Review: 10333 The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr
Posted by CapnRex101,
The extraordinary 10316 The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell was released last year, recreating one of Middle-earth's most attractive locations, with superb detail. Barad-dûr seems an appropriate successor, representing the polar opposite and the home of evil in Middle-earth.
Though lacking the natural beauty of Rivendell, the sinister 10333 The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr looks spectacular in a different way. This model undoubtedly captures the menace of its source material and the Eye of Sauron is stunningly rendered in LEGO bricks. The minifigure selection is appealing as well, at last including the Dark Lord himself!
Summary
10333 The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr, 5,471 pieces.
£399.99 / $459.99 / €459.99 | 7.3p/8.4c/8.4c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
Barad-dûr is a worthy successor to Rivendell, with tremendous presence on display
- Formidable scale on display
- Great architectural detail
- Creative use of colour
- Effective functions
- Some exceptional minifigures, including Sauron
- Underwhelming interior, in places
- Frodo and Sam really needed new minifigures
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Box and Contents
Barad-dûr looks impressive on its dark packaging, benefitting from an orange glow behind the tower, which mirrors the smoky atmosphere of Mordor. Forty numbered bags, three instruction manuals and a sticker sheet are found inside the box. This is comfortably the biggest set I have yet encountered with paper bags, which seem to be arriving in earnest this summer, at least in European sets.
Fourteen stickers are included, the same number as 10316 The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell. However, most of these stickers are quite large and seven are placed on the inner surface of curved panels, which can be challenging. The relative reliance on stickers for interior details is unfortunate, though understandable, as space is scarce on the upper levels of the tower.
Minifigures
The Lord of the Rings theme originally ran between 2012 and 2013, providing good coverage of the major characters, on the whole. Sauron was noticeably absent from that range, however. Thankfully, the villain makes his minifigure debut here and looks as menacing as one would expect of Morgoth's successor, wearing a spectacular combined helmet and shoulder armour component.
Although this design prevents Sauron's head from turning, a compromise was likely necessary because the helmet and shoulder armour are closely integrated onscreen. Also, the height of this minifigure has provoked discussion, as Sauron should be considerably larger than other characters, which longer limbs from the Avatar range could convey. Even so, I prefer standard minifigure proportions, particularly given the tall helmet.
Otherwise, the metallic silver and pearl dark grey designs on the torso and legs look fantastic. The flaming head under the helmet suits Sauron too, given his consistent association with fire and appearance atop Barad-dûr in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The character wields a brick-built mace, which looks fine, but probably warranted a unique piece.
The sinister Mouth of Sauron previously appeared in 79007 Battle at the Black Gate and has undergone only subtle changes for his new minifigure. Sauron's emissary features a brilliantly detailed helmet, accurately moulded with various spikes and layers of armour covering where his eyes would be. The helmet has hardly been updated since 2013, which is testament to the incredible quality of the original design.
Furthermore, the moulded black fabric covering the back of the helmet looks excellent, again matching the onscreen helmet and its LEGO equivalent from 2013. This minifigure features a black cape to match, while the silver details across his torso and legs also correspond with the character as presented in the extended edition of The Return of the King.
Of course, the figure's mouth is an essential feature and looks appropriately threatening, filled with yellowed teeth to match the film. The surrounding wrinkles are equally vile, but fortunately hidden underneath his helmet. Although he never has a chance to use it in the movie, the Mouth of Sauron wields a pearl silver sword.
Gothmog is a lieutenant in Sauron's forces, commanding orcs in Osgiliath and throughout the Battle of Pelennor Fields. This minifigure captures the orc's distinctive deformed features and I like the bulky chest armour, further distinguishing Gothmog from other orcs. The printed armour plates look superb, while the mismatched arms also correspond with the original character.
Four generic Orcs are provided as well, featuring a variety of skin tones and clothing, so you swap elements to create a small army. The new pack of pearl dark grey helmets is especially useful for assembling an army with plenty of unique soldiers, although many of these helmets are placed inside the tower.
A couple of different torsos are supplied as well, while Gothmog's legs are unique. Additionally, while the two standard orcs share the same double-sided head, their varied expressions could easily represent separate characters. The smiling orc is evidently a chef, based on his unusual headgear and tongs, gripping a sausage!
Whereas the above orcs include medium nougat heads, these two are olive green. Again, their double-sided heads are very detailed, featuring scary expressions. Moreover, both minifigures make effective use of the combined hair and pointed ear elements designed for Griphook and other goblins from the Harry Potter theme.
The orcs' armour is outstanding too. One minifigure is almost completely protected by armour plate across both sides of the torso, with spikes on the breastplate, while the second includes much lighter armour and more fur. The intricate chainmail is equally impressive and continues onto the legs, where more olive green skin is also visible.
Four orcs are equipped with Uruk-hai swords, although one manufactures blades rather than wielding them in battle, as he includes a hammer and tongs too. In addition, a new shield has been developed, faithfully recreating those used by Morannon orcs throughout the movies and decorated with realistic scratches and rust.
Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee are also provided, returning from 10316 The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell. These minifigures are suitably dressed for the beginning of their journey, but they desperately needed shabbier attire for the climactic approach to Mount Doom. Even a few scuffs and patches of dirt on the torsos would have sufficed, in my opinion.
New double-sided heads were also essential, as the heroes' appearance obviously changes dramatically between Rivendell and Mordor. Sadly, the designs created last year are re-used here, complete with wildly inappropriate smiling expressions. Considering the attention clearly paid to other minifigures in the set, these two are rather disappointing.
Even so, I do like the Hobbit hairstyles and both minifigures include dual-moulded shorts legs, improving on figures from the original The Lord of the Rings theme. Frodo carries the Ring, as always, while Sam comes with his sword and the Phial of Galadriel, both of which are famously used during his memorable battle with Shelob.
In addition, the aforementioned helmet pack contains the helmets from Frodo and Sam's orc disguises, worn while crossing Mordor. These elements capture amazing moulded detail and correspond precisely with the onscreen helmets, which only makes the issues with the figures more frustrating. Without heads and torsos specific to this sequence, they appear unfinished.
Gollum also plays a pivotal role at the climax and is represented by a completely new figure, albeit similar to the version introduced in 2012. I think the hunched stance works perfectly for Gollum, capturing his emaciated proportions, balanced with traditional LEGO styling. The stud on his back looks good and the arms are poseable, although they are obstructed by the legs.
