Review: 70915 Two-Face Double Demolition
Posted by CapnRex101,
The LEGO Batman Movie is packed with villainous vehicles and I have been looking forward to the arrival of Two-Face's truck as previous Two-Face sets from 2006 and 2012 have been excellent. 70915 Two-Face Double Demolition includes an enormous excavator featuring a suitably binary design which looks absolutely brilliant in official images of the set.
Moreover, the set comes with a fairly substantial Batcycle and a couple of police officers so seems to offer comparatively good value at a price of £49.99 in the UK or $59.99 in the US. However, most exciting of all in my opinion is the exclusive Two-Face minifigure which continues the trend of exceptional detail and humour established in the first wave of sets released in January.
Minifigures
Batman has appeared in almost every set based on The LEGO Batman Movie, as one might expect, but only four variants were available initially. This version brings the total to five and features new facial expressions on either side of the head. I particularly like the resigned visage shown in the image below, perhaps in response to Robin's antics!
The rest of the figure is identical to those which have appeared previously, with a black cape and cowl as well as a yellow belt component which has been introduced this year. The torso is printed with some muscle definition and the bat symbol but the legs are left plain which is a little disappointing given the high level of detail found on other minifigures from The LEGO Batman Movie. Batman comes equipped with a pair of batarangs and a spare is also included.
Billy Dee Williams famously portrayed Harvey Dent in the 1989 Batman film but the role of Two-Face was subsequently assigned to Tommy Lee Jones in 1995's Batman Forever. This has finally been redressed in The LEGO Batman Movie as Billy Dee Williams voices the character and provides the basis for his physical appearance. Two-Face's medium nougat skin tone looks great and I like the moustache visible on the right of Harvey's face.
However, the left side has been ravaged by toxic material and part of the skull is therefore visible beneath Two-Face's hair. The bright magenta looks brilliant and I love the dual-moulding which allows the right side of the hair piece to remain carefully combed while the left looks almost as though it would be sticky to the touch! A similar design continues onto the torso, the left arm and the left leg. These appear equally gruesome but for the underpants which are humorously decorated with red hearts.
The detail continues onto the back of the figure where Two-Face's scarf is shown to be melting. Removing the hair piece reveals a frightened expression on the head and this also includes part of a moustache. Two-Face is armed with a black tommy gun but his scarred coin is unfortunately absent from this set.
A pair of generic GCPD Officers complete the set. These minifigures wear the same uniform as those found in 70912 Arkham Asylum, with a dark blue shirt and black trousers. The torsos feature GCPD badges on the left breast and right shoulder along with gold buttons and a radio. A cable runs across the back of the torso and another GCPD marking is visible from the rear too. Most of this is concealed when the two tactical vests are being worn but these are also quite detailed and feature different designs on the front and back.
The heads are exclusive to this set and could prove very useful. Minifigure collectors often bemoan the relative scarcity of black heads and new female heads are similarly desirable as the variety has been fairly limited in recent years. They look great and I especially like the frustrated expression on the female officer, shown below. The figures carry a double-barreled shotgun, a revolver and a large radio.
The Completed Model
The two police officers come with a pair of dark bluish grey barriers topped with trans-orange lights. These can be positioned to block the path of the excavator, although they would surely be of little use against such an imposing vehicle. Nevertheless, it is nice to see these useful parts in a comparatively rare colour.
Batman has a vehicle for every occasion and the 'Bat Hawk' is ideal when speed and agility are required. Numerous incarnations of the Batcycle have appeared since 2008 and I have been impressed at how distinctive each one is, with unique functions and design. This version is particularly successful in that respect as the profile is swept back and includes an enclosed cockpit with space to seat Batman at the controls.
Red accents run throughout the model and the windscreen is trans-yellow to match the rest of the Caped Crusader's vehicles from The LEGO Batman Movie. I love the wide tyres which provide stability and the weapon emplacements can be rotated to launch a flick-fire missile or a pair of studs in any direction. Furthermore, the bat wing elements on either side of the cockpit create some attractive texturing.
These swing forwards to allow access to the cockpit and the windscreen also opens towards the front. I find this motion quite satisfying, although there are gaps visible when the doors are closed. Batman leans quite a long way back inside the cockpit and his cape is made from a soft fabric so does not get in the way. The positioning of the levers makes it quite difficult for the minifigure to grip them but I still think it looks pretty good on the whole.
Two-Face's excavator is much larger than I was anticipating, probably because one associates this kind of vehicle with smaller CITY sets. The truck measures almost 30cm in length and is absolutely covered with detail, dividing the two halves between a badly damaged profile on the left side and a pristine white design on the right, as has been the case in a couple of previous sets featuring Two-Face.
This is immediately apparent when the front of the excavator is on display as a dark bluish grey grille covers one half of the cab and the lights above are smashed, reflecting the evil aspect of Two-Face's personality. The other half includes a bright roof lamp and lacks the protective grille to match the heroic Harvey Dent. I think it looks brilliant and is far more consistent than on either of Two-Face's previous vehicles as the dividing line runs for the full length of the model and there is little overlap between the good and bad sections.
The factory fresh right profile is decorated with an attractive combination of white and flame yellowish orange. I like the balloon tyres and the ladder up to the cab looks great too. However, the inclusion of a sticker featuring the 'Falcone's Legit. Construction Co.' branding is a highlight of the set, making comic reference not only to the Falcone crime family which Harvey Dent fought to destroy as District Attorney but also to the mob boss who caused his disfigurement in certain versions of the character, Carmine Falcone.
