticker on a round tile.
Bag 9
Bag 9 completes this module. The tumblehome ship's side continues. There are wooden steps attached to the ship's side.
This lever on the deck releases the rocks in the cavern below. You can see the ingenious wooden hatch grating on the deck. This would have provided light and air to the compartment below.
There is a tattered main sail hanging from the yardarm of the main mast.
When Modules 1 and 2 are connected the forward half of Inferno is complete.
Book 2 - Module 3
Bag 10
This section of the hidden tunnel lies below the area where coins tossed into the Moss Garden Wishing Well collect. The mechanism that will eventually operate a booby trap can be seen.
Bag 11
This part of the tunnel sits directly under the Moss Garden Wishing Well.
Watch out for the wooden spikes sitting underneath the hatch. When the handle is turned, the hatch falls open.
Just like in the movie, a second lantern has appeared.
Bag 12
Bag 12 completes the cavern under the Moss Garden Wishing Well. A brick-built skull has been added to the scene.
There is an accessory that is used by Data that catches him when he falls through the hatch.
Bag 13
Bag 13 completes this module. The deck, ship's side and bulwark have been added.
Modules 1, 2 and 3 have been connected.
Module 4
Bag 14
Bag 14 starts the final module. This is the location in the tunnel where the Goonies find the old wooden log that crosses the raging underground river.
Bag 15
Bag 15 adds to this module. The rock floor that falls away has been constructed.
Bag 16
The principal feature assembled in bag 16 is the bone organ. The floor breaks away as the keys are played.
Bag 17
In Bag 17, the bone organ is complete. Horns and trumpets decorate the wall behind the skeleton.
After playing the bone organ and all the floor sections have been dislodged, the mechanism controlling the rock door unlocks, allowing it to pivot open.
A brick-built octopus appears in the water behind the Inferno.
Bag 18
Bag 18 assembles One-Eyed Willy's cabin. One of his lieutenants sits at the captain's table.
I have removed the brown Chassis piece so you can get a better view of all the bullion and jewels lying around the table.
In the movie, the scales are attached to a booby trap that causes the cave that the Inferno sits in to collapse.
One-Eyed Willy's cabin is attached to the module.
Bag 19
Bag 19 assembles the aftercastle. A brick-built aft navigation lantern is attached to the taffrail.
Bag 20
Bag 20 completes the aftercastle. The flex tubes act as ropes hanging over the ship's side.
Bag 21
Bag 21 completes the build. A tatty old mizzen sail is hanging off the mizzen mast.
Gold baroque scroll work decorates the aftercastle.
All four modules are attached together showing the completed model.
The hull modules are joined together with Technic pins. Just like 10335 The Endurance, the joins are reinforced by applying plates and tiles across the joins. The hull, when connected together in this way, is very strong and does not flex.
Completed model – Inferno
The inferno is based on a Manila galleon. These galleons transported cargo from the Philippines (named after King Philip II of Spain) to Mexico, sailing across the Pacific Ocean.
When searching for information about the inspiration for the Inferno design, two ship's names pop up:
- Santo Cristo de Burgos, and
- The Sea Hawk – a ship from the 1940 movie starring Errol Flynn.
Santo Cristo de Burgos
Santo Cristo de Burgos (translates as Holy Christ of Burgos) was a galleon that sailed from the Philippines in mid-1693 bound for Acapulco, Mexico. She was never seen again.
Santo Cristo de Burgos carried a cargo of exquisite Asian goods, including a massive cargo of beeswax blocks that had distinctive shippers’ marks stamped onto them.
This link takes you to a webpage that has a detailed history of the Santo Cristo de Burgos.
This link takes you to a webpage that investigates the discovery of the wreck of the Santo Cristo de Burgos on the Oregon coast.
This eight-minute video titled Unlikely Sunken Treasure Off of the Oregon Coast – Oregon Field Guide tells the story of the wreck.
The Sea Hawk
The Sea Hawk is a 1940 American adventure film that stars Errol Flynn, who is an English privateer. The Sea Hawk was his ship.
The design team of The Goonies movie used the Sea Hawk as direct inspiration for the design of Inferno.
This is an image of the Sea Hawk from the 1940 movie of the same name.