The printed hair, wrinkles and teeth on Gollum's face look marvellous, but his blue eyes have provoked some criticism. The original figure featured far more monstrous and distinctive eyes, whereas these are closer to standard minifigure eyes. Personally, I am not especially bothered by the change, although the earlier design was probably more faithful to the source material.
The Completed Model
Before focusing on Barad-dûr, the set also contains a rocky base to display Frodo, Sam and Gollum, as they reach Mount Doom. This is a welcome bonus and there is enough space for three figures, with Frodo standing atop an outcrop and struggling to relinquish the Ring, while Sam encourages him and Gollum sneaks up on the pair.
Clearly, the structure is vastly simplified in relation to the Cracks of Doom in The Return of the King, which I can imagine being accurately portrayed in a diorama format, similar to Star Wars' Diorama Collection. Nonetheless, the combination of dark tan, medium nougat, dark orange and light bluish grey pieces is stunning, crossed by a stream of trans-orange and trans-yellow lava.
Barad-dûr serves as Sauron's ultimate fortress within Mordor, dominating the region's horizon alongside Mount Doom. The structure seems impossibly enormous in the films and this model conveys that size, measuring 83cm in height. The tower is designed with the option to increase its height by adding sections underneath the Eye of Sauron, although doing so would alter the proportions of the tower, moving further from the onscreen location.
Naturally, a bigger stronghold would look even more impressive on display, although that would also involve enlarging its base, which already measures 45cm across. With the model growing in every dimension, I can envisage its piece count and therefore the price becoming ridiculous, so I am satisfied with the scale selected for the tower, which comfortably exceeds 10237 Tower of Orthanc.
The tower is dominated by black elements, naturally. However, the designer, Antica Bracanov, has cleverly avoided a monochrome building by maximising the colour of the rocks around the tower, taking full advantage of the molten landscape. The base is therefore relatively bright and makes extensive use of dark orange and medium nougat pieces, which eventually give way to shades of tan and grey at higher levels.
Moreover, the distribution of trans-yellow and trans-orange elements is effective, representing streams of lava. I love how these streams continue outside the base and its uneven edges are brilliant, matching the style of 10316 The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell. The natural edges create an impression that the landscape extends beyond the scope of the model.
The lava has a subdued effect on the fortress too, as pieces at the base of the wall and outer towers are reddish brown, with dark brown and finally black above. This technique is common when painting miniatures and known as object source lighting, where highlight colours are used to denote illuminated areas on a figure or model. The gradient is subtle, but looks wonderful.
Barad-dûr is presented as being approximately 1500 metres in height during the films, so the exterior of the model is obviously not in scale with minifigures! However, the entrance serves multiple scales, as minifigures can pass through the gateway and approach the doors, which may equally be large enough to discharge a microscale army, depending on your perspective.
I like the spikes flanking the bridge towards the doors, which are simply decorated with pearl silver and dark bluish grey pieces. Rotating the 2x2 brick with four grooves on the side of this model causes the doors to open in unison, via a geared mechanism. The knob is appropriately hidden among the rocks and the function works well, so the doors always close properly.
The level above features a series of flying buttresses, again incorporating multiple colours to create the impression of light from underneath. The dark orange parts arguably stand out too much, but I love the effect of reflected light and the buttresses' shape matches the location as shown onscreen. Similarly, the rock wrapping around the model corresponds with the source material, as Barad-dûr is constructed on the side of a mountain.
In addition, the smaller towers around the fortress are accurately positioned, each topped with 1x1 tooth elements to recreate their spiky appearance in the films. Occasional flaming torches provide further detail and even comparatively featureless surfaces, like those behind the flying buttresses, comprise 1x2 profile bricks, so texture continues throughout the tower.
Despite the large scale and high standard of detail, certain areas of the fortress are simplified, relative to the onscreen tower. The section directly underneath this band of stone, for instance, should integrate layers of circular towers, akin to those on traditional castles. Ideally, this model would capture the full nightmarish architecture of Barad-dûr, but I understand prioritising more prominent features, such as the rocks.
Windows are visible on the upper levels of the structure, represented by 1x2 grille slopes with orange plates underneath. These splashes of colour look splendid and I like the bands of dark bluish grey, further breaking up the dark walls. However, the edge of the mountainside appears unnatural, since without the mountain, it looks as though the rock formation should carry on.
I find the transition between the lower half of the fortress and its slender upper section notably awkward, as the surface on this level is almost completely smooth. Given the size of the tower and the associated scale of this model, there should really be no smooth surfaces. On the other hand, this flat area could serve as a minifigure-scale balcony, especially given the doorway on the tower's exterior.
Although the menacing exterior of Barad-dûr appears throughout the trilogy, its interior is only shown very briefly, as Gandalf describes the torture of Gollum. Since I doubt LEGO wanted to focus on that particular scene, the tower instead includes a variety of chambers appropriate for Sauron's stronghold, beginning with a dungeon and forge on the ground floor.
This room is cavernous, so accessing its back, where the opening doors are located, is rather difficult. Thankfully, the upper floors are easily removable, sliding across several tiled supports and attached using clips. Reaching the doors remains awkward for play, but removing the level above allows more light inside, at least.
The door mechanism is fairly basic, consisting of two gear racks, each connected to linkages between these racks and the doors. Much of this mechanism is concealed and even exposed sections look reasonable, as the depths of the tower would undoubtedly be filled with industrial equipment, based on the infernal appearance of the orc forges constructed at Isengard.
A selection of helmets, shields and pauldrons are mounted on wooden racks around the forge, freshly manufactured over a pool of lava! I like the stack of ingots ready for transformation into weapons and the anvil looks good, although similar workshops have appeared in various other sets. I wonder whether this whole space should have been dedicated to dungeons.
According to the instruction manual, this cave provides a refuge for Gollum, presumably after Sauron releases him. The fish inside signals Gollum's presence, but there was an opportunity for more. Something to convey the character's crazed obsession with his 'Precious' could have been fun, such as a sticker on the wall. A spider is hidden above the cave, perhaps related to Shelob, who also dwells in the mountains around Mordor.
Lava fills the other side of the chamber, as the unfortunate occupant of this cage discovered. The cage is connected to a chain and can be lowered towards the lava by turning the nearby gear. While the function works well, I again think the designer could have supplied some more storytelling details, perhaps hinting at the skeletal prisoner's history. Some abandoned Elven weapons would suffice, for example.
