This was one of my first LEGO Batman Movie sets. From reading Batman comics, I knew I'd want Basil Karlo in figure form. I'm glad LEGO released him, although I would have expected him to be more Big Fig scale and similar to the first LEGO Batman video game. I am glad they brick built him because the stud adds a lot of texturing to how he would look when he is changing his form.

PROS:

- Size, especially for price. Clayface is quite huge. You can capture the difference in scale by looking at the picture, but having it in your hands he looks monstrous.

- Two unique figures. One being the brick built Clayface of course, but also the mayor. She isn't a crucial character to have necessarily, but I always welcome new prints and skin colors.

- Variety in Clayface's hands. You can have two stud shooters or switch one out for a clay hammer. The stud shooters work really well with that new piece. But be careful, you don't want to loose the new medium nougat colored studs. They are rare now, but will likely be plentiful in the future.

- I like that it is sturdy despite all of the small pieces. It also holds its weight quite well. The feet are broad enough it stands up well without tipping over.

- All of the medium nougaty goodness...Yum!

CONS:

- The price is good, but keep in mind how many tiny pieces are included. The 1x1 round stud is in abundance, so that will artificially inflate the piece count.

- Another Batman. This will be a complaint in all of my reviews since I already have so many of them. But if you are only getting one set, then it is important they included him.

- It would be nice to see some actual fingers, but I don't think that pieces comes in medium nougat yet and the designers probably wanted to work in the stud shooter for play value. If they ever release them in the right color, I will have to modify at least one hand to grab Batman and the other to shoot him.

OVERALL OPINION:

I am a fan of this set. It is a lot bigger than you expect from pictures. The price is acceptable for the number of pieces, but I still had to wait for a sale. The moment I found one on Amazon, I clicked buy and haven't looked back. Even if you don't care about Batman or Clayface, I would recommend this set. A lot of recolored pieces will help it sell itself.

Upon seeing this set for the first time, I knew I had to have it. The car is very fitting for the new age clown prince of crime. I don't know if I'd see Heath Ledger or Jack Nicholson's version cruising around in it, but it's a new day and a new Joker.

PROS:

- Color scheme is spot on for Joker. The main body being purple with the lime green canopy is very fitting. And it provides a good array of new pieces in that color for the first time (or at least in only a few sets).

- New unique pieces in general! Per Brickset's inventory which is only 96.1% complete, there were 20 pieces found only in this set (not including minifigure pieces) and I know this inventory is missing the other seat cushions at the very least. Of those 20 pieces, almost all are in purple!

- The printed pieces stand out. As I've become older, I don't mind stickers as much because I know they can have a purpose, especially for the target audience. But I do love printed pieces. The new 1x1 round tile for the speaker is really neat and the animal printed tiles for the seats are must haves.

- New minifigures are always welcome. In this situation, you get 2 exclusive variants of figures. Joker is without his jacket compared to his other versions. This reveals his vest and undershirt much better. Also, Harley is unique to this set. This version shows a jacket over a Smylex t-shirt. If you recall Smylex was the brand of poison Joker used in 1989 Batman. This version will be different from the summer Harley (she has a tutu and a different top). Plus, Batgirl if you don't have the Catwoman set. She is highly detailed as well and in more of a classic color scheme.

- Clever build techniques creating the suspension. This lowrider bounces with the best of them using technic liftarms and rubber bands underneath.

- I like that you can fit two figures in the car, unlike the Penguin roller.

CONS:

- It's an odd con, but this thing is massive. The picture looks scaled down compared to how long it actually is. For the sake of a toy AND an animated movie, this fits in well with other vehicles in the range. But in terms of your normal city, this will be way too large. I may try my hand at scaling it down to fit in better. It has a great shape and details though, so the size doesn't bother me too much after the initial shock.

- By adding in a play feature for the missile launcher in the trunk, it does remove some useful space to put things. Granted, I doubt Joker and Harley are going on vacation anytime soon, so maybe this con isn't a big deal. Plus you can shoot at Batgirl if she happened to be running directly behind them.

- Speaking of the above, Batgirl doesn't have any vehicle or scooter/motorcycle to chase after them. Even a comically small car could have worked in terms of some of the other sets.

- The price is absurd. $49.99 for 433 pieces and only 3 figures seems a bit high. I would definitely wait for a sale. I found it on amazon for much less than MSRP.

OVERALL OPINION:

I would highly recommend this set. I think it has a lot of good qualities -- new figures, new pieces in purple, overall a nice looking vehicle. I think a lot comes down to how are you going to use it and cost. As stated above, I would recommend waiting for a sale. With the movie coming out soon, it is possible they will have some sales. Either way, get it. I doubt you will regret it.

On first glance I was disappointed in this set. It lacked something the other modulars gave me. But the modular buildings are a must buy for me every year, so I knew I was going to get it anyway. It was after building it and staring at it, I was able to finally appreciate it.

PROS:
- Interesting color scheme. The medium nougat color works really well for the brick facade. I love the light royal blue color intermixed with the medium blue. I'm not quite sure on the brown walls between them, but it blends well enough. The green awnings are a new technique.

- New pieces and/or new part colors. Personal favorite, Unikitty's tail in dark bluish gray. It adds a lot of detailing to the roof line. The black paint roller works incredibly well for the light fixtures. I hope they do that in other colors (I'm hoping red).

- The brand new reflective mirror! It is the same size as a 1x4x5 glass window pane, but mirror coated. I'm not sure how they made it, but either way it is effective and looks great. It is only in 2 modular sets as far as I know, so hold on to that rare item.

- The Pool sign is cleverly put together. I don't love the placement, but it is realistic enough for what you'd imagine. Also, the spelling of Al's is clever. I loved it in the Pet Shop and I love it here.

