I bought this for myself as a birthday present (helped by a LEGO.com gift card) as I've wanted the T Rex for a project I'm working on. I'd read some reviews and I have to say this set was one of the best sets I've ever built (and I have seven modulars)! I loved Jurassic Park and dinosaurs as a kid. I've seen that movie more times than I can count and whenever it's playing in theaters for anniversaries or re-releases I see it. So I'm always happy to see any Jurassic Park specific sets under the Jurassic World theme and will be keeping my eyes peeled going forward.

There's something like 30 bags (some of them are in a smaller white box inside the already huge box) and they are divided into numbers 1-15. Only one of the numbers had one bag while the others all had two bags plus a bag with all the plates. The T Rex is the first build though I built it last per another reviewer's advice. I was shocked by how wide the base for the gate was but I really didn't comprehend how big the gate was going to be until it was finished. The actual structure of the gates is somewhat repetitive for symmetry's sake but it's hard to notice when you're too busy building each movie scene on the back side. Finding all the tiny details and references was a real treat and there's an especially gory one in the maintenance shed that's not shown in any promotional materials that some may find too dark for LEGO but film fans will more likely than not enjoy. The highlights of the movie scenes are Arnold's computer room, the maintenance shed, and the dino nest at the very top. The dining room is really detailed and features some foliage on the wall as well as both Hammond's ice cream and the jell-o that Lex eats later in the film. The bunker has the flashlight Ellie takes and the cabinet where Muldoon grabs the guns he tries to use on the raptors. The actual structure is very sturdy and holds together well when moving--though I've only ever moved it a few feet at a time. The mechanism for the gate doors works about as well as you'd expect after building it which is almost perfect but not quite. Do not make the mistake I did of trying to open them out forward instead of out backward because they will stick and you'll have to push them back to fix them. Not sure why I thought to try this since they only open backward in the movie. The panelling on the front of the gate is a very fun part of the build seeing how all the plates and tiles will connect together like a puzzle. Building the flames at the end is somewhat repetitive but the foliage at the bottom of the gate is great and somewhat challenging (due to the various shades of green that are not entirely clear in the booklet) part of the build that tops off the gate quite nicely. My few qualms about the gate revolve around the two scenes on the top sides. One is the mudslide when Nedry drops the shaving cream and the other is the toilet where Gennaro gets eaten by the T Rex. The mudslide doesn't exactly have an obvious place for a minifig to stand; instead there's a 1x2 tile with a handle for a minifig to cling to but the angle always looks strange when doing this. Plus the shaving cream can is built into the display rather than being easily removable like the other props (ie the flashlight) so you can't take it out and put it in Nedry's hand when he's on the display without taking a few pieces off the mudslide first. Also every scene represented has a corresponding minifig except for the toilet. I get that seven is an odd number for the minifig display and they were looking to include as many iconic scenes as possible plus Gennaro is not important enough to warrant a minifig but it's still a little odd.

The minifigs are all built along with the bags that correspond to their scenes (except Grant) and they have a really great level of detail. Somehow Alan Grant's face simultaneously looks weirdly generic but also perfectly captures Sam Neill's features in a way that's uncanny. Hammond's walking stick has a simple clever design. And everyone else has reversible heads that offer great scared expressions or in Nedry's case, Dilophosaurus venom. They all sit on a nice display when they're not in their respective movie scenes. The display also includes a baby dino that, based on its coloring, is supposed to be a T Rex or possibly the baby raptor that hatches in the lab. My one criticism of the display is that the sticker (I was surprised to find this wasn't printed since the UCS Star Wars sets seem so high end and costly I always assumed their stats displays were printed) with T Rex stats features the Jurassic World logo (???) in the corner. Seems like it might have been a clerical error or an unfortunate oversight but it's definitely a weird one considering everything about this set screams Jurassic Park and is geared toward older LEGO fans who definitely grew up with the original JP movies not JW. Which brings me to the stickers; the set features no printed elements beyond the keyboard in the control room and the 1x1 round food tiles in the dining room. I don't have it out for stickers as much as some people do but I did apply them a bit more crooked than I would have liked (except on the gate). The inclusion of stickers may be a sticking point for some especially considering the high price tag on this set but it's also such a unique set that I can see why they didn't go with unique printed elements.