The image below is taken from The Goonies movie. You can clearly see the similarities between the Inferno and the Sea Hawk.
This link takes you to a detailed plan of the Inferno.
Completed model – One-Eye Willy's tunnels
This two-and-a-half-minute trailer for The Goonies movie will show people unfamiliar with the story the key events of the Goonies travelling through the tunnels. It does not reveal the Inferno.
One side of 21363 The Goonies can be considered a three-dimensional storyboard. It takes you on a sequential journey through One-Eye Willy's secret tunnels that matches the journey of the Goonies' journey in the movie.
When the Goonies reach the Lighthouse Lounge, they eventually discover the basement and observe that a tunnel lies under the fireplace.
Once the whole gang is in the tunnel, they discover the old pipework that is under the Astoria Country Club. These pipes leak badly and eventually explode.
The Goonies clamber through the tunnel until they find the corpse of Chester Copperpot.
Among other things, Chester Copperpot has a skeleton key in his possession. Data grabs some candles.
Meanwhile, on the surface, Chunk is being traumatised by Mama Fratelli as she threatens to use her blender on him.
Francis Fratelli grabs Chunk and forces a confession:
Hey, kid. I want you to spill your guts, tell us everything.
Chunk is so traumatised that he responds in a sobbing voice:
Everything. OK, I'll talk! In third grade, I cheated on my history exam. In fourth grade, I stole my uncle Max's toupee and I glued it on my face when I played Moses in my Hebrew School play. In fifth grade, I knocked my sister Edie down the stairs and I blamed it on the dog... and then, my mom sent me to the... to the summer camp for fat kids... and then they served lunch. I got nuts and I pigged out, and they kicked me out!
. . . But, the worst thing I have ever done: I mixed up all this fake puke at home, and then I went to this movie theatre, hid the puke in my jacket, climbed up to the balcony and then, t-t-then, I made a noise like this. [imitating vomiting four times]
. . . And then, I dumped it over the side, all over the people in the audience. And then, this was horrible. All the people started getting sick and throwing up all over each other. And I never felt so bad in my entire life!
Continuing on their journey, The Goonies discover the cascading waterfall in a cavern under the Moss Garden Wishing Well. Andy sends her yellow letterman jacket up to Troy in the wishing well bucket.
Mouth: [examining coins in the well]
President Lincoln... George Washington... Martin Sheen . . .
Stef:
Martin Sheen? That's President Kennedy, you idiot!
Mouth:
Well, same difference. I mean, he played Kennedy once.
This is a turning point in the story as it is where the Goonies realise that they have got further than Chester Copperpot and that this might be their last chance to discover One-Eyed Willy's hidden treasure. It is where Mikey is quoted as saying:
Goonies never say die.
There is also a missing deleted scene where Andy was sworn in as a Goonie.
Coinciding with the above scene, Chunk is tied up to a chair where Sloth is held captive. Chunk befriends Sloth by offering him his candy bar. Chunk and Sloth become lifelong friends.
In the movie, the candy bar is a Baby Ruth chocolate bar,
The Goonies decide to press on with their adventure. The skeleton key eventually fits the lock and the next section of the tunnel is revealed.
Data falls through the hole and is saved by one of his gadgets, arresting his fall just in time.
The Goonies discover a fallen log that traverses a raging underground river. Data once again comes up with an ingenious tool. His Nike shoes leak oil over the log, making it too slippery for the Fratelli gang to cross successfully.
Andy plays the Bone Organ but when she plays a wrong note, sections of the rock floor fall away.
Once all the rock sections have fallen away, the next rock door is unlocked . . .
. . . which allows the Goonies to flow down the tunnel into the pool where the Inferno lies waiting. An octopus lurks under the water.
You can watch the deleted scene where the octopus terrorises the Goonies in the water.
At the end of the movie, Data says to a reporter:
The octopus was very scary!
Even though the scene with the octopus had been cut from the movie.
On the deck of the Inferno, Data uses one of his gadgets to punch Jake Fratelli. Unfortunately, Data's gadgets tend not to work as well as they should.
Mama Fratelli threatens to shoot the Goonies unless they walk the plank.
Sloth and Chunk save the day by arriving on the deck of Inferno after sliding down Inferno's sail with a knife.