The orcs' dining room is located on the floor above, which is a humorous addition, inspired by an Uruk-hai's memorable declaration that "meat is back on the menu", after beheading an orc troublemaker. Despite the limited basis for this area, the rudimentary furniture appears exactly as one would envisage an orc kitchen.
Again, the lava flowing through Mordor proves useful, this time for cooking. I like the grate over the lava pool, presumably serving as a grille, while the cauldron hanging above looks excellent, although only contains a bone and a carrot. The instruction manual notes the mysterious origin of this carrot, as somehow I doubt vegetables grow in Mordor.
Nevertheless, the orcs have apparently managed to acquire a couple of stems on their travels, stored on a rack beside a cleaver. The rear wall also features a stickered chalkboard, showing the orcs that meat is indeed back on the menu! Considering the scrawled handwriting and Eye of Sauron symbols, the chef's sketch of a T-bone steak is remarkably detailed, though none are actually included.
Instead, the table is laden with chicken legs, a sausage and some bones, which could be the remnants of steaks. Several goblets are supplied as well, waiting to be filled from a keg in the corner. The contents of the keg appear decidedly unappetising, however, given the trans-green 1x1 round tiles on the floor beneath its tap.
Like the spider hideaway on the floor below, a section of wall can be removed to find another secret. This stickered 2x2 tile displays illustrations of the Three Elven Rings, Vilya, Narya and Nenya. Although storing this parchment beside the orcs' dining room seems strange, Sauron is certainly very interested in the Elven rings because he did not create them directly.
Continuing to the third level, we find Sauron's throne room. The throne itself is decorated with spikes and mirrors the Dark Lord, while the floor features a similar spiky pattern, consisting of 2x2 triangular tiles. I like this combination of light bluish grey and black pieces across the floor, although the grey plates behind the throne are noticeably plain, which looks odd.
Sauron can sit comfortably on the throne and his cape is made from a soft fabric, so folds up neatly behind the minifigure. Stickers are applied on the banners flanking the chair and these present the Dark Lord's menacing symbol, representing the Eye of Sauron and his everlasting vigilance across Middle-earth.
Although its sparse decoration befits Sauron, the throne room initially seems relatively bland. However, pulling the black tab underneath the throne exposes much more detail, as the chair divides to reveal a palantír and a map of the regions adjoining Mordor. As the throne and walls separate, the palantír slides forward to replace them, which is a satisfying function.
This palantír is constructed similarly to the version in 79005 The Wizard Battle, with a printed minifigure head inside a trans-clear 2x2 globe. The head is adorned with two potential visions, showing the White Tree of Gondor engulfed in flames on one side and the Shire burning on the other. I hope these are portents for future LEGO The Lord of the Rings sets, albeit without the flames!
Stickers are applied on the 4x4x6 curved wall panels around the magical stone, as well as the panel at the back of the room. This one features a tattered map, covering the area from Barad-dûr in the east to the Tower of Orthanc in the west. Minas Tirith and Edoras are also highlighted on the map. In addition, Gollum's torture-induced words of 'Shire' and 'Baggins' are shown, as hints to the location of the Ring.
The tower narrows significantly towards the top, so the space inside becomes more cramped. The Mouth of Sauron's study is therefore quite small, without enough room even for a chair in front of his writing desk. However, the desk itself looks reasonable and I like the shelves of old scrolls, represented by exclusive printed windows placed in 3x3 curved window frames.
A stickered mithril shirt is also included beside the desk, as the Mouth of Sauron presents the heroes gathered outside Mordor with this shirt soon before the Battle of the Morannon, falsely claiming it as proof of Frodo's death. Another sticker is applied on the wall behind and features 40693 The Lord of the Rings: Fell Beast on a shelf, which is a fun inclusion.
Sauron's portrait hangs inside the study and requires a sticker as well, depicting the Dark Lord holding the One Ring. This painting looks superb, but arguably lacks the charm of images from 10316 The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell, which faithfully recreated Alan Lee's artwork featured in the films. I believe this is an original design, so it is not quite as interesting.
The final chamber is a library, housing several more stickered bookshelves, accessed using a rotating ladder. This function is rather clever, as the whole floor rotates around the plinth in the middle of the room, moving the ladder with it. Furthermore, the famous epigraph to The Lord of the Rings is displayed on the plinth, although only the numbers of rings distributed are legible.
Various books and scrolls appear on the bookshelf stickers. Even though these murky shelves suit the evil atmosphere of Barad-dûr and space is limited, such heavy reliance on stickers is a little disappointing. I would rather the ladder has been removed altogether and the shelves were brick-built, perhaps containing a few more mysterious documents from Sauron's past.
The iconic Eye of Sauron serves as a representation of the Dark Lord in Peter Jackson's films, located between the spikes atop the tower. As in the movies, the Eye stands out tremendously against the structure beneath, although the tower itself is incredibly detailed here. Black blades, spears and rubber spikes comprise its ornate exterior, reflecting the onscreen location exactly.
Furthermore, the designer has again made ingenious use of brown and orange pieces around the Eye, as though the tower is illuminated by its burning energy. This effect looks spectacular and is probably my favourite feature of the whole set. The composition of the Eye is wonderful too, as trans-orange and trans-yellow elements are assembled around a yellow and bright light yellow core, with Sauron's black pupil at its centre.
I am glad the Eye is completely brick-built, rather than relying on stickers for awkward shapes, like the pupil. Its range of motion is impressive as well. This structure has limited movement to each side and can look up and down, which is more than sufficient to recreate Sauron's sinister gaze examining his domain, or seeking the One Ring.
A series of black candle elements support the Eye of Sauron from the back, with a Technic pin providing its sideways motion. This blue pin is quite conspicuous from behind, but the model is obviously intended for the back to be displayed. Admittedly, the horizontal bar is noticeable from both sides, visible through the trans-orange bricks, although some kind of support was needed and this is reasonably subtle.
However, I think the light brick could have been better concealed. This function is exceptional though, as the Great Eye looks stunning when lit. The many trans-orange parts catch the light brilliantly and I love the attached spiky blades, adding some texture. On the other hand, a case could be made for an orange light brick to replace the red one, which arguably looks too dark. Nevertheless, the Eye is expertly executed.