Lastly, there's the matter of the brick built T Rex. This thing was a marvel of LEGO engineering. In the instruction booklet the designers explain the painstaking process of coming up with this design and how many iterations they had to do before reaching this one. That hard work comes through during the build when everything seems to be expertly chosen for maximum aesthetic value as well as heft and durability. Once the torso is completed (a nice easter egg is a frog going where the T Rex's heart would probably go) you start to get an idea for just how heavy it's going to be once built though, much like the gate, I was still unprepared for just how huge it would be upon completion. The designers throw in some nice colorful bricks during this build which make it a visual delight. I always appreciate this design approach of maintaining visual interest rather than using the same grey/brown/black pieces for parts of a model that you'd never be able to see once it's finished. There's some really cool colors they throw in like teal and even a salmon pink 1x1 slope on the legs. Building the body, legs, and head were my favorite parts. The tail gets a little repetitive but because it's steadily decreasing in size with each new addition it's fun to see what changes will be made to accommodate the change. The toes are on hinges to give it the specific angle for the feet which I found to be clever. I'm not in love with the design of the nails which necessitates them to be two separate haves that clip to a handle and form a larger whole with SNOT techniques, mostly because if you hit the toes at the right angle they can split and it looks awkward. The joints on the legs were also somewhat off putting at first--they can seem a bit loose by they hold together quite well. You won't be able to move the legs into different positions too quickly (or at least without feeling/hearing some gears crunching) but I appreciate that when considering how it only adds to the model's stability. Overall the design of the T Rex was one of the wildest building experiences I'd had. And I was impressed by just how sturdy the final model is when it's done. I accidentally dropped the T Rex once and it broke apart pretty cleanly--only the head arms and tail fell off at the joints rather than my feared shattering and bricks flying every which way.

This is definitely a display piece so I can't exactly say playability is high but the little scenes in the back of the gate definitely offset the notion that it's exclusively for display. The T Rex and gate aren't exactly minifig scale which is a decent tip off but the T Rex is also probably somewhat better scale than some dino figures in the JW line. I know that the lack of Jeep is a huge flaw for some people but that would really only increase the price tag--hopefully that's another set that comes down the line someday and pairs well with this one. When I initially bought the set I thought $250 was a big chunk of change. It definitely still is and besides Assembly Square this is the most expensive set I've bought. But after seeing just how huge the gate and T Rex are after the build I can say I'm not at all surprised or even really disappointed. They look fantastic on the shelf and are fun to pose and reenact scenes with and the build (which was spread over two days) was a deeply enjoyable one featuring a ton of interesting pieces and smart designs that I was happy to see. If you're interested in this set I would absolutely recommend. If you have any reservations about it I'm positive they will be gone once you get about twenty minutes into this set. Enjoy!

An Iconic Piece of Movie History

Being a super fan of Lego and Jurassic Park, this set really was meant to be. The resurgence of Jurassic Park after a long hiatus was remarkable, but many were speculating on when the gate from the first movie or the classic Jeep would make an appearance in Lego form. The first pictures of this model online were incredible and no one believed that this set was going to happen. I was blown away by the details placed throughout and the amount of nostalgia that came from building it. The scale of this model is unheard of and just shows how passionate the Lego designers have been over the years. I almost cried when purchasing this model for Christmas and was overjoyed when I finally got to start building it.

What I enjoyed about this set:

• The details from the movie franchise inserted throughout the model are unheard of. I have seen other models built based on movies made by Lego, but this outdid the rest. The backside of the gate includes six scenes from the first movie and is executed perfectly. I was amazed at how accurate each vignette was after it was constructed. The added touch of the moving gates was over the top and capped off this incredible piece of engineering and structural beauty. I even liked the added Easter egg of the frog that is built into the T-Rex, hinting to how all the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park were created.
• Besides the movie significance of this model, the T-Rex is probably the most amazing part of the entire build. Lego had done previous builds of brick-built dinosaurs, but nothing to this magnitude or accuracy. Matt Stafford and his team of designers knew that fans of the franchise would want pinpoint accuracy for the T-Rex, which they did exceptionally. The dimensions of the model were striking and even holding today I am still blown away at its gargantuan scale. Nothing about the T-Rex is meant to be small since its Latin name translates to "King of Lizards". The model is as large as my cat, which is incredible. The T-Rex is built like a tank and can stand any movements done to it. It is very intimidating to stare at and can easily startle anyone walking through the room it is in. The model looks very organic and there are no more amount of details that are needed to make this specimen any better. It is very impressive that the T-Rex can walk fit in the gate when the gate is opened.
• Though the age range for the model may be 16+, I suggest that even 12-year-olds could build the model. There are times when the colors on the instruction booklet may be tough to decipher, but it was a very smooth process to construct. I found the T-Rex to be the most difficult part of the set, but it was still very slick to complete. Every step was easy to follow and the techniques used were very simple to read.

