Harry Potter Gets His Own Jar Jar Binks...But Pulls It Off!
Written: Nov 24 '02
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Pros: Great minifigures, nice smaller set for the price
Cons: Goes best as an addition to other Harry Potter Lego Sets
The Bottom Line: A tiny masterpiece at a nice price--Harry Potter gets a new ally....and a new enemy.
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| JediKermit's Full Review: LEGO Harry Potter Dobby's Release 4731 |
When I first saw the previews for “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” they looked pretty sweet. The kids are a year older, it looked darker, more violent, and we saw more of the wizards in action. The one thing that looked like it could ruin the movie was the computer animated character of Dobby the House Elf. Would this little runt dressed in a tea towel be the undoing of the Harry Potter Franchise? Would Dobby be the Jar Jar Binks of the movies?
As it turns out, I really liked Dobby. In fact, I think I liked him more in the movie than in the books. His sad face and buggy eyes and pointy ears were strangely endearing…not really Yoda-esque, but his own distinct character. Dressed only in a dingy tea towel, Dobby and his race of elves are basically the slaves of the wizard world. They’ve got their own brand of magic, and are able to use it to help or hinder wizards.
So after seeing the movie, I knew I had to pick up this Lego Set. “Dobby’s Release” is the smallest of the new Harry Potter Lego Sets, and I got it on sale for under five dollars. For that price, you get two new key characters from the movies and books, another room for Hogwart’s Castle, and some great new accessories.
The room is just a generic room in Hogwart’s, which features two grilled arched windows, two torch/sconces, a desk, secret panel, table, secret passageway, and baseplate. It’s not enclosed, but for the relatively low price point, it’s better and larger than I thought it was (even seeing the picture on the package). The accessories include a book tile, Tom Riddle’s Diary (a very significant part of the film), and Harry Potter’s sock. This makes absolutely no sense until you see the movie, but his stinky nasty sock (complete with Gryffindor Seal) has an important role to play.
The minifigures are both unique, and are quite well done. Dobby uses the new “short” Lego Minifig body that has been used so nicely with smaller characters like Yoda, Ewoks, and Harry Potter Goblins; he’s got stubby little legs that emphasize his tiny stature. He’s got a little tea towel toga printed on his torso, it’s sort of a mint green color, with rips and stains in it. His head is a masterpiece—molded plastic (like the recent Yoda head) instead of just a printed face on a standard Lego head. His eyes are big and buggy and sad, and his ears droop down…the whole effect is quite sad, which is good, because the character is sad for most of the movie. For good reason!
The other new character here is Lucius Malfoy…the father of that basta’d Draco Malfoy, who is Harry Potter’s arch enemy. He’s dressed in a fine grey pinstripe suit, and wears a black cloak over all of it. His face is permanently locked in a sneer…superior, arrogant, and evil. He’s got blond hair that comes down on either side of his face, which took some getting used to…but it works for him now.
This is an excellent small Lego set to get, especially if your children (or you!) already have the Harry Potter sets from the first movie. They’ve already got Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and this expands their world of Harry Potter, even if it’s only by a room and a few people. It’s a wonderful way for Lego to continue the line, and a perfect addition to your collection. I give it a high recommendation.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 4.49
Type of Toy: Blocks
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JediKermit
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Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
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Books, Movies, and Toys. Is there more to life?
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