Overall
10316 The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell was probably my favourite set produced last year and 10333 The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr is an outstanding counterpart to the Elven settlement. Their architectural styles provide a stunning contrast and the Dark Fortress represents the end of the Fellowship's journey, with Imladris at its beginning.
Furthermore, this model is highly detailed and makes brilliant use of colour, which is surprising for a structure so dominated by black. Nonetheless, the warm rocks around the lava are clever and I love the use of object source lighting, especially around the Eye of Sauron. The design of the flaming Eye is also a highlight, as is Sauron's long-awaited minifigure portrayal.
That being said, I find the interiors mixed in quality. Of course, we see basically nothing of the tower's interior in the films, but I still think there was a greater opportunity to draw on Sauron's known history. Even so, this is another wonderful addition to the growing The Lord of the Rings range and the price of £399.99, $459.99 or €459.99 seems reasonable, given the scale of the tower.
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76 comments on this article
I want to love this set, but it lacks the elegance of form of Orthanc. Perhaps it looks better in person, but with all that chunky rock work and splashes of colour, it is not nearly as imposing, and not as beautiful as the incomparable Rivendell.
I wish Lego would discover modern led with actual brightness and maybe even some attached battery box for continuous light.
A nerdy correction: Gollum is actually tortured in a separate fortress, I believe.
A nerdy question: Does anyone know if this is roughly to scale with the Orthanc set?
A nerdy observation: I am not a fan of the pupiless eyes like Gollum's. Better used for blind characters like Chirrut in Rogue One or Frodo's alternate expression.
BUT great set that matches the original LotR line better than Rivendell (in my opinion)
I love the set but I have to say I’m underwhelmed by the figs, apart from Sauron, which is wonderful.
Very detailed, as it should be, despite the artistic licenses. However, I think LotR locations deserve midscale treatment, like Star Wars 2024 starships. Imagine the two towers, Minas Tirith, Rivendell, Helm's Deep, the Shire in this scale.
Wonderfull to see but way to big and pricey for me sadly.
Great minifigs aghhh I'll never get.
@CapnRex101 The slaves were responsible for growing the crops and such, they were liberated after the fall of Sauron.
I wonder if LEGO would consider doing the pick a brick designer set thing (like the bricklink designer program) for tower extension - just the top 2 bits, no interiors, no stickers, parts in a box and a manual in PDF.
I assume not and any extensions will have to be bought off rebrickable or some such.
Planning to get it eventually, but the GWP is so underwhelming that I decided to buy Rivendell now as it's cheaper for me by roughly the cost of a display case and CBA to dust it off.
It looks a stunning set and amongst the best releases of this year so far. However Rivendell for sure still looks the better of the two sets overall.
I like it and will buy it June 1st in order to get the Fell Beast.
I will however be making modifications: reducing the amount of rock formation and adding another story to the tower.
I like the minifigures but the rest of it just looks boring to build and look at.
@brickwich said:
"A nerdy correction: Gollum is actually tortured in a separate fortress, I believe.
A nerdy question: Does anyone know if this is roughly to scale with the Orthanc set?
A nerdy observation: I am not a fan of the pupiless eyes like Gollum's. Better used for blind characters like Chirrut in Rogue One or Frodo's alternate expression.
BUT great set that matches the original LotR line better than Rivendell (in my opinion)"
Gollum was in fact taken to Barad-Dur.
The scale is not even close. Orthanc is tiny compared to Barad-Dur. 150 metres compared to 1500.
Maybe the set would have looked better without the rocks in the middle section, or if they had used only darker grey.
I'm glad you actually criticised Frodo and Sam, it's the only think I truly don't like about this fantastic set. Most other LAN reviews are like "So cool to get their helmets" so it's nice to see a more genuine review.
It is a strange set, not beautiful nor playable, depending really on the fans. So it should have been reviewed by fans ahead of completion. The Frodo and Sam minifigs are very disappointing. I also think not having structural black around the Eye at all is weird. On the plus side I agree the Palantir is nice, especially since I only have the matching 79005 one.
Sam's sword, though, is Sting, so it is really Frodo's when in Mordor since Bilbo passes it onto him. But I guess Sam keeps it at the end, so it's not a correction.
It will be MINE..... probably for Christmas. Got too many summer projects/expenses coming up.
Dang I thought people would be excited for LOTR to get more sets after so long. Looks like big black rock spire tower is boring to people when they have to focus on the tower and not just the eye.
I'm not really bothered by Frodo and Samwise lacking dirt stains, but Gollum looks a bit like a downgrade from the old 2012-2015 versions: Wrong arms that no longer can hold the Ring properly and that loincloth color choice is way too subtle. At first glance I thought they didn't print it at all.
I do like it but personally I feel like a smaller scale model with no interior detail, but with some landscape around with vignettes of Sam and Frodo's journey through Mordor, would be better.
Like if there was a little pass to the left with Shelob, a spot with orcs marching in front of Orthanc for you to disguise Frodo and Sam in, and then a small mountain with a chamber depicting Mount Doon to the right.
I wish that Sauron throne room is placed higher, more accurate Frodo/Sam and the library is replaced by some sort of mystical chamber with artifacts.
It would be interesting to see this without the mountain feature as I'm not sure that works. Probably need to see this in the flesh, but that might be awhile, when my wallet has recovered from buying other sets.
That new shield gives me hope (probably a fools hope) that a new castle theme might me coming.
"The instruction manual notes the mysterious origin of this carrot, as somehow I doubt vegetables grow in Mordor."
The question is raised in the books by Sam, and the narrative points out that just because the bit they're crossing to get to the volcano is all pumice and ash that doesn't mean the rest of the country is. The southern half of Mordor is farmland, worked by slaves.
I don’t think the decision to recreate the citadel at the base of Barad-dûr was the right one, it’s not particularly memorable and adds a lot to the cost of the set. I’d rather the designer cut off everything below the rock outcropping and focused on the tower itself, which seems to be its strongest point.
That’s not how LEGO sets are designed, so I guess what I’m really expressing is the hope that LEGO had targeted a lower price point.
@OwenW said:
" @brickwich said:
"A nerdy correction: Gollum is actually tortured in a separate fortress, I believe.
A nerdy question: Does anyone know if this is roughly to scale with the Orthanc set?
A nerdy observation: I am not a fan of the pupiless eyes like Gollum's. Better used for blind characters like Chirrut in Rogue One or Frodo's alternate expression.