What I disliked about the set:

• Everything about this monumental set is perfect except for one petite caveat. While I was building the gate, I noticed that the doors were not shutting completely whenever I would move the mechanism that is hidden behind the sign on the top of the model. It seemed that the doors were overlapping just slightly, causing the mechanism to malfunction at times. It may seem like a minuscule flaw of the set, but it does not deter from the grandiose and magnificent nature of this set. The building process was spectacular and even this one flaw of functionality did not deter from the ease of construction.

Would I recommend this model?

Last year, I the Rough Terrain Crane was my favorite model of the year and now this demolishes that build and is now my favorite of all-time. My parents are always astonished by the sets I construct and they were awestruck by this one. Every aspect of the build process was perfect and made me smile while constructing. Jurassic Park has a special place in my heart for the love of Dinosaurs that came after watching the movie. The gargantuan scale of this model was incredible and am very excited to show off the model to anyone that bares witness to it. The model did not feel like 3000+ pieces and I only noticed the scale of the set after it was all completed. It felt astonishing whenever a new scene would arise while constructing and I was shocked when the gate finally took form after they were all completed. The pictures truly do not give the model justice for the significance that both the Lego company and the Jurassic Park franchise have done for their devouted fans.

Summary

When I saw this set upon release here on Bricklink, I immediately placed it on my wishlist. The double VIP points action provided the excuse to get it, and am I glad I did... Of course, this set is not without controversy, and when released reactions were mixed at best. Many people missed the car, and LEGO (and the designers) were accused of stealing the idea... LEGO countered with the fact that this set (intermittently) had been in the works for years (most notably the T-Rex itself). Having built this set now, I can see why this project took such a long time. Most notably, the T-Rex itself is absolutely fantastic, and the gate itself is not bad. One word of advice: if you decide to build this set on your own, start with booklet 2 (the gate) and finish with the dinosaur. The build of the gate is not bad, but building the T-Rex is simply fantastic... and the kind of build you cannot stop once started.

In the end, IMHO the whole thing looks fantastic, even with the use of stickers. One could even decide to integrate this set into a larger set-up. The six minifigures - representing arguably the most important characters from the movie - are well done, and could even be integrated into the gate rather than put on the stand.

In the end, and this is my personal opinion, this set holds up well with other similar signature sets, like Ghostbusters Firehouse HQ (set 75827) or The Joker Manor (set 70922). The set seems bigger in real life than it looks like in the images. And yes, the T-Rex is about as big as the image on the box! IMHO the designer has done an great job in making the gate 'not boring', which it could easily have become. The design of the T-Rex is superb; the designer has done an awesome job to turn this predator into something terrifying, sleek, evil and yet somehow also somewhat sympathetic.

Build experience

I chose to build the gate first. The construction uses bags 8 through 15 and instruction booklet 2. I wanted to save the T-Rex for the end. The set is listed as 16+, but somehow I feel that much younger children are capable of building this set, if they can stay focused (and I know, that is a BIG if). The stickers that are used in this set (seven in total) are used during this phase of construction.

There are a number of rare parts included in this set (most of them seem to be re-colours of existing elements). To me the eyes of the T-Res are the best new part (unique print) which IMHO also actually can be used to depict bakery goods.

