Review: 70909 Batcave Break-In
Posted by CapnRex101,
The Batcave is reimagined for each incarnation of the Caped Crusader and it inevitably forms a central location within The LEGO Batman Movie, housing a vast array of Batsuits and vehicles for every crime-fighting eventuality. 70909 Batcave Break-In is accordingly one of the largest sets in the first wave, priced at £109.99 or $99.99 and consisting of 1047 pieces.
However, past models of the Batcave have been very impressive and it is difficult to envisage this effort being similarly satisfying. The official images suggest that there are few play features to be found and detail seems to be lacking from certain areas of the set. Nevertheless, there are some excellent minifigures included and I hope to be pleasantly surprised.
Minifigures
Batman appears in all but two of the thirteen The LEGO Batman Movie sets released so far. His black suit looks splendid, with some muscle definition printed on both sides of the torso and a separate yellow utility belt element, a spare of which is also included. The cape is made from a soft fabric which allows Batman to sit in the Batboat without fear of creasing his attire.
Removing the cowl reveals a double-sided head which features scowling and bemused expressions, suitable for a hero who must deal with such cretinous and confusing characters as the Joker and the Condiment King on a daily basis. The standard Batman minifigure is certainly required in the Batcave but it would have been nice to see a more varied range of suits in a couple of the smaller sets.
This set, on the other hand, offers an impressive selection of outfits. The Raging Batsuit is suitable for boxing matches and includes a pair of purple gloves along with a dark blue cape and cowl and some yellow shorts. I love this bright colour scheme but the Bat-Pack Batsuit is even more impressive in that regard, with a shiny gold cape, pearl gold jacket and pearl gold cowl! The reverse of the cape is black to match the legs and a pink bow tie is also included. This is cleverly shaped to resemble Batman's insignia and a golden microphone completes the figure.
The Scu-Batsuit is the most traditional of the three outfits and recalls the design of the Deep Sea Diver from the first series of Collectable Minifigures, with a blue, black and orange colour scheme. It features an orange breathing apparatus, flippers and a belt which is also worn in this colour by Catwoman in 70912 Arkham Asylum. A white head supports the cowl while the outfits are on the rack but these can be swapped for Batman's head if they are being worn.
Bruce Wayne appears in almost every set based on the Batcave and this is my favourite version of the character yet. He wears an elegant white suit with a red boutonnière and black trim along with a new bow tie element which fits between the torso and head. This is only available elsewhere in 70908 The Scuttler, although there it is cast in dark blue while this one is black. Presumably it will appear in future sets as well.
The head is printed with a confident smile on one side and a winking expression on the other. This winking expression is particularly pleasing and I like the black hair piece which has been chosen as it suits Bruce Wayne's personality quite well. Furthermore, it is exclusive in this colour, having only been introduced with last year's Dog Show Winner Collectable Minifigure. The figure comes with a trans-clear goblet so you can recreate Commissioner Gordon's retirement party from the movie.
Alfred Pennyworth occupies a vital role in The LEGO Batman Movie and is only currently available in this set which is a little disappointing. Nevertheless, this is a brilliant minifigure, featuring an unusual hair piece which first appeared in the tenth series of Collectable Minifigures and a kindly expression befitting Bruce's faithful butler. A separate collar element fits around the neck and this looks great, matching the white gloves and shirt nicely.
The front of the torso is printed with a dark blue jacket and striped waistcoat but the printing does not continue into the back. Instead, a fabric elements fits around the waist to represent the tails of the jacket. Mickey Mouse wears a similar outfit in 71040 Disney Castle and he also lacks back printing so one must assume that LEGO has decided that minifigures wearing fabric tails do not require a printed design on the back of the torso. I would certainly have liked to see some back printing but Alfred looks perfect from the front.
Back printing is also absent from the torso of the Penguin but the rest of the figure is splendid. It is based on the monstrous version of the character from Batman Returns so features a light aqua head which looks rather sickly and is printed with bared teeth and a monocle. I like his new hat, although cannot help feeling that such an absurdly enormous accessory would be better suited to Mad Hatter, one of few major Batman villains who does not appear in The LEGO Batman Movie.
Penguin wears a black jacket with a large fur collar. This is represented by a separate piece similar to that seen on Kraven the Hunter in 76057 Spider-Man: Web Warriors Ultimate Bridge Battle and includes some furry texture which looks fairly realistic. Unfortunately the collar is not held in place securely so tends to wobble when the figure is being moved around. However, I love the bulging waistline on the torso and the blue spots on the scarf add a welcome splash of colour.
Penguin is rarely seen without an umbrella but this is the first appearance of a specialised piece and it looks splendid, with a curved handle and some moulded detail to represent the folded canopy and a strap. Lester is shown with an identical umbrella in promotional material for the Leicester Square LEGO Store so the existence of this accessory surely increases the likelihood of a widely available Lester minifigure at some point.