In The Goonies movie, Sloth learns this technique as he sees it done in the black and white pirate movie he watches. The scene shown in the movie shows Errol Flynn performing this trick, although it is a a stunt double. Although Errol Flynn performed most of his stunts, he refused to perform this one.
The short clip below shows Douglas Fairbanks in The Black Pirate (1926) sliding down a ship's main sail using a rapier. I have been unable to source the proper clip, but I believe it was part of The Sea Hawk movie.
Unknowingly, the Fratelli gang initiate the last booby trap of the movie. There is a set of scales on One-Eyed Willy's treasure table in his cabin. By removing the bullion and jewels, the scales trip over and the booby trap raises Inferno's anchor. The Inferno has lain in the cave for the last three centuries, but she can now get underway once more. The Inferno, will be seen shortly afterwards as she sails over the horizon.
A complete collapse of the cave is caused by a dynamite explosion. Everyone must exit the cave as quickly as they can or be crushed by falling boulders.
The Inferno seen at the end of the movie is a small model made by the team at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). This link takes you to their Never Say Die!: Revisiting ILM’s Visual Effects Contributions as ‘The Goonies’ Turns 40 webpage.
On board this small model is an R2D2 droid, although this cannot be seen in the movie.
The Goonies 'R' Good Enough
A review involving The Goonies movie would not be complete without a reference to the theme song by Cyndi Lauper.
Cyndi Lauper has always had an iconic sense of fashion and a distinctive sound. She debuted with the album She's So Unusual in 1983. Two years later, she wrote and starred in the pop video for The Goonies theme song, The Goonies 'R' Good Enough.
The full lyrics of The Goonies 'R' Good Enough theme song can be read here.
The music video for The Goonies 'R' Good Enough was filmed in the streets of Astoria with several scenes of Cyndi Lauper travelling through the tunnels under the Lighthouse Lounge.
There are a few scenes taken from the movie, but at no stage in this video does anyone see the Inferno ship.
My Astoria story
In the mid-1980s, I started my seagoing carrier as an apprenticed Deck Cadet with Union Steamship Company (USSCo). At its height, USSCo was one of the largest shipping companies in the world. Unfortunately, it does not exist today!
On 2 March 1987, there was a large earthquake centred on a town called Edgecumbe in New Zealand's Bay of Plenty. USSCo managed two ships that were specialist paper carriers. These ships were owned by Tasman Pulp and Paper Company. This link takes you to archive images showing extensive damage to Tasman's paper mill near Edgecumbe.
Due to this damage, and the fact that Tasman's parent company, Fletcher Construction, owned forests and paper mills in North America, the ship Tasman Enterprise was sent on two voyages to North America to load pulp and paper for the NZ market. I was privileged to be aboard Tasman Enterprise for the second voyage.
It took eighteen days to cross the Pacific. We went to Portland, Oregon, USA. and a small town on Vancouver Island called Crofton in British Columbia, Canada. We spent a week in Portland and 24 hours at Crofton.
To get to Portland requires ships to cross a notorious bar at Astoria and then travel for eight hours up the Columbia River. We used two pilots: a Columbia River Bar Pilot and then a Columbia River Pilot.
The ship needed to slow down once across the Astoria Bar and inside the Columbia River to embark the Columbia River pilot and then disembark the Columbia River Bar pilot. All this taking place with The Goonies Walsh family home visible in the hills.
I can also remember sighting Haystack Rock, as we approached the Columbia River Bar.
You can see freighters slowly steaming up the Columbia River during the early stages of The Goonies movie, particularly when Brand receives the foreclosure notice from Mr. Elgin Perkins.
Whenever I think of the Goonies I think back to this voyage and, likewise, also think of Cyndi Lauper and her Goonies theme song.
My other fond memories from the trip were:
- Racing with the Chief Officer (second in command) to calculate morning and evening star sights every morning and night while under way as we crossed the Pacific Ocean.
- Navigating in northerly latitudes and westerly longitudes for the first time.
- Going to Powells Books in Portland – this must be the best bookshop in the world.
- Crossing The Line - see below
The image below left shows King Neptune and Queen Amphitrite who had boarded the Tasman Enterprise as she sailed across the Equator. The person holding the trumpet is the Chief Officer and playing the Court Jester. The Third Engineer is dressed up as Queen Amphitrite while one of the Motormen is King Neptune.
