The LEGO Batman Movie 70905 The Batmobile Review

Batman and Robin need something to speed around the streets of Gotham City in – and here it is, a bespoke Batmobile for the cinematic LEGO Batman.

Price: £54.99 / $59.99 / €59.99 (DE) Pieces: 581 Available: Now

One thing that The LEGO Batman Movie is not going to be short of is insane bat-vehicles. What is bound to be the signature vehicle in the film, and seems to be in the initial product line, is this most bizarre of Batmobiles. Never has the Dark Knight’s ride been so ostentatious.

That unique sensibility that the new entry in the LEGO cinematic universe* maintains is encapsulated in this Batmobile, which is what makes it such fun to build. Previous LEGO Batmobiles, such as 7781 and 6864 were rather basic designs and very simple to put together.

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One of the most obvious joys that 70905 The Batmobile holds is the vehicle’s scale. It dwarfs a minifigure, just like the animated version does in the footage released so far. This means that the experience feels more like building a detailed Creator vehicle rather than a typically undersized Super Heroes vehicle.

The build comes together as expected, with a sturdy centre built first before the wheel sections come together one by one and are added to the chassis. The result is a striking mix of what is clearly a Batmobile, but with a boy-racer vibe that reflects the unique version of the character presented in The LEGO Batman Movie. The red accents work wonderfully and just enough grey parts are spread across to ensure that it’s not too black.

Batmobile-4

The main ’play feature’ here is the ability to switch the wheels up. The chunky tires look best when in regular formation, but can be re-positioned to sit below the vehicle’s chassis and give it further height – it can drive over a minifigure in this mode. Alternatively, the wheels can be flipped sideways so that the Batmobile can perform a bizarre sideways manoeuvre. The wheels are easily switched from one position to another.

Stud shooters sit on either side of ‘The Speedwagon’, for what they are worth. A subtle dial at the back flips the top off the vehicle to allow the minifigures to be popped inside (although this also involves removing the windshield). Batman and Robin can sit comfortably alongside each other with no problems, a rarity in LEGO cars and very big positive here.

There is a new bat-part, that can be found across The LEGO Batman Movie range, clearly designed to add that unique shape to a variety of the character’s vehicles. It’s certainly one to watch in the AFOL community for interesting uses. Speaking of which, the NEXO KNIGHTS shield gets another all-black rendition here and is used for texturing on the Batmobile’s side.

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Batman is neat minifigure, with a new torso and sporting the new utility belt piece which is nice in its simplicity and does not restrict the minifigure’s mobility. The cowl on the review copy did not perfectly line up with the eyes on the more quizzical expression, which is frustrating as they look small and off putting.

Robin is an absolutely sublime minifigure, packed full of colour. His hair/goggle piece makes him stand out and provides plenty of character. The contrast to Batman’s style could not be clearer than standing these two minifigures side by side.

Man-Bat is identical to his previous appearance, but needed no improvement so is welcome. The Kabuki Twins are rather obscure Batman characters, but translate from the source material to minifigure style well.

Batmobile-7

If you only pick up one set from The LEGO Batman Movie range, this would be a solid choice that does not disappoint. Like The LEGO Movie sets did, this offers a detailed build experience superior to that found in the DC Super Heroes range. As for the design, the licence plate best sums up this unique take on the Batmobile. It has ‘battittude’.

70905 The Batmobile is available now from shop.LEGO.com. You can help support Brick Fanatics’ work by using our affiliate links.

*Soon, movies will only be released if part of a cinematic universe.

Author Profile

Graham
Graham was the BrickFanatics.com Editor up until November 2020. He has plenty of experience working on LEGO related projects. He has contributed to various websites and publications on topics including niche hobbies, the toy industry and education.

Follw Graham on Twitter @grahamh100.

Graham

Graham was the BrickFanatics.com Editor up until November 2020. He has plenty of experience working on LEGO related projects. He has contributed to various websites and publications on topics including niche hobbies, the toy industry and education. Follw Graham on Twitter @grahamh100.

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