The Penguin is accompanied by two Hench-Penguins, robotic servants which are only distinguishable from real penguins by their piercing red eyes and the heavy weaponry which they often carry. This is mounted on a single stud and each figure is printed with a white belly, orange feet and an orange beak, much like the animal found in the sixteenth series of the Collectable Minifigures.
The Completed Model
The Penguin's Duckmobile is my favourite part of the set. It is laden with weapons to a comical degree and closely resembles the Penguin's vehicle from Batman Returns, with six wheels, beady eyes and an orange beak. Curved slopes are used to good effect on either side of the model and I like the 'duck and cover' stickers alongside the flick-fire missiles and stud shooters. A pair of white bombs hang down at the sides but these could also serve as flotation devices while the Duckmobile is in the water.
There is room for the Penguin to stand at the control yoke and a rotating propeller drives the model at the rear. I find it very difficult to choose between this vehicle and 70911 The Penguin Arctic Roller as both are excellent models and they suit their driver perfectly but the comic value of the Duckmobile is difficult to ignore!
Batman possesses a range of vehicles in The LEGO Batman Movie and the Batboat, known as Riptide, is one of the most prominent such craft, appearing on display in the Batcave and in action towards the end of the film. The vessel looks very sleek and features the red and black colour scheme typical of Batman's vehicles and includes a trans-yellow canopy which is new in this colour and may prove useful for Neo-Classic Space MOCs.
Opening the cockpit reveals a steering wheel and a display showing the status of the Batboat's critical systems. There is room for one minifigure and a couple of black ingot elements are used to create some texture. These are fairly rare, having only appeared in eight other sets to date. Long red stripes run the length of the bow and I found it quite difficult to apply such narrow stickers, although the results look great and this design matches that found on other vehicles in Batman's arsenal.
The Riptide is heavily armed with two spring-loaded shooters and four stud shooters, all of which are forward facing. The streaks of red are consistent across the model and terminate beside a pair of stylised fins at the stern. A large exhaust completes the model but this does not include a flame or any other means of suggesting that it is active, unlike the exhaust in 70905 The Batmobile. I like the relatively simple design of this vehicle as it reminds me of the Batboat from Batman: The Animated Series, although a wackier design might have been more consistent with The LEGO Batman Movie as a whole.
The Batcave itself occupies a large area, with a width of 40cm and a depth of almost 20cm. Past models have included plenty of rocky surfaces to give the impression that the space has been carved out beneath Wayne Manor but there are relatively few such areas in this set. Dark bluish grey and dark tan elements are used to represent the walls of the cave and this is somewhat effective, although I think the dark tan looks a little out of place.
A large podium is situated at the centre of the cave and Batman is able to monitor events Gotham City from a rotating chair at the top. The entire assembly can be rotated to adjust the angle of the Batboat boarding platform and this is mounted on a pair of Technic liftarms which allow it to be raised to the height of the control centre above. This function is very simple and works reasonably well, although the angle of the boarding platform must be manually adjusted and an automated function could probably have been implemented.
The Batcomputer is controlled using an enormous console which is covered with displays and dials of various colours, as well as a yellow mug. This rotates with the rest of the column but the enormous Batcomputer screen is fixed in place so it seems odd that the console moves. Batarangs are stored on either side of the computer and each one can be hidden away by rotating the black Technic dials visible in the image below. I see little point in functions like this one because they occupy a considerable number of parts but add very little play value.
The Batcomputer screen is the best part of the Batcave in my opinion. It consists of nine screens, with each one showing details about Batman's equipment or that of his opponent. These are formed using stickers but the symbol underneath is printed on a 2x2 tile which also appears in 10724 Batman & Superman vs. Lex Luthor.
The central section of the Batcave looks dreadful from the back, with an unsightly abundance of Technic liftarms and bricks which strengthen the model. These structural elements are vital but I think they could have been concealed using a few tiles, thereby allowing you to display the set from any side.
A catwalk runs around the upper perimeter of the model and it looks great, with some textured elements used to good effect and an attractive combination of colours. However, the catwalk does not connect to anything so seems to serve little purpose which is disappointing. A ladder at either end would solve this and fortunately it can be modified very easily.
Batman's costume changer is a mainstay of the Batcave but this is a particularly dull example as it simply rotates to switch between Bruce Wayne and Batman minifigures. I think the costume changer found in 6860 The Batcave is one of the best play features in any set and a similar function would have been ideal here, although the simplicity of this design ensures that it functions consistently.
The other side of the model includes a prison cell. There are two doors but only one room inside and the cell is very cramped, measuring just two studs deep. Yellow lights line the edge of the water and the cell doors open directly onto this so there is little opportunity for escape, except through the rear wall.
Luckily the wall is designed with just such a purpose in mind! Twisting the dial on the side will cause a panel to collapse, thereby allowing the villains to escape. It might have been nice to see a sticker on the inner surface of the wall, perhaps featuring a few tally marks to add some extra detail.