- The pool table of course. The whole Highlander area is neat. Printed windows. New dartboard piece. I even like the reddish-brown axle connectors making up the front. Also a cleverly designed ceiling fan using snowshoes!

- As mentioned the roof detailing on both buildings is clever and they both contrast really well. I ended up turning my bionicle fist pieces the other way to change it up, but it looks neat both ways.

- The tree is decent. I think I like this tree style more than Brick Bank, but it needs something more. Maybe just taller with more foliage, I'm not sure.

- And like all other Modulars, the classic smiley. It makes me happy to see this continuation. The variety of figures works well here too. Although, a detective AND a police woman can't catch the sneaky criminal?

CONS:

- Size. It feels too small. I know the new trend is smaller footprint, but more detail and includes a story. But this comes off as way too small considering it is two buildings. The upstairs to Al's is small enough you can't even fit any hands in there to play (including my 7 year old daughter). The same goes for Al's too. It is set up really neat with the cabinet and chair and mirror, but you can't really set up any people in there to create a scene.

- The play features can go in both pros/cons. It is a fun idea, but too elaborate and hidden in this case. The difficulty increases since you have to go through the back and underneath the buildings to smuggle the cookies in. I view these sets as more of a display model instead of a play toy, mostly because of size, cost and age recommendations. Granted, I still let my daughter play with them and that is where I realize how difficult it can be.

OVERALL OPINION:

If the above review gives any indication, I would say I love this set way more than I hate it. There are drawbacks, of course, but overall it is a worthwhile build and you may only appreciate it by building it yourself or seeing someone else's completed model. Pictures don't do it justice. I would highly recommend picking it up. It is still available through most avenues at MSRP, so why wait?

Elves is one of those themes that adds a lot of new elements to create a fantasy world. It is aimed at younger females, but as an adult male, I can still understand and appreciate what these sets bring. Especially this one. It has more function than some of the sets and can be incorporated into a larger medieval setting, if desired.

PROS:

- Overall look of the set is top notch. It feels like an inn somewhere in the forest. I could easily picture this being a castle themed set with some different colors and play features.

- Printed windows! Those add a nice touch and I thank LEGO for printing them. Stickers would be too cloudy thanks to all of the fingerprints. These will come in handy in other MOCs too.

- Even though it is called the Starlight Inn (which makes sense when you see the telescope), I really like the sleeping dragon sign. It adds that little touch of whimsy the Elves sets are all about.

- The viewing platform with the telescope is neat. I like how the tree spins to reveal the ladder to get up there.

- The bedroom is fun, although really small. The bed has a hidden drawer which adds another play feature.

- The chair design is simple, yet effective. You could easily switch out the round tile for a different setting.

- The cellar adds an external build for more play value. I like the new lavender color for the doors, which again can be switched to dark bluish gray if you want to achieve a different look.

- Another baby dragon if you are collecting them. They are a cute design. And the egg is a neat piece that can be used elsewhere.

CONS:

- As in all of my Elves reviews, I would love to see MORE foliage. The new pink and purple leaves are fun and fantastical and I'd like to see more. It would help achieve a more wooded appearance and it would give us easier access since they are not exactly cheap in the aftermarket.

- The size works quite well, especially for the price. But I would like to see more depth or width to accommodate the table and chairs inside the building. Unless it is supposed to be a picnic table area, which then it works out okay.

OVERALL OPINION:

I would highly recommend this set. If you are an Elves fan, it will be a nice setting for your collection. If you are a castle fan, you can always tinker with the colors and create something great for your layout. If you just like display sets, this actually works quite well for that too.

My daughter loves the Elves sets. By association I have grown to not overlook them. They are full of interesting new pieces or at least new colors and usually have good builds associated with them. It feels LEGO isn't just trying to sell bricks, but instead a story.

PROS:

- The printing on the figures is really neat. I don't love minidolls, but they are highly detailed.

- New hairpieces/hoods. Ragana's hair with crown is amazing. I'd love it in a different hair color though. The elf hoods are a welcome change to the normal hood. Although I am confused as to why their ears would stick outside of the hood. It must be some sort of wrap instead? But they are neat either way.

- Black and purple look really good together while maintaining a "girly" feel to the theme. Not that Elves has to be linked to only girls, but more often than not, it is aimed at them. But I like seeing a black castle. It reminds me of the Black Knights from my youth.

- The build is actually quite interesting. It has a nice foundation and the bridge over to the dungeon area is useful.

- Interior has neat features. The use of stickers is necessary and works quite well here. I like the book shelves. Her bed is extremely clever. I love the black horn pieces used. Her throne room too. Very clever.

- there is a bathroom!! like almost every other Friends set. It's funny how they throw them in there.

- There is a clever technique for the front doors too. Interesting build and interesting mechanism.

CONS:

- Actually feels kind of small for how expensive it is. Over 1000 pieces, but a lot of small pieces, so that doesn't help.

- The catapult is nice, but really small. I guess it makes sense if the Elves were pushing it though.

- I'd like a bit more foliage around the throne room area. For whatever reason LEGO has never included that many leaf pieces in any set. Not sure why. But easy enough to fix on your own.

- This has nothing to do with the set per se, but the egg shell is huge compared to how they are presented in the illustrations. I understand LEGO is reusing pieces and it is neat enough to be used elsewhere. Limitations of the mold/detail they want to present I guess.

OVERALL OPINION:

A welcome addition to the Elves theme. I like seeing an adversary to the Elves to add more depth to their story. I do maintain the set comes off as a bit small compared to the cost, so I would recommend waiting for a sale. I have heard people finding them at walmart for 50-70% off. We paid full price and I don't necessarily regret it, but anytime you can get a sale, the better. (I still recommend it though). Find it if you can. They might be clearing the shelves for the new Goblin subtheme.