It therefore makes perfect sense that Two-Face would want to steal their equipment and deface it, as shown in the image below. Stickers are used to depict rust and hastily fitted metal panels on this side of the model, although most of the detail is brick-built using black and reddish brown pieces. The window on the left side is trans-purple, perhaps to reflect Two-Face's original orange and purple design. I wonder whether one of the trans-orange warning lights on top could also have been trans-purple to match.
The bucket lift arm is hinged so you can raise or lower it. A Technic mechanism in the centre replicates the rams which are present on real front loaders and ensures that the arm remains in place. Ball joints allow you to adjust the angle of the bucket and this is decorated with stickers to show that one side has been damaged while the other is shiny and new. A dual-moulded light and dark bluish grey element would have been even better in this case, although that may have been prohibitively expensive given the size of the part.
The wheel loader is able to steer around a pivot in front of the cab which is fairly realistic. A pearl silver tube links the two sections of the vehicle and a black whip connects the chassis with the lift arm, perhaps representing a hydraulic hose. You can drive the vehicle manually and the steering works just as it would on a real excavator. Furthermore, there is plenty of ground clearance so you could take the model across rough terrain if you wish.
The roof is easily removable so you can access the interior. There is room to seat a single minifigure behind the steering wheel and a small sticker on a 2x1 slope represents the dashboard. I love how this continues the duality of the vehicle as the graphic is divided between light bluish grey on the right and darker colours on the left. A reddish brown crate behind the driver allows you to store Two-Face's weapon while he is driving.
Flame yellowish orange and white bodywork covers the engine at the rear of the excavator. This includes a hatch for storing a revolver which could be a remnant of the Falcone's criminal activities or simply a place to put Two-Face's second weapon. I like the smoke stack on top and the exposed engine detail looks great, although only a small area is visible from this side of the model.
In contrast, the coverings have been complete removed from the other side, revealing the cooling fan and allowing room for Two-Face to fit a substantial weapons system. This draws power from the engine through two purple hoses and stores energy in a cylindrical tank before supplying it to the six stud shooter beside the cab. The exposed studs on the exterior of the shooter are not ideal but they fit with the unfinished appearance of this side and you could easily cover them with some mechanical details using only the spare parts included.
Overall
Two-Face is one of my favourite Batman villains and I have been excited to add this set to my collection based on his inclusion alone. However, his enormous excavator has proven to be the star of the set, with a tremendous level of detail and plenty of play value. The duality of the design has been rendered very effectively and I particularly love the reference to the Falcone crime syndicate on the good side of the vehicle.
Moreover, the new Batcycle looks great and the minifigure selection is superb, featuring a new head for Batman as well as two exclusive GCPD officers. However, the Two-Face minifigure is the highlight. His gruesome hair piece is brilliant and the printed detail is perfect, reflecting his split personality and recalling the grey suit worn by Harvey Dent during the 1989 Batman film. I would certainly recommend this set and think it offers reasonable value at a price of £49.99 or $59.99, although it might be worth waiting for a discount if you are not especially drawn to Two-Face as a character.
I hope you have found this review informative. Let us know by liking this article and share your thoughts on the set in the comments below.
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22 comments on this article
I'm going to buy two and build one standard (for my city) and one? ugly (for a demolition derby). Cool, huh?
Yes, buying two is the way to go.
Already bought two - haven't tried to make the clean one yet - debating how to do the engine area in the back, though will probably just leave it clean.
They should use the police vest in yellow for life jackets.
Wait, if you buy two, it wouldn't have all the perfect parts, right? For example 2x2 angld plate in black and white, but each facing different directions. (The ones you see when you remove the roof of the cockpit)
like 101DALEK says, I was concerned about trying to get a right and left side for each vehicle. Maybe someone can do a review after they try that. :)
If you have the cash you can easily buy two and complete two different diggers and sell the extra figures.
I want to buy two too, but there's a tax on all luxury items in Norway : /
I was so happy to see that Billy Dee Williams finally got to play Two-Face in the Lego Batman Movie. I like to think if Tim Burton had made a third Batman movie then Williams would have been the villain to pay off his role in the first movie
Great review - this and the Batwing are the last two sets I need to get for the Lego Batman Movie line - which has been an absolutely fantastic sub-line.
I just wonder why they put a "6642" sticker on the excavator? It is a police helicopter.
Two-Face is my favorite Batman villain of all. What an incredible set. My first LEGO Batman set was the armored car w Two-Face and the Batmobile from 2006. That is still a clever and fun set. I've been eagerly waiting for this review. Awesome review and the photos are just perfect. LEGO continues to soar with sets from TLBM.
I honestly had not paid much attention to this set, so I had no idea the excavator had two distinct halves. Upon closer inspection, this set looks pretty great, and a nice selection of figs to boot. I might have to add this to my wanted list.
Great figs, especially Two-Face! Gonna' pick this up!
Lego has adopted a genius selling tactic: creating a set that encourage buyers to buy a second one.
To answer heikoloogi's question, The 6642 number on the front loader is a reference to Detective Comics No. 66, 1942, which was the debut of Two-Face.
When I first saw it I was all like, "Wow, that's a great looking excavator!"
Then I saw the other side and then I was all like, "Yeah, nah."
Pretty funny really.
When this is available at a discount I will definitely get two of these. Having one of each complete "good" and "bad" is very tempting.
The thought of somebody buying two of this set just makes me giggle.
To be honest, I'm 'meh' on the excavator, but I absolutely love the Bat-hawk vehicle. I think that's gorgeous. That's the part of this that I'll be Bricklinking at some point, absolutely.
Thanks Saint_Squared !
No two face goons ??
I absolutely LOVE the police figs. Two-Face is awesome but batman is standard.