BUT great set that matches the original LotR line better than Rivendell (in my opinion)"
Gollum was in fact taken to Barad-Dur.
The scale is not even close. Orthanc is tiny compared to Barad-Dur. 150 metres compared to 1500."
Thanks OwenW. They don't show Sauron's eye in that scene, so in my mind it was another fortress like the one Frodo was taken to after Shelob stuns him.
And yes, apparently not close to scale at all!
Another New Zealand architecture set!
And it's just as good as last year's one too!
That Mouth of Saron looks like something from Hellraiser.
The colors are inspired, but I personally don’t find the subject matter as appealing as Rivendell. If there are more sets in the works, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Lothlorien or smaller dioramas!
Looking forward to this set, if not exactly excited for it like I was with 10237 Orthanc. That being said, I couldn’t read the review.
Maybe it’s just me, but I try not to read reviews of or look at completed models in store of sets that I am confident I will be getting. I desperately want to hold on to the wonder of discovering everything about a set during the build. This was especially true in previous years when the box artwork was simply so magical that a part of me would inevitably feel let down when finally seeing the set completed.
Does anyone else go through this?
@Unikittius said:
"I don’t think the decision to recreate the citadel at the base of Barad-dûr was the right one, it’s not particularly memorable and adds a lot to the cost of the set. I’d rather the designer cut off everything below the rock outcropping and focused on the tower itself, which seems to be its strongest point.
That’s not how LEGO sets are designed, so I guess what I’m really expressing is the hope that LEGO had targeted a lower price point."
Yeah, they design sets to a price point they know they can get. And they'll sell this very well.
But yeah, with the advent now of the midi-scale sets, I'd guess they're going to do smaller versions of best selling UCS styled sets, even if they're not Star Wars.
You see it with 21056 Taj Mahal, 40478 Mini Disney Castle, and even this set too 40708 Mini Disney Ariel's Castle.
I wouldn't be surprised down the road you'll see a midi-scaled Barad-Dur and Orthanc too.
I got a 12" plus tall Barad-dur from a knock-off brand. It was a cool fun build and looks nice on display too. Clutch and brick quality decent and it came with a round printed Eye of Sauron globe element that lit up with a round 2x2 cylinder light brick. Only issues with this set, it's built out of a book similar to 40291Creative Personalities, but just a small stability issue, but was an easy fix. Also the round light-brick needs to turn to activate and it's tough to get your fingers proper with it, and one brick instead of dark grey came in light bluish grey.
The colors look great. Lego is way better at color than many MOCers (not all of course), and straight black would've been very bland. Even Orthanc which is almost entirely black has grays peppered throughout for contrast.
Gollum looks terrible next to his 2010s counterpart.
Probably not gonna get this, but it looks so impressive! I kinda want the helmet pack to use for some evil Star Wars droids.
@hawk_JK said:
"I want to love this set, but it lacks the elegance of form of Orthanc. Perhaps it looks better in person, but with all that chunky rock work and splashes of colour, it is not nearly as imposing, and not as beautiful as the incomparable Rivendell. "
I agree, the bottom 2/3 of the tower and the interior seem far more crude/unsophisticated compared to Orthanc and Rivendell, and it for the most part lacks the beauty and Elegance that both possess.
I have both previous sets, but unfortunately I don't feel this set is as worth the cost to get for me.
@brickwich said:
"A nerdy correction: Gollum is actually tortured in a separate fortress, I believe.
A nerdy question: Does anyone know if this is roughly to scale with the Orthanc set?
A nerdy observation: I am not a fan of the pupiless eyes like Gollum's. Better used for blind characters like Chirrut in Rogue One or Frodo's alternate expression.
BUT great set that matches the original LotR line better than Rivendell (in my opinion)"
It's not even close to being in scale with orthanc. I think Barad Dur is literally ten times taller in universe
@OwenW said:
"I'm glad you actually criticised Frodo and Sam, it's the only think I truly don't like about this fantastic set. Most other LAN reviews are like "So cool to get their helmets" so it's nice to see a more genuine review."
Amen. The LAN is full of boring cheerleaders drinking the free Cool-Aid.
Thanks, @CapnRex101 for the straight dope. One question, many reviewers have noted that the door mechanism is difficult to operate or is stressed. Have you anything to add?
I'm quite conflicted about the figs. Molded helmets and detailed prints look nice. But, there's a host of issues.
The blind orcs and Golem. I do not appreciate this new Lego graphic design aesthetic. It was previously used for characters who are blind or in the thrall of some force. Now, the design message has become confused, and customers are justifably upset. Moreover, the characters without dark eye accents look vague and without definite character. Poor choice.
Frodo and Sam are stupid and lazy. Unbelievable, in a set this expensive.
It's also incredibly cheap to only provide 4 orcs. There are that many stone minifigs in Rivendell. Also, there should be chest armour for the other orcs (albeit, unprinted would suffice).
Otherwise, I agree with the review. I'm appreciative the line of sets remains unbroken, and hope for more. I really wanted to LOVE this, but the final result is too uneven. Nevertheless, the somewhat decent GWP will motivate my D1 purchase.
(At least it's not patches!)
I had not realized that the "lit" effect on the top of the tower was actually part of the set and not just on the box art, but it looks amazing.
The most stunning use of colour in a set, this will be welcome in future specific designs.
Original gollum is preferable.
I think more tower, less base would sell this better but manufacturers do tie themselves to film licenses rather than more flexible book based remimaginings.
The missed opportunity: the meat on the menu should be ribEYE steak!!!!!
It’s an achievement in rock based Lego but Fraggle Rock would surpass with interior.
@brickwich said:
"A nerdy correction: Gollum is actually tortured in a separate fortress, I believe.
A nerdy question: Does anyone know if this is roughly to scale with the Orthanc set?"
No, Gollum was brought to Barad-Dûr and tortured by Sauron himself.
And no, Barad-Dûr in the movies is supposed to be about ten times as high as Orthanc. (In the book the Dark Tower‘s height is not discussed.) The Lego version is only about twenty percent higher, if I‘m not mistaken.
@lytly said:
" @brickwich said:
"A nerdy correction: Gollum is actually tortured in a separate fortress, I believe.
A nerdy question: Does anyone know if this is roughly to scale with the Orthanc set?"