The image on the right shows the Chief Steward, who was the Fairy Godmother. The Captain, who was in uniform, once flatted with my parents in Liverpool in the early 1960s. He and my father studied together.
The image below shows me being drenched with food scraps that had been festering in a bucket in the tropical heat for several days. My Crossing the Line certificate (dated 23 July 1987) proves that I am now a Shellback.
Overall opinion
21363 The Goonies is an exceptionally good set. The LEGO designers have created a vastly superior model than the one submitted for the If We Could Turn Back Time Challenge.
- That original submission had the port side of Inferno's hull when it was the starboard side viewed in the movie.
- The Inferno as built in 21363 The Goonies set very closely matches the ships used as source material for the movie set design.
It is great that the Inferno is built at minifigure scale.
I really like the cutaway format of this model and believe this format could be easily adaptable to ships such as 10335 The Endurance.
A full hull could easily be MOCd with two instances of this set, making it a source for other historical galleon models. The sails from 10335 The Endurance can easily be incorporated into your MOC.
This set could be used to MOC similar ships from pop culture, such as Tintin's Unicorn.
In my opinion, these are the three minor faults with this set:
- The rudder is missing from Inferno,
- The figurehead at the bow could have been more securely attached to the hull, and
- A display stand for the twelve minifigures could have been included.
Overall, I believe 21363 The Goonies will be a very popular set. It is well-designed and has many features linking it with the movie it represents.
This set retails for RRP £269.99 / $329.99 / €299.99. Price per piece 9.3p / 11.3c / 10.3c
I believe that is good value for a licenced set which comes with twelve minifigures.
Thanks to DigitaLion for loaning me his 71267 The Goonies Level Pack used in this review.
114 likes
52 comments on this article
Surely those gym shorts could have been dual moulded in a three figure set…
I don't know anything about ship design or construction. That said, my opinion is that the silhouette of the front of the ship is just wrong. It looks too boxy. That pretty much ruins it for me. Otherwise it looks like a fun set for fans of the movie.
Haven't seen Goonies (yet), but it's crazy how this set now gives us our second Ke Huy Quan minifigure (after Short Round), and our third Josh Brolin (after Thanos and Gurney Halleck) and Sean Astin minifigures (after Samwise and Raphael) all at once.
Very well researched review, although the Cyndi Lauper passage of this review feels a bit unnecessary, as it has no relation to this set. I could say the same about the paragraph's concerning the writer's personal relationship to this film, but it's a cute story -- perhaps worthy of its own article, as it feels out of place in a LEGO set review.
Personally, I'm a little underwhelmed by this set, but I'll attribute that to not having heaps of nostalgia for this movie. Or I've just become numb to all of these massive LEGO sets based on decades-old IP, as well as ginormous pirate ships and such. This should wow me, but I think it's decent at best.
Decent set, but for this price i expected more from figures.
I've never seen the film (despite being in my early twenties when it came out) but I loved this review - the extra information about ships, the film's song, the author's experiences etc really added to it, I felt.
I loved the personal story added here. I was fortunate enough to have been able to visit the Walsh home before the owners declared their wish to prevent visitors. There is a Goonies/film museum in Astoria, and for Goonies fans it is definitely worth the trip. Great review, I think I will be adding this to my collection!
Alcohol is included!!!
Having seen neither, I must confess, my memory interchanges Goonies and Gremlins at will!
This review was actually fascinating. Not only did you review the set, but you gave us a history lesson, gave us some movie recommendations, offered good insight on the production of the film, revealed some cool lore about yourself, and gave us a bangin' tune.
Even though I'm double-skint I must get this at launch alongside the GWP!
Watched the movie again earlier this year, such a fun movie and a great depiction of scenes and minfigs :D
Loved everything about this review, definitely one of the best I’ve read here in a long time. Keeping the personal story stuff to near the end allows those who aren’t interested to skip it (though I read it all because history is fascinating and understanding your own draw to the history behind this set is the kind of thing that connects us all as fans!), and I loved that the overall review was highly detailed bag-by-bag with all the special details and views - especially the way you walked through every part of the chronology of the set in order from the film, which was greatly appreciated as someone who has only ever seen clips from the movie (born in 1990)!
