San Andreas Movie Review

[Rosalyn Pomposo]

Factorsthat LEGO consider when deciding an age category include: complexity of building process, level of cognitive development required to complete the set, the size of the model and expected time to complete. These age categories are curated from years of product testing with differing age groups.

After 10 years of the LEGO Friends themes, The LEGO Group continues to shape the sets to reflect changing social norms and expectations from their customers. The re-imagined Friends characters are more representative of the real-world, with a focus on the neurodivergence, mental health, physical conditions, gender, culture and ethnicity that is representative of diverse worlds that children find themselves in. While I am not deeply familiar with the Friends line and characters, they included a couple of pages of the evolution of the characters over the years in the instruction manual. (To learn more about how LEGO used real-world feelings of children to influence set design you can read this press release.)

Keeping the intended audience in mind it was important to look at this set both from the lens of an AFOL and that of a child, although an older child given this is a 14+ set. Comparatively sets such as those in the Ninjago City line are 16+ and Modular line are 18+. The immediate draw as I opened the bags was the rainbow color palette and the scale of the box. I knew that this was going to be a big build and leverage a large number of diverse building techniques. In the build process section we will explore some of the techniques that were used and the reasons designers picked the elements they did to achieve the details of the section. This set is split across 17 bags, however some of the bags have been combined in this review based on what they intend to build. A set that was normally split across 4-5 builds nowadays is covered in 15-20 bags, providing for a very different build experience.

As we begin to build up the mansion we start with the garagte. One of the first observations is the inclusion of a unique frame piece. Although this frame is not exclusive to this set this frame allows for rigidity that a brick built frame could not achieve. From a build perspective this section utilizes a lot of technic pieces to build the garage door mechanism play feature. Technic also comes with a secondary benefit of being a useful structural piece, something that is crucial for this build as the height and size needs to be built in a way to ensure it does not break apart. While 1White is the predominant color in this section the gradient accent at the front of the garage is very appealing. The designers make use of 21Bright RedRed, 106Bright OrangeOrange, 24Bright YellowYellow and the new color Reddish Orange to capture this gradual transition. A transition we will see elsewhere in this set as well as LEGO wants to highlight its new elements wherever possible.

On the other side of the garage we see the earthen tones of 312Medium NougatMedium Dark Flesh and 138Sand YellowDark Tan come through as this mansion is built into a rocky hill. Through use of varied slope pieces spaced at sharp angles we get the natural geometry protude along the base of the set. As highlighted earlier the garage door is built using a technic mechanism that allows the car we previously built to enter and leave the garage. While at first glance it may look like this mechanism just opens and closes the door there is an interesting sloping mechanism built into the ground that lifts the floor allowing the car to roll out when the door is opened. When the door is closed the foundation lays flat ensuring the car does not slide around in the set or apply pressure on the door itself.

When we turn the set around we start to see all the colors come to life. In the basement we build a room that doubles as a recording studio and a guest bedroom. The bed itself is built such that it slides under the pool and can be hidden out of sight. This simple technique takes advantage of the smooth surface of tiles to slide the bed in and out, with a brick at the head of the bed board locking it into place ensuring it only slides out so far. The floor is colored brightly with 42Bright Reddish VioletMagenta and 322Bright PurpleDark Pink which reinforces the contrasting colors in this set allowing it to pop right out to the builder.

Creating a body of water that figures can be submerged in is tricky in LEGO due to the solid nature of its pieces but in this set the designers captured a pool spectacularly. Rather than having the water be the interior of the pool the designers used 42Transparent Light BlueTrans-Light Blue to simulate a glass pool with water inside it. From the side this illusion works as the partially cloudy pattern of layered transparent pieces helps give off the wavy water texture. Moving to the left of the building we see the second layer of the retaining wall be built up, this time utilizing the new 33 curved piece to great effect. This slightly smaller curve enables a layering texture while allowing for curvature which adds elegance to the build. This modern look albeit simple really accentuates the wealth of this mansion. Contrasting this 1White are the modern 26Black steps. The steps are built in a layered pattern that ensures that each step is only 2 tiles height difference as the traditional LEGO brick is too tall. This height difference follows the same height differential that traditional LEGO step pieces use for consistency across builds. All the small elements start to come together as we build up the structure, from the shapes to colors, helping accentuate the grand look that the mansion strives to project.