No, Gollum was brought to Barad-Dûr and tortured by Sauron himself.
And no, Barad-Dûr in the movies is supposed to be about ten times as high as Orthanc. (In the book the Dark Tower‘s height is not discussed.) The Lego version is only about twenty percent higher, if I‘m not mistaken."
Lego version comparison:
https://jaysbrickblog.com/news/heres-how-tall-lego-10333-barad-dur-is-plus-how-it-compares-to-orthanc-and-other-tall-sets/
@StyleCounselor said:
" @lytly said:
" @brickwich said:
"A nerdy correction: Gollum is actually tortured in a separate fortress, I believe.
A nerdy question: Does anyone know if this is roughly to scale with the Orthanc set?"
No, Gollum was brought to Barad-Dûr and tortured by Sauron himself.
And no, Barad-Dûr in the movies is supposed to be about ten times as high as Orthanc. (In the book the Dark Tower‘s height is not discussed.) The Lego version is only about twenty percent higher, if I‘m not mistaken."
Lego version comparison:
https://jaysbrickblog.com/news/heres-how-tall-lego-10333-barad-dur-is-plus-how-it-compares-to-orthanc-and-other-tall-sets/"
Thank you all for the other AFOL links as I’m generally monogamous to @Huw.
On a side note, bon chance ce soir, Grand Moff Jokic.
@yellowcastle said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @lytly said:
" @brickwich said:
"A nerdy correction: Gollum is actually tortured in a separate fortress, I believe.
A nerdy question: Does anyone know if this is roughly to scale with the Orthanc set?"
No, Gollum was brought to Barad-Dûr and tortured by Sauron himself.
And no, Barad-Dûr in the movies is supposed to be about ten times as high as Orthanc. (In the book the Dark Tower‘s height is not discussed.) The Lego version is only about twenty percent higher, if I‘m not mistaken."
Lego version comparison:
https://jaysbrickblog.com/news/heres-how-tall-lego-10333-barad-dur-is-plus-how-it-compares-to-orthanc-and-other-tall-sets/"
Thank you all for the other AFOL links as I’m generally monogamous to @Huw.
On a side note, bon chance ce soir, Grand Moff Jokic.
"
Merci!
Aujourd’hui, c’est le vrai Game Day!! Espérons que nous serons féroces. Au dernier match, nous avons joué comme le chaton de Huw.
I love the figure of Sauron.
The eye is great.
But stickers on the insides of panels is a reason why I don't buy a set, and putting stickers on the inside of curved panels is just downright cruel.
I was surprised to see that Antica Bracanov had designed this. And her username here is @_Galadriel_! Defecting, Antica? I also disagree that t also disagree that the Avatar/Toy Story legs woul word; sure, he'd be taller, but it'd be a comical tall, not an imposing one.
Fabulous review as always Cap! I submitted a Barad dur set on the Ideas platform back in 2019 and I'm delighted that Lego has made Barad Dur a reality! I love what Lego have done with the bottom level and the kitchen is growing on me, especially the opportunity to enjoy the quote, "Meat is back on the menu boys" every time I look at it. My throne room had all the rings that Sauron had recovered from the dwarfs and ringwraiths on the walls. This looked really cool and is a pity that the designers didn't include them. My upper floors had a trophy room, including the staves of the blue wizards and a "most wanted' room with portraits of Gandalf, Radagast (but could have included Aragorn, Galadriel, etc). Mine also had a library and I agree that this should have been brick built rather then stickers (I hate stickers). I think it would have been great to have a dressing room for the ringwraiths, but I'll hold out hope that Lego builds Minas Morgul to include this and the witch king! I will buy this day 1 and enjoy every moment building it. Can't wait to display it side by side with MOC and delight in the wonderful solutions the Lego designers came up with to overcome all that black (which I failed dismally)!
Technical point.
This is actually the SECOND appearance of a minifigure based on Sauron. The first is actually from the expanded range of The Hobbit (unnecessary) Trilogy sets. Set 79014 Dol Guldur Battle features the minifigure of The Necromancer, who is a lesser Sauron separated from his body after losing his Ring.
@Rimefang said:
"Technical point.
This is actually the SECOND appearance of a minifigure based on Sauron. The first is actually from the expanded range of The Hobbit (unnecessary) Trilogy sets. Set 79014 Dol Guldur Battle features the minifigure of The Necromancer, who is a lesser Sauron separated from his body after losing his Ring."
Aw yeah, let's get all Tolkien geek up in here!
@brickwich:
The orcs in the tower at Cirith Ungol clearly state that Frodo is to be sent, unharmed, to the Eye. It therefore makes sense that Gollum would also be passed, unharmed, to the big boss for questioning. The last thing Sauron would want is for one of his more powerful underlings to get ahold of the One Ring and turn against him. Saruman was clearly plotting to double-cross him (apparently he'd even secretly created his own, much less powerful ring), but I've seen theories that if the Balrog had managed to get ahold of it in Moria, Sauron would have been outmatched.
Regarding the height of Barad-dûr, Jackson wanted it to be impossibly tall, unable to support its own weight without Sauron's magic to hold it up. Orthanc may have been built by Wizards, but they had higher priorities than propping up a spire in the middle of the countryside.
Fantastic set!
So much to like:
It’s huge, looks awesome on display, great use of colour - it could easily have been all-black, and quite boring! - awesome minifigures (except they could have done more with Frodo & Sam), great Eye, nice light feature, solid interiors, and a not-stupid price!
I don’t know why almost every comment above is so critical!…. Flabbergasting!
Some people are just NEVER happy!
Fantastic review. I really love how this set turned out and I think it is much more in line with the sets from 10 years ago than Rivendell is. While there are a handful of subjects that I think should have been built for the original run, Barad Dur is probably the most important one and is going to look incredible sitting next to Orthanc.
I love the interiors since it is pretty much identical to the design of Orthanc so will make perfect sense next to it, and I was hoping they would do this. However, since we never got to see the interior, I was hoping that it might have represented other scenes from the movie such as Sam fighting orcs as he went up the stairs to save Frodo. I think that would have been fantastic as it is very unlikely that we would ever get that tower. Although meat is back on the menu is an excellent reference.
Given that Lego made this expandable, I wonder if they could possibly make an expansion set like they did for Helms Deep, that would certainly be a very welcome addition and a great orc battle pack.
Odd that they replaced Sting with a generic sword, even though the iconic weapon was already made for the Rivendell set.