Going the extra mile in also noting and comparing with the Lego Dimensions set was also appreciated - I *do* have that set as LD is still a long-time favorite, so that connection here was appreciated!
When it comes to a set like this that is based off a specific historical property while also having a ton of highly specific details and play features replicating things from that property, thus kind of review is what I absolutely love to see. Ignore any haters - this was an exceptional review in my opinion and an enormously fun read, even as someone who never saw the original movie/had no connection to the background of the set. Thank you!
A really comprehensive review and, more importantly, a great read.
Who'd have ever thought we'd get minifigs of Anne Ramsey, Joey Pants and Corey Feldman!
Thanks for a great review. The effort that was put in with the comparisons, call back to Cyndi Lauper, and your personal connection to this pop culture event. The effort and time shows your love for the source material and is quite infectious. Thank you for a great read.
The best review of 2025. Last year with endurance and now this one. Well done!!
Great review! Minor thing is I believe the wrong gun piece is linked in the Minifigure section
Superb review, thank you! Loved the film notes and historical contexts, as well as the personal backstory.
Great review from @FlagsNZ, as always! I really appreciate the background information and the helpful links!
Underwater river lol, current?
Excellent review!! Wonderful nautical and 80s history teaching moments. Not only are they a fun diversion, they are appropriate given the nature of the contest which spawned the set.
I wish the printing/dual-molding on the fig legs was better. Lego's cheap handling of minifig design undercuts the only real unique thing about their products. Insanely, stupidly shortsighted. Instead, the unspoken expectation is that they should be showcasing how fantastic they can make minifigs.
Also, I wish the price was lower.
Nevertheless, this set has finally taken shape and hits all the right notes to keep from falling into Lego inflation oblivion. Looks good, fun play features, decent figs and design. The GWP is also fun and adds value. Sounds like we got a winner here. It's good enough. Good enough for me. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Lego SW should take note on how to do a diorama that looks good from both sides. If only po' lil' Star Wars had a large enough budget!! (sadly weeps into beverage)
Now, I'm off to One-Eye's Cave to see if I can scrounge enough doubloons to pay for this.
Down with the LAN!
P.S. Powells is one of the best bookstores in the world. However, they were a bit rude to me when I was in there last summer spending $600 on books and beverages.
Fantastically written review! I really appreciated the side references and videos (ok-maybe not the Cyndi Lauper one ;-) ). Never knew that Goonies was linked to an actual shipwreck.
Great, now I might have to reconsider getting this. Curse you, @FlagsNZ!
That being said, I still struggle with the intentions of this set. To me, it struggles as a display piece but then includes all these play features though it’s priced way outside of most parents’ budgets.
Excellent review!
"In the movie, the scales are attached to a booby trap that causes the cave that the Inferno sits in to collapse."
I may be mistaken, but I think that the booby trap attached to the scales only made the Inferno to lift its anchor, while the collapse of the cave was caused by the dynamite explosion.
Another detailed @FlagsNZ review! Didn't give me any real desire to see the movie or buy the set, but an enjoyable read nonetheless.
@TheBrickBulbasaur said:
"Great review! Minor thing is I believe the wrong gun piece is linked in the Minifigure section"
I didn't look too closely at the pictures, so until I saw your comment, I'd been thinking, "Lego brought that piece back?"
This thing looks great. I loved the movie and was excited when it came back to theaters on a limited anniversary run last year. I got to take my daughters to see it.
There's only one thing missing in the set: the cave where Andy kisses Mikey thinking it's Brand.
Amazing and very thorough review, packed with useful info and fun trivia on the film itself, as well of lots of details about the set. Now all's that left is for those who haven't seen it yet to watch it and really enjoy this set in its entirety!
@DFX said:
"Excellent review!
"In the movie, the scales are attached to a booby trap that causes the cave that the Inferno sits in to collapse."
I may be mistaken, but I think that the booby trap attached to the scales only made the Inferno to lift its anchor, while the collapse of the cave was caused by the dynamite explosion."
Thanks for this information. I have updated my review accordingly.