During the construction of the gate I did not come across any truly spectacular new building techniques. Most 'special' is the construction of the side wall cover using a Technic based 'hinge' system to create the appropriate angles. This shows a very good understanding of Lego geometry (as in the end even the loose side-covers are more or less fixed in place) above anything else. The structure is rather flimsy until the arch over the gate is constructed. The arch is quite stable, though I would have liked to see the same Technic bar used on the front side also used on the back side in order to stabilize the walkway and construction / floor holding up the gate-operating mechanism. The axles which turn the door are somewhat exposed, and look disproportionally thin. They are sturdy enough, however. There were quite a few complaints about the stickers, especially the ones for the park sign. Having applied them, I actually think they look pretty good. Moreover, having them printed might have necessitated the creation of at least one piece (4x8 plate with a single row of studs on one long edge), for the 'park' sign. The printing for that piece as well as that of the 'Jurassic' sign might also technically be very difficult of not impossible to do properly.

Booklet 1 (and bags 1 through 7) cover the construction of the T-Rex, and boy, was that a lot of fun! The first bags create the core of the torso, and thereafter it becomes a how-to in studs-on-side construction. The core is extremely sturdy, and the Technic elements used clearly serve a purpose and are very well hidden. The way the organic and somewhat dynamic shape of the T-Rex is created is simply extremely impressive, especially since the the animal remains very solid and stable. Similarly, the whole mass of the tail nicely combines with the friction of the Technic turntable in the hips and the mass of the torso and head to make numerous poses possible, from nearly standing upright to scavenging on the surface and everything in between.

There are few off-colour pieces (again, completely hidden) used. I like mixture of studded and studless surfaces, and how the various curved slope pieces are used to create various shapes. At no point the build becomes boring, even when constructing the somewhat repetitive sections of the tale and the two legs - where it is interesting to see how the smooth transition between the different shapes of the elements is created. The weakest structural element is the single ball joint between the torso and the head: it allows for lateral movement and some rotation, but the friction is far too low to hold up the head. This is not too bad, since the vertical movement is already extremely limited; this might actually also be reminiscent of the actual T-Rex, since IIRC according to some paleontologists it had comparatively weak neck muscles.

The minifigures

There are six minifigures included, all of them seemingly unique (going by the Brickset parts list), including four unique minifigure heads. Similarly, a number of the torso's and the legs are unique to this set as well.

John Hammond and Alan Grant are the only minifigures that do not have two head prints, since they are wearing cowboy hats. Dennis Nedry's alternative print is the best, since it shows him with the dinosaur poison splattered on his face. In general, all the minifigures are IMHO very well done, with nicely detailed print, in register, and with quite subtle details. My personal favourite minifigure is Ray Arnold, who could easily be used as a scientist or doctor. John Hammond and Alan Grant could also be used in a (jungle) explorers scenario.

The build

The Jurassic Park gate is a nice representation of the movie original, and it is big. Arguably the structure is a bit thicker than in the original movie, which IMHO is not an issue at all. It provides space for the mini vignettes, each of them representing a scene of the original movie in which one of the minifigure characters has a starring role. Unfortunately, it does not seem possible to put fix Ian, Ellie and Dennis in the vignette associated with them due to the absence of studs. Moreover, the extra depth provides stability and makes it possible to incorporate a simple mechanism to operate the gates.

I like how the plants are used to simulate the gate rising up from the jungle. The torches nicely break up the massive gray surfaces. The various plates used and the combination of studs and studless tiles serves the same purpose. The Technic axles on the top are needed to hold the doors in place and make them open. Yet they look flimsy and somewhat out-of-place. I can understand the choice made (in the movie they are not even present), where personally I would have looked into hiding them inside brown round 2x2 plates and tiles. Similarly, I would have made the arch slightly deeper, to hide the mechanism and give it extra support. I can also understand the compromise made considering the park sign. The stickers are IMHO better than trying to recreate the sign in Lego bricks.

The T-Rex is clearly the star. It is massive, both in size and weight. The different textures - the studs, the curved slopes, the tiles, the rough texture of the straight slopes - add interest to the skin and provide 'life' to the animal. So do the different colours used: they provide enough contrast to break up the surface while not making the T-Rex look garish. It makes me wonder how well the T-Rex colours would actually work as camouflage in a Lego savannah or forest environment. Of course the skin colours are speculative, but I like the choice for brown tones and gray for the lower legs and underbelly. The movement of the head is limited, but this limitation is IMHO not a nuisance, and also necessary due to the weakness of the ball joint connecting the head to the neck. The head can also be moved up and down and be turned sideways. Overall I think the designer has done a very great job in balancing structural integrity and flexibility of the neck, head, legs and tails.