@StyleCounselor said:
" @yellowcastle said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @lytly said:
" @brickwich said:
"A nerdy correction: Gollum is actually tortured in a separate fortress, I believe.
A nerdy question: Does anyone know if this is roughly to scale with the Orthanc set?"
No, Gollum was brought to Barad-Dûr and tortured by Sauron himself.
And no, Barad-Dûr in the movies is supposed to be about ten times as high as Orthanc. (In the book the Dark Tower‘s height is not discussed.) The Lego version is only about twenty percent higher, if I‘m not mistaken."
Lego version comparison:
https://jaysbrickblog.com/news/heres-how-tall-lego-10333-barad-dur-is-plus-how-it-compares-to-orthanc-and-other-tall-sets/"
Thank you all for the other AFOL links as I’m generally monogamous to @Huw.
On a side note, bon chance ce soir, Grand Moff Jokic.
"
Merci!
Aujourd’hui, c’est le vrai Game Day!! Espérons que nous serons féroces. Au dernier match, nous avons joué comme le chaton de Huw."
C'est domage! Quelle tragédie. :(
@alfred_the_buttler:
Well, we did see the interior of Orthanc, and all I really saw was a Palantir with the mother of all cathedral ceilings. It’s empty all the way to the top, not filled with multiple floors. But that makes for quite the boring interior, don’t you think?
@PurpleDave said:
" @alfred_the_buttler:
Well, we did see the interior of Orthanc, and all I really saw was a Palantir with the mother of all cathedral ceilings. It’s empty all the way to the top, not filled with multiple floors. But that makes for quite the boring interior, don’t you think?"
That's not true, we also see sarumons study/library and the room with the balcony several times in the two towers as well.
@StyleCounselor said:
Merci!
Aujourd’hui, c’est le vrai Game Day!! Espérons que nous serons féroces. Au dernier match, nous avons joué comme le chaton de Huw.
____________________________________________________
Peut-etre les joueurs sont merde? :-)))
@StyleCounselor said:
" @OwenW said:
"I'm glad you actually criticised Frodo and Sam, it's the only think I truly don't like about this fantastic set. Most other LAN reviews are like "So cool to get their helmets" so it's nice to see a more genuine review."
Amen. The LAN is full of boring cheerleaders drinking the free Cool-Aid.
Thanks, @CapnRex101 for the straight dope. One question, many reviewers have noted that the door mechanism is difficult to operate or is stressed. Have you anything to add?"
I think the door mechanism operates well, but I can see what others mean because the gear racks add some friction to the mechanism, so it is not as smooth as some might expect. It is certainly not under stress though, as far as I can tell.
@Rimefang said:
"Technical point.
This is actually the SECOND appearance of a minifigure based on Sauron. The first is actually from the expanded range of The Hobbit (unnecessary) Trilogy sets. Set 79014 Dol Guldur Battle features the minifigure of The Necromancer, who is a lesser Sauron separated from his body after losing his Ring."
True, although the fully armoured Sauron is the version everyone really wanted, of course. I well remember the frustration when the original theme seemed to be coming to an end and all we had was The Necromancer!
@Rimefang said:
"Technical point.
This is actually the SECOND appearance of a minifigure based on Sauron. The first is actually from the expanded range of The Hobbit (unnecessary) Trilogy sets. Set 79014 Dol Guldur Battle features the minifigure of The Necromancer, who is a lesser Sauron separated from his body after losing his Ring."
Technically true, but let's face it, 79014's Necromancer was a LITERALLY a pale shadow of the awesome armored Sauron. Plus, one would hope-even if the hope is a faint one-that Lego might choose to make use of the mold to give us the fiery version of Sauron scene when he drops his Necromancer guise in the second and third Hobbit films.
@CapnRex101 said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @OwenW said:
"I'm glad you actually criticised Frodo and Sam, it's the only think I truly don't like about this fantastic set. Most other LAN reviews are like "So cool to get their helmets" so it's nice to see a more genuine review."
Amen. The LAN is full of boring cheerleaders drinking the free Cool-Aid.
Thanks, @CapnRex101 for the straight dope. One question, many reviewers have noted that the door mechanism is difficult to operate or is stressed. Have you anything to add?"
I think the door mechanism operates well, but I can see what others mean because the gear racks add some friction to the mechanism, so it is not as smooth as some might expect. It is certainly not under stress though, as far as I can tell.
@Rimefang said:
"Technical point.
This is actually the SECOND appearance of a minifigure based on Sauron. The first is actually from the expanded range of The Hobbit (unnecessary) Trilogy sets. Set 79014 Dol Guldur Battle features the minifigure of The Necromancer, who is a lesser Sauron separated from his body after losing his Ring."
True, although the fully armoured Sauron is the version everyone really wanted, of course. I well remember the frustration when the original theme seemed to be coming to an end and all we had was The Necromancer!"
Thanks for the update.
@PurpleDave Both Sauron and ballrogs started as Maiar, sauron had put most of his power in the ring so without it sauron could be overpowered, same as when galadriel or gandalf would use it.
But power is hard to measure in Tolkiens work since he likely wanted some drama/heroics.
Like Morgoth vs Fingolfin and a few of the other duals between "equals"
@TheOtherMike said:
"I was surprised to see that Antica Bracanov had designed this. And her username here is @_Galadriel_! Defecting, Antica? I also disagree that t also disagree that the Avatar/Toy Story legs woul word; sure, he'd be taller, but it'd be a comical tall, not an imposing one."
It's certainly nice to see a woman having the opportunity to promote a large set as a head designer. Quite rare for Lego. I think that's fantastic, and about time.
I just wish the interior had the dungeons etc. the Cap'n mentioned. The kitchen being the largest room seems poorly thought out.
@JimBaggins:
What I remember is that the room where they had their fight is several stories tall, and the fact that Gandalf is flung against the ceiling and immediately afterwards show on the top of the tower suggests, at least in my mind, that there’s no rooms above that space. We do know that there are rooms below that, like the storeroom that Merry and Pippen discover.
@CapnRex101:
As with any Technic mechanism, how well you construct it is going to influence how well it works. If you pinch the gears, or don’t fully seat all of the bricks, binding of moving parts, or clipping of corners against each other, is a high probability. When I first read that comment, my first thought was not whether you got lucky, but if others had perhaps been rushing to get the thing built.