I have also added an extra image for Andy showing her letterman jacket when her hair has been removed. There is a minute "Troy" on her jacket that had not noticed. I had looked at her back collar.
Credit to Tiago Catarino's YouTube video for showing this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjnrEJmPRTI
Thanks everyone for your supportive comments. I really enjoyed researching all the info included in this review. This has been one of my favourite reviews of recent times.
Amazing review, wish every review contained this much information :)
@FlagsNZ:
Just an ordinary Shellback? Not a Golden Shellback? At the very least, you should also be a Golden Dragon, unless you'd already earned that distinction on a previous trip.
@PurpleDave said:
" @FlagsNZ :
Just an ordinary Shellback? Not a Golden Shellback? At the very least, you should also be a Golden Dragon, unless you'd already earned that distinction on a previous trip."
I have never heard of those terms. No. I have not crossed the Equator and Date Line simultaneously. But have crossed the date line several times - twice during the voyage mentioned in this review.
Great review for a terrible set based on a subpar movie
@GirlWoman said:
"Great review for a terrible set based on a subpar movie"
Wow... just wow. I didn't think it was possible to be this negative, but you proved me wrong!
Loved the review and i hope i can get the set with its gwp
Amazingly thorough review - I had to go and watch the movie before I read it to avoid spoilers, as I either haven't seen it or saw it long enough ago that it's completely faded from my memory....
I had little interest in this set when it was announced but now I think it's actually an excellent set that does a great job of including all the key scenes of the movie whilst still looking good as a display piece.
@Murdoch17 said:
" @GirlWoman said:
"Great review for a terrible set based on a subpar movie"
Wow... just wow. I didn't think it was possible to be this negative, but you proved me wrong!"
Aw, c’mon, it was funny.
@FlagsNZ said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @FlagsNZ :
Just an ordinary Shellback? Not a Golden Shellback? At the very least, you should also be a Golden Dragon, unless you'd already earned that distinction on a previous trip."
I have never heard of those terms. No. I have not crossed the Equator and Date Line simultaneously. But have crossed the date line several times - twice during the voyage mentioned in this review."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line-crossing_ceremonyHonors_for_line_crossings_and_other_navigational_events
I figured you'd have crossed the IDL twice on that trip because the alternative would have been to cross the Prime Meridian as you passed both Africa and South America on a ridiculously long voyage to get paper. It simply wouldn't make sense.
Anyways, there are a variety of special ceremonies to denote unique experiences. I first found out about them a few years ago, from a coworker who served on the Nimitz-class USS Enterprise (I think he's both Shellback and Golden Dragon, but I can't remember if he got any others during his time of service). I'd looked them up at the time, so I was also aware of the Blue Nose, Red Nose, and it's not listed here, but I think there's one for the Prime Meridian (Order of the Emerald/Royal Diamond Dragon?). Separately, I'd also heard of the Caterpillar Club and Plank Owners, but a lot of this list is new to me, including all the variations on Shellbacks.
Personally, I've only crewed on Lake Michigan, and been a passenger on Lake Huron and Lake Erie, but I've dipped my hand into all three of those plus Lake Superior (just missing Lake Ontario to have touched all five of the Great Lakes).
One interesting thing I found out today is that, during and shortly after WWII, the US Navy had so many ships crossing the IDL that they basically stopped doing Golden Dragon ceremonies for several years. And ironically, these days it seems possible to serve on ships in all four quadrants and never once earn a line-crossing status, if you're shuttled between postings by airplane.
This is an excellent review. I appreciated the personal info too. I was curious if you just know the parts of a ship because of your history with ships, or of they're labeled in the instructions.
Also, the movie Sloth is watching is Captain Blood.
@BethSmash said:
"This is an excellent review. I appreciated the personal info too. I was curious if you just know the parts of a ship because of your history with ships, or of they're labeled in the instructions.
Also, the movie Sloth is watching is Captain Blood."
Thanks for identifying the movie. As for naming the parts of ships. I am a second-generation master mariner who now works ashore teaching nautical studies to the next generations of mariners. These terms would be known by most seafarers.
@PurpleDave: Merchant ships usually don't have the luxury of aiming for 0° Lat 180° E/W Long or 0° Lat 0° Long. They usually take the most direct route. But thanks, for the info. I learnt something new.