As the first floor comes to a close we can see all the details put together. The foundation itself is 48 studs wide making it larger than the traditional 36 stud wide base plate that modular sets come on but due to its irregular shape this set feels larger. The rainbow of colors begin to come together and harmoniously blend together. While building this and comparing it to my other sets I noticed that unlike traditional LEGO structures the designers went all out to incorporate as many different colors together. Something that in your mind may not come out looking aesthetic but works for this build. Although a very minor detail, the mailbox sitting at the top of the steps is built indented into the wall to ensure that the 22 frame does not jut out. This subtle inlay makes ensures that the mailbox is built directly into the structure allowing it to blend in with the flat surface surrounding it.

Of all the builds so far the rocky outcrop and flowers to me captures the beauty of what LEGO is all about the most. This entire section is built on a 88 plate which is attached to exposed studs on the side to build up a Studs Not On Top construction. The various 22 sloped wedge pieces are positioned in a way such that they continue the slopes of the sloped pieces but adds and additional gradient that is difficult to accomplish with vertical construction alone. The 312Medium NougatMedium Dark Flesh and 138Sand YellowDark Tan blend in seamlessly with the foundation we built earlier hiding the plate effectively. To top off the beauty of this is the simple flowers built simply using a 11 brick with various colored leaf elements attached to the side. By offsetting the leaves at an angle it creates a spiral pattern that gives the flowers a swirl that is not accomplished were the flowers upright. Continuing the emphasis on varied colors, 324Medium Lavender and 212Light Royal BlueBright Light Blue are used for the flower petals adding yet another shade of color to the build which blends into the already large symphony of colors in use. Very simple yet effective.

The recording studio utilizes stickers effectively to capture details that otherwise would not be accomplished. Everything from the mixboard to the screen capture iconic sound mixing elements. The fact that a bed is hidden in this room feels like a weird addition but is a fun piece. Unfortunately due to there being a shelf on the side of the room the bed can sometimes get stuck making it difficult to remove. The bookshelf leverages studs on side construction built with layered 12 bricks to emulate the various colors of book spines on a shelf.

As we build the second level we see the interior details of the building come to life. A lot of care was taken to ensure that the modern elements of this structure are captured. While the 194Medium Stone GreyLight Bluish Gray concrete beams give an unfinished look it also captures the charm of a modern manufactured structure, only missing the exposed piping in the ceiling to accomplish some of the aesthetics we see in modern buildings. While the building itself uses a rainbow of colors, the designers made sure to utilize core colors that are used in modern construction, these being 1White, 26Black and 40Transparent Trans-Clear. Through the abundance of windows and open space the structure ensures that ample light can light capture the beauty of the space. As this second level includes a deck and to not hide any of the detailing the designers made the railings be built out of glass, captured through use of 40Transparent Trans-Clear panes with a modern 26Black metal frame to hold it in place structurally. As a fan of everything glass I am glad LEGO used these rather than traidtional fencing pieces as this simple part choice makes such a large difference from an architectural perspective. This modern level blends in very seamlessly with the stairs and retaining wall that were build in the other sections, allowing the structure to come together beautifully. From a building technique perspective nothing out of the ordinary is done, leveraging a lot of standard techniques, but where it falters there it excels in great parts usage.

While not a new piece this was the first time I have seen a 11 stud piece that has a wide lip. In this set it is used as glass plates on the dining table. Through use of a variety of glass pieces, whether for the chairs, wine glasses or plates, the scene has a very regal feel to it. While this set could have included these pieces in any color, the use of 40Transparent Trans-Clear ensures the scene has the grand elegance and wealth that it tries to convey.

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