Its a Goth Disney Castle!! ??????
@yellowcastle said:
"Looking forward to this set, if not exactly excited for it like I was with 10237 Orthanc. That being said, I couldn’t read the review.
Maybe it’s just me, but I try not to read reviews of or look at completed models in store of sets that I am confident I will be getting. I desperately want to hold on to the wonder of discovering everything about a set during the build. This was especially true in previous years when the box artwork was simply so magical that a part of me would inevitably feel let down when finally seeing the set completed.
Does anyone else go through this?"
Totally. I did that with Rivendell and it was the best building experience I have ever had.
"Only in black, or sometimes very very dark grey."
Not for me but for LOTR fans I can appreciate it being a must buy. Trickier to measure from last year's Rivendell which was gorgeous in the subject matter and expertly delivered.
Genuine question of interest, would people prefer a high price point like this or smaller sets depicting numerous LOTR scenes with a wider range of mini figures?
@Zakalwe72 said:
"Not for me but for LOTR fans I can appreciate it being a must buy. Trickier to measure from last year's Rivendell which was gorgeous in the subject matter and expertly delivered.
Genuine question of interest, would people prefer a high price point like this or smaller sets depicting numerous LOTR scenes with a wider range of mini figures? "
I'd definitely prefer having some smaller more affordable sets and battle packs to fill up the scens
@ecleme11 said:
" @Zakalwe72 said:
"Not for me but for LOTR fans I can appreciate it being a must buy. Trickier to measure from last year's Rivendell which was gorgeous in the subject matter and expertly delivered.
Genuine question of interest, would people prefer a high price point like this or smaller sets depicting numerous LOTR scenes with a wider range of mini figures? "
I'd definitely prefer having some smaller more affordable sets and battle packs to fill up the scens "
Why choose? Give us both!
Definitely tho smaller sets with 3-4 figs would be great and a more economical way to fill in and flesh out the larger sets as ecleme11 suggests.
@StyleCounselor said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
"I was surprised to see that Antica Bracanov had designed this. And her username here is @_Galadriel_! Defecting, Antica? I also disagree that t also disagree that the Avatar/Toy Story legs woul word; sure, he'd be taller, but it'd be a comical tall, not an imposing one."
It's certainly nice to see a woman having the opportunity to promote a large set as a head designer. Quite rare for Lego. I think that's fantastic, and about time.
I just wish the interior had the dungeons etc. the Cap'n mentioned. The kitchen being the largest room seems poorly thought out. "
I'm wondering if this is intended as coded humor, and if so I'm here for it. Leave it to a woman to emphasize the kitchen, eh? And the "it's about time" comment reminded me of that scene in Thor: Ragnarok where he says that about the ancient Valkyries. Nice job :-).
@oukexergon said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
"I was surprised to see that Antica Bracanov had designed this. And her username here is @_Galadriel_! Defecting, Antica? I also disagree that t also disagree that the Avatar/Toy Story legs woul word; sure, he'd be taller, but it'd be a comical tall, not an imposing one."
It's certainly nice to see a woman having the opportunity to promote a large set as a head designer. Quite rare for Lego. I think that's fantastic, and about time.
I just wish the interior had the dungeons etc. the Cap'n mentioned. The kitchen being the largest room seems poorly thought out. "
I'm wondering if this is intended as coded humor, and if so I'm here for it. Leave it to a woman to emphasize the kitchen, eh? And the "it's about time" comment reminded me of that scene in Thor: Ragnarok where he says that about the ancient Valkyries. Nice job :-)."
No, seriously, I think it's great that a woman is getting the opportunity.
Unfortunately, I don't think she did a great job. Good? Yes. But, the set has issues (mostly with the figs). The extra large kitchen is silly.
I'm all for the advancement of women, but that doesn't mean they're immune from criticism.
Yes, yes, yes this IS nice l, but I still prefer the genuine Hobbit/LotR-THEME back in the day to these expensive huge Icons sets.
For roughly the same amount of money (yes, not adjusted for inflation) I could get ten sets with 45 figures back then. But I could pick and choose from little sets like 9469 Gandalf's little carriage or go for a whopper like 9474 Helm's Deep (which I - alas! - did not buy).
I have neither the space nor the patience of my wife for this huge set.
@TheRichrocker: I bought 9474, but I regret not getting 9471 for multiple reasons. Not only to extend the wall, but it's the only set with Eomer, and that Uruk-Hai ballista is pretty sweet, too.
No-one thinks that bright red in the orc is weird ? I mean it's almost the only bright color of the whole set
@TheRichrocker said:
"Yes, yes, yes this IS nice l, but I still prefer the genuine Hobbit/LotR-THEME back in the day to these expensive huge Icons sets.
For roughly the same amount of money (yes, not adjusted for inflation) I could get ten sets with 45 figures back then. But I could pick and choose from little sets like 9469 Gandalf's little carriage or go for a whopper like 9474 Helm's Deep (which I - alas! - did not buy).
I have neither the space nor the patience of my wife for this huge set."
That is a good point about the size of this set. Not everyone (myself included!) has the room for this, as nice as I think it looks, I just don't have enough room for something this large.
And let’s hope Sauron stays exclusive to the Barad-Dûr, as was Rex to the Venator….wink…wink…
Not as amazing as Rivendell, but day one purchase nevertheless :-)
My order for this was placed almost immediately when sales opened. It was confirmed by Lego 30 minutes after the opening of sales. Today, Lego has canceled my Fell Beast order and blames scarcity.
Lego is making it extremely hard to be a fan. I hate this company sometimes (today).
Sauron could have been the most impressive minifigure in the history of LEGO and justified a set price that could've done justice to the grandeur of Barad-dûr. Lego has already done it! Avatar (Sully), Toy Story (Woody), Harry Potter (Hagrid), and even The Hobbit (Azog) all deserve and have upscaled minifigures.
Sauron should be upscaled as he was seen in his last physical form (fighting Isildur) and have a separate helmet, chestpiece, and mace. Those designs were some of the high points of the entire LotR trilogy!
I cannot recall how many times I have wished LotR had license advocates as effective as JK Rowling's.
LEGO seems to continue to reject the idea that a large number of fans start their love of LEGO because of minifigures. Sauron could have had (and I trust at some point in the future will have) a minifigure that does justice to Peter Jackson's team's design in one of the most incredible openings in movie history.