The head actually IMHO has a surprising amount of character, due to the colour choice, shape of the tiles and slopes, the deep laying eyes and the teeth. The head is a great example of what can be achieved by attaching various planes to a studs on side core. IMHO in design is as good if not better than most other brick shaped faces and heads Lego has produced so far, regardless of theme and whether animal or not.

The knee and ankle joint are rigid, which considering the weight of the animal is completely understandable. It might be possible to modify the legs to give it a more 'running pose', but that would probably result in limiting the T-Rex to only a single display stance. The easter egg inside the animal is a nice touch, BTW.

Play vs Display

This set is clearly a display set.The only true play feature is that the gate can be opened and closed through a simple Technic mechanism. The T-Rex is massive, heavy and quite sturdy, but can only be handled by holding the torso (due to its weight). The T-Rex is well over minifigure scale (roughly 3 times as big). Of course it can still be used as a 'Godzilla' to eat minifigures, as minifigure fits comfortably inside its mouth. I can also see children (or adults) using it to chase relatives.

As a display piece it is excellent, and the whole design (including the minifigure display stand) clearly puts this one in the Star Wars UCS category of sets: big display sets with the occasional limited play feature. I can see people trying to present the T-Rex in some kind of playful (or gruesome) pose. Regardless, this set will draw attention to itself.

The verdict

As there simply are no truly comparable sets, it is difficult to make an objective comparison with other sets. The price (as well as piece count) difference with the likes of The Upside Down (set 75810) is too great. Welcome to Apocalypseburg (set 70840), Ninjago City Docks (set 70657) and The Joker Manor (set 70922), which have a similar price point and piece count, are completely different in style. The same goes for Star Wars UCS sets. Sets more similar in style like Ghostbusters Firehouse HQ (set 75827) or Hogwarts Castle (set 71043) are much bigger, in piece count and in optical size.

I can see why many people feel they do not want to pay this amount of money for a 'gate and a dinosaur' (to paraphrase Jang from Jangbricks), which is just as valid as people not wanting to pay 700 euros for a big grey Star Wars triangle or 350 euros for a fake 'medieval' castle. Objectively, the price per part is good to great, while the price per kilogram of bricks (and the price per volume of stuff) seems to be good and in line with other sets (and better than in many), especially for a licensed set.

More subjectively, this is from a technical and structural design point of view (creating a 'living' animal from Lego bricks and a good looking entry gate) as good a set as any of the sets mentioned above.

Completely subjective is whether this set is to your liking. Whether you like the looks of the T-Rex and are willing to pay this amount of money for a 'gate and dinosaur' display is an individual choice. Equally subjective is my opinion that this set looks much better in real life than in the images (both photographs and computer image on the box). IMHO this set compares well with the likes of the aforementioned sets (though I cannot make a real life comparison with the Upside Down). Personally, I am very glad I got this set. The construction techniques used should be of interest to many (have a look at the instructions on-line if not interested in this set). For those in doubt, I hope you get a chance to see the set in real life to enable you to make a decision whether to go for this set or not. And in general, I hope this set will be available for a very long time (and possibly, eventually, available with a discount) to also enable those with less disposable income to save for a set like this.

pros: this set is amazing, I saw it on pictures and i thought meh, I thought it was way smaller, then I went to a Lego Store and saw it , it is huge , beautiful, I had to buy it inmediately. I arrived home and spent about 12 hours between 3 days. The building was addictive, the dinosaur is so nicely made! It has a lot of freedom degrees, super stable, super sturdy, i heard people complained about the falling claws but it is definitely not a problem, they fit super tight and have never had any issues with falling pieces etc, plus I use to change the pose like evey day, I am 32 years old btw but LEgo converts me on a kid again, my wife now dreams this dinosaur too because I use to put it all around the house in different places, summarizing this is a MUST BUY.

Cons. No truck! Hope it comes with the lawyer and the 2 kids in a future set. That’s the only thing missing for this set to become a masterpiece.