The final section of the Batcave is perhaps the most important. Batman's tremendous range of costumes is a defining feature of the character in The LEGO Batman Movie and a large portion of the cave is occupied by seemingly endless racks of themed attires! A total of four suits are included in this set but this carousel offers space for seven, allowing you to store some of the other costumes which are available in the Collectable Minifigures range and in polybags.
The platforms are constructed using very few pieces but the rotating feature works well and I appreciate the inclusion of an extra clip to hang the flippers for the Scu-Batsuit. This is not the most visually pleasing area of the set but is probably the most fun to play with. On the other hand, some more pieces should perhaps have been devoted to the rack for Batman's suits as it is such an important aspect of the film and it does look rather skeletal in its current state.
Overall
This set has a great deal of potential but it has not been fully realised in my opinion. The vehicles included are excellent but the Batcave itself is disappointing, offering relatively low playability and very little display value. The model occupies a large area but contains few functions and most of these are weaker than previous sets based on the Batcave as the requisite costume changer and prison were both far more impressive in 6860 The Batcave.
The LEGO Batman Movie has yielded an enormous range of sets and this is among the weakest of them in my opinion. The Batcave is integral to the film but this model is a poor representation of the location and I would not therefore recommend this set unless you are looking to complete your collection. The minifigures, however, are superb and it might be worth buying 70909 Batcave Break-In if the set becomes available at a considerable discount.
I hope you have found this review informative. Let us know by liking this article and share your thoughts on the set in the comments below.
This set was provided for review by The LEGO Group but the review is an expression of my own opinions.
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18 comments on this article
Amazing minifigures, that rubber duck is hilarious as well.
I really like it, this and about 4 other LBM sets really caught my eye,
I love penguin and his duck vehicle, reminds me of batman returns the only thing missing is max shriek and a blonde selina kyle..
Also the batman boxing glove minfig is great and so is Bruce Wayne in the tux..
If this comes down in price I might grab it, along with jokers low rider.
And the cat cycle chase 10/10 for this one lego..
That boat is my favourite bat-vehicles seen in sets. But the price is far too high to justify buying this set just for a boat worth £15 or £20. Nice review by the way! A new one always make my day! (No rhyme intended)
Thank you for the review. I like the Batcomputer and vehicles only. The tan color and the back of set are hideous. I will just stick with my 6860 Batcave set.
Hmm. I knew this set was not great, and my opinion has not changed. The structure doesn't do Batcave the justice it deserves. It's just way too small and the colors are poorly chosen.
The minifigs are fairly well done, but I do still think that both of the new bow tie pieces look too big.
As I recall, that one is bigger.
@LuvKernow - This canopy is smaller and was introduced with 75102 Poe's X-wing Fighter in 2015, although the shape is almost identical to that found in 70816 Benny's Spaceship.
I'd get it if it were on sale, besides that great review!
I, too, really like the vehicles but feel like the cave itself is lackluster. The Bat-computer in particular looks kind of terrible, especially compared to the one that comes with the larger Dimensions set (71264), which has a much nicer bat-shape to it.
I want to get this!
Meh. Might get this if it ever goes down to $60. Otherwise, just not worth it.
Here in the states, the Everyday Wal-Mart price on this set is a much more reasonable $88.
Not as good as it should be. I will agree with Jang it needs heavy Modding to make it good.
I don't get the desire to include prisons in the Batcave, or LEGO's constant desire to have the cave discovered. The cave is Batman's secret lair. He is not going to bring bad guys into it. He is going to leave them constrained where captured for the police to take to their cells. The piece count for the cell could be used instead to bring more play features that matter for the cave or to give it some hint of cave walls, etc., rather than this non-useful prison concept. Maybe next time. I like the figures though!
Thanks for a great review - and Your honest opinion of the set. I might get the set on discount just for the batsuits and might try to sell the rest of it...
Now could be the right moment for this: We can get it at 71,99€ at ToysRus in Germany this week.
I just love these hilarious batsuits! But regarding the rest of the range, I think, I may only get (and keep) the batwing.
I completely agree with this review and thanks for being so honest. I bought this set in January and was pretty disappointed with the actual Batcave as it isn't nearly as detailed as past Batcave models.
I will get the cockpit piece because it's the last bit I need to complete my classic space colours x-wing
My kids got the bat cave set 6860 sadly no characters only the pieces to build the cave and vehicles. So I got this set for my kids to build and play. I will think outside the box and combine the two sets. The part with batman suits looks kind limited, considering he has way more than 7 outfits. So I made a second one. That can hold another 7 outfits. Maybe the reason he has a cell in this set, is for villains who break into his bat cave. When he catches them he can put them in his personal jail until he can get a chance to send them to Arkham. The penguins duck looks cool and funny to. the bat boat is great for a cool water chase. There is a lot of movement and creative play. wish they will build the mansion, now that would be Cool.