@FlagsNZ said:
" @PurpleDave: Merchant ships usually don't have the luxury of aiming for 0° Lat 180° E/W Long or 0° Lat 0° Long. They usually take the most direct route. But thanks, for the info. I learnt something new."
I gather that Naval vessels don't go way out of their way to hit those marks, either, but several sources said that if they were heading close anyways, they might adjust the course a bit to make the trip a little special, probably as a way to improve morale. Especially for the US Navy, some of the basic ones like Shellback and the two Dragons are just a matter of staying in long enough and you'll eventually pick them up. Some of the others are a bit more luck of the draw. It sounds like anyone who serves enough years will get close to earning the Sparrow, but it might be a challenge to swing that last checkmark to complete the set. Something like Magellan, nobody is going to humor the crew over. You either end up on a ship that's going to do it as a result of their orders, or it's not going to happen.
Two others I just ran across after posting that link are Order of the Goldfish (if you have to spend time in a life raft) and Order of the Sea Squatters (if you spend at least 24 hours in a life raft). Now I'm curious if the Mercury/Gemini/Apollo missions qualified for the Goldfish because the capsules had auto-deploying life rafts built in.
And getting back to the Caterpillar, my dad has mentioned meeting people who have taken off in airplanes at least ten times without ever landing in one.
One- eyed Willy? What? Really? How did they get that through?
There's a lot of pirate stuff going on in the World of LEGO at the moment, isn't there? Playmobil will be getting angry.
@PurpleDave said:"Two others I just ran across after posting that link are Order of the Goldfish (if you have to spend time in a life raft) and Order of the Sea Squatters (if you spend at least 24 hours in a life raft). Now I'm curious if the Mercury/Gemini/Apollo missions qualified for the Goldfish because the capsules had auto-deploying life rafts built in."
Is anyone who's been in a life raft eligible for those two, or does it have to be someone who served aboard an ocean-going vessel? If the former, then the astronauts are probably eligible. If the latter, then, probably not, because I believe they were all Air Force men before joining the space program.
My childhood dreams coming true. I remember as a small girl trying to build Goonies scenes with my LEGOs from de 90's. I would never imagined that 30 years later I would see a LEGO official Goonies set. I only wish that the Sloth minifig came with 2 heats, his pirate one and the balded head from the LEGO Insiders. Other two big misses are a Rosalita minifig is an a white Microfig of David.. ;D
@TheOtherMike said:
" @PurpleDave said:"Two others I just ran across after posting that link are Order of the Goldfish (if you have to spend time in a life raft) and Order of the Sea Squatters (if you spend at least 24 hours in a life raft). Now I'm curious if the Mercury/Gemini/Apollo missions qualified for the Goldfish because the capsules had auto-deploying life rafts built in."
Is anyone who's been in a life raft eligible for those two, or does it have to be someone who served aboard an ocean-going vessel? If the former, then the astronauts are probably eligible. If the latter, then, probably not, because I believe they were all Air Force men before joining the space program."
From the Mercury Seven, Shepard, Shirra, and Carpenter were US Navy, and Glenn was US Marine Corps. From the Next Nine (Gemini), Conrad, Lovell, Young, Cernan, and Gordon were all US Navy. With the Apollo program, Bean and Chaffee were from the US Navy, Williams was USMC, and Cunningham was former USMC. But I don't know if any of the astronauts were still considered active duty military once they joined NASA, and I also don't know if US Navy line-crossing ceremonies are restricted to actual USN members, or if it also encompasses USMC personnel who happen to be assigned to that vessel at the time.
@Samie:
Sloth's bald head was from LEGO Dimensions, the video game, not LEGO Insiders.
@PurpleDave said:
" @FlagsNZ said:
" @PurpleDave: Merchant ships usually don't have the luxury of aiming for 0° Lat 180° E/W Long or 0° Lat 0° Long. They usually take the most direct route. But thanks, for the info. I learnt something new."
I gather that Naval vessels don't go way out of their way to hit those marks, either, but several sources said that if they were heading close anyways, they might adjust the course a bit to make the trip a little special, probably as a way to improve morale. Especially for the US Navy, some of the basic ones like Shellback and the two Dragons are just a matter of staying in long enough and you'll eventually pick them up. Some of the others are a bit more luck of the draw. It sounds like anyone who serves enough years will get close to earning the Sparrow, but it might be a challenge to swing that last checkmark to complete the set. Something like Magellan, nobody is going to humor the crew over. You either end up on a ship that's going to do it as a result of their orders, or it's not going to happen.
Two others I just ran across after posting that link are Order of the Goldfish (if you have to spend time in a life raft) and Order of the Sea Squatters (if you spend at least 24 hours in a life raft). Now I'm curious if the Mercury/Gemini/Apollo missions qualified for the Goldfish because the capsules had auto-deploying life rafts built in.
And getting back to the Caterpillar, my dad has mentioned meeting people who have taken off in airplanes at least ten times without ever landing in one."
So, I have qualified for the Order of the Goldfish. I spent a night in a life raft as part of sea survival training when in the Royal NZ Navy.
@FlagsNZ said:
"So, I have qualified for the Order of the Goldfish. I spent a night in a life raft as part of sea survival training when in the Royal NZ Navy."
Uh...congrats? Definitely better than the Order of Fish Bait (hopefully there's not actually one of those), like Paul DeGelder. He lost his right hand and foot to a bull shark during a routine training exercise as an Australian Navy diver. Although, he did turn it into a successful ongoing career with Discovery Channel's Shark Week, and he's easily one of my favorites out of the regular faces.
I'm in the minority but it looks kinda boring.
This is such a wonderful review. Love the details given on the set, historical and pop cultural context, and your own personal connections.
@Samie said:
"My childhood dreams coming true. I remember as a small girl trying to build Goonies scenes with my LEGOs from de 90's. I would never imagined that 30 years later I would see a LEGO official Goonies set. I only wish that the Sloth minifig came with 2 heats, his pirate one and the balded head from the LEGO Insiders. Other two big misses are a Rosalita minifig is an a white Microfig of David.. ;D"
There's a white microfig in the attic GWP, so that part at least is covered!
@Samie said:
"My childhood dreams coming true. I remember as a small girl trying to build Goonies scenes with my LEGOs from de 90's. I would never imagined that 30 years later I would see a LEGO official Goonies set. I only wish that the Sloth minifig came with 2 heats, his pirate one and the balded head from the LEGO Insiders. Other two big misses are a Rosalita minifig is an a white Microfig of David.. ;D"
Sloth's head sculpt and the mold that produced it are certainly retired given the head piece only appeared once, years ago. It was likely intended as a one-off from the start because I can't imagine LEGO thinking they would have to produce more Sloth minifigures years after the Level Pack. The decision to give him the pirate hat here was likely influenced by the old mold being unavailable, not just as an artistic choice to make him a more different edition and depict him at the start of the climax.
@Spike730 said:"I'm in the minority but it looks kinda boring."
Even if I had the space, I wouldn't be getting this, but I do think that, as a model, it's pretty impressive.
@8BrickMario said:
" @Samie said:
"My childhood dreams coming true. I remember as a small girl trying to build Goonies scenes with my LEGOs from de 90's. I would never imagined that 30 years later I would see a LEGO official Goonies set. I only wish that the Sloth minifig came with 2 heats, his pirate one and the balded head from the LEGO Insiders. Other two big misses are a Rosalita minifig is an a white Microfig of David.. ;D"
Sloth's head sculpt and the mold that produced it are certainly retired given the head piece only appeared once, years ago. It was likely intended as a one-off from the start because I can't imagine LEGO thinking they would have to produce more Sloth minifigures years after the Level Pack. The decision to give him the pirate hat here was likely influenced by the old mold being unavailable, not just as an artistic choice to make him a more different edition and depict him at the start of the climax."
Lego decommissions and destroys molds that go five years without use, but they keep the digital files needed to make a new one if need be. I guess they just decided to give Sloth a new-mold hat piece. Again, I haven't seen the movie, but the review mentions him being chained up in a basement watching that pirate movie, so maybe he always wore that hat when he watched the movie, and the Dimensions figure depicts him at a moment when he's not?
A miss for me. Looks super underwhelming. At least if secondary market prices aren't insane, we can make a modern Short Round (since LEGO denied us).
Thanks for the extensive review!