Review: 76217 I am Groot
Posted by CapnRex101,
Baby Groot became an immediate phenomenon during 2017, inspiring countless products, which include an adorable LEGO figure. This character seems equally delightful here, displaying superb detail and conveying incredible personality from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
76217 I am Groot features extensive articulation too, providing many options for display and further opportunity to capture Groot's charming character. However, the round eyes divided opinion when this model was officially revealed.
Summary
76217 I am Groot, 476 pieces.
£44.99 / $54.99 / €49.99 | 9.5p/11.6c/10.5c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
Baby Groot looks adorable and includes great articulation, but also many stickers.
- Expressive face
- Outstanding texture
- Good balance and articulation
- Fun accessory
- Limited hip movement
- Large number of stickers
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
The Completed Model
Large-scale creations, approaching or periodically reaching life-size, have become increasingly common across the Marvel and Star Wars themes recently. 76217 I am Groot measures 26cm in height, so actually matches the size of his onscreen equivalent exactly! I am impressed that the designer, Justin Ramsden, has managed to achieve such accurate scaling.
Furthermore, this model includes numerous articulated joints, enabling remarkable poseability. Small ball joints are located at the shoulders, elbows and wrists, while larger joints support the waist, hips, knees and head. Dynamic posing is accordingly easy, especially since this figure is well-balanced, despite the substantial weight of Groot's head. The legs cannot move outwards though, unfortunately.
Broad feet are definitely helpful, providing a strong base for the model. Their proportions are appropriate though and the integration of olive green and reddish brown details is successful, complementing the predominant dark tan colour. Dark bluish grey and light bluish grey pieces are present, but those are unavoidable and reasonably well-hidden.
The olive green leaves decorating the feet are new in this colour and they are attached using dark bluish grey Technic bushes with friction. They are more frequently available in red, so an alternative colour should prove very useful. The reddish brown whip and plant stem pieces are welcome too, creating the impression of organic growth across Groot's body.
Stickers decorate each leg and continue across the torso and arms. The number of stickers is surprising and perhaps disappointing, although I like these repeated olive green and reddish brown highlights. Moreover, the texture on the torso seems pleasingly natural, including few recurring shapes or symmetrical features.
Baby Groot's arms feature similarly organic shapes, making clever use of different tiles and foliage to avoid repetition. The dark bluish grey ball joints are noticeable, but blend relatively well among the dark tan pieces. Also, leaving the joints exposed allows easy articulation. The fingers and thumbs are individually articulated as well, so Groot can grip accessories.
Intricate texture continues on Groot's back, where even anti-studs resemble uneven bark. Two more stickers are positioned here and the earthy colours are uninterrupted, so the model looks superb from every angle! The rounded structure behind the neck is particularly vital, concealing the joint inside and offering extra support for the head, which may otherwise tip backwards.
The head is undoubtedly the most recognisable part of Baby Groot, so I am delighted with its accurate shape. The amalgamation of curved slopes and tiles looks wonderful, secured using various clips and bars inside. However, perhaps most effective is Groot's mouth, which makes exceptional use of an inverted wheel arch to recreate his joyous expression.
Olive green wheel arches also form Groot's eyebrows, providing another interesting colour for this versatile element, which has appeared with unusual frequency this year. These large eyes attracted some criticism when the model was announced and their size is exaggerated, relative to the film. However, the printed eyes certainly communicate Groot's excitable personality, with his open mouth.
Clever blending of curved slopes and car bonnets continues around the head, with authentic asymmetry and scattered olive green accents. However, the lone sticker on the back of Baby Groot's head looks odd, since the surrounding parts are completely smooth. Otherwise, I love this whole structure.
Small information plaques have accompanied several sets, recently including 76206 Iron Man Figure. This example features the same Infinity Saga branding as its predecessor, beside the necessary information about Groot. Naturally, that is helpfully presented in Groot's distinctive language, which is an appealing feature of the plaque!
The Guardians of the Galaxy never travel without Peter Quill's cassettes, Awesome Mix Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. A life-size rendition of the cassette is therefore provided here, slotting perfectly into Baby Groot's hands and presenting substantial detail. The black, red and white colours appear accurate and stickers are applied to represent both cassettes.
The tape reels are ingeniously constructed using tyres, which are attached behind trans-clear panels. The resulting effect looks splendid from one side, while the other features an unsightly light bluish grey tile. While unfortunate, some method of securing the tape reels was necessary and the tile can be concealed easily on display.
Overall
Organic shapes are notoriously difficult to recreate using LEGO, particularly when adhering to stringent scaling requirements. 76217 I am Groot overcomes such potential problems though and looks outstanding, accurately replicating Baby Groot's distinct proportions and including amazing texture, most notably around the head.
The articulation has also exceeded my expectations, even though the hip movement is rather limited. Additionally, I think the number of stickers could have been reduced, while the price of £44.99, $54.99 or €49.99 seems relatively expensive. Despite these flaws, I think Baby Groot's LEGO incarnation warrants consideration for any Marvel collection.
138 likes
36 comments on this article
I think it's the mouth that is still throwing me off a bit, I think it might be a bit too wide and open.
That cassette tape though - it's brilliant. I forgot I was looking at Lego for a second.
I…am…GROOOOOOOOOOT!!!
I just want the tape!
He can lift a leg without falling over?!
It’s revolutionary!
It may sound that way, but seriously, I wasn’t being sarcastic ;)
At first I thought the dark tan color looks too washed out and well... ugly.
But that picture with the tree changes my mind. I suppose it's more realistic than I thought.
That said, the head still reminds me of the cursed money eating piggy bank
https://i.pinimg.com/474x/ab/39/6a/ab396a4751f30b96a47f079484a94c86.jpg
Crossed with some serious anime eyes. And I mean stuff like Itaru Hanoue's work (e.g. Clannad) or larger.
I still don't get why they are not using ratchet joints for the hips. They used these ball joints on 76206 and it doesn't work well. Apart from the lousy articulation they provide, the legs fall off easily when you try to get the figure in more extreme poses.
I love this! My only (minor) complaint is that it doesn't include the corresponding Baby Groot figure. I already own it (and love it), but it would have been nice to get it in this set--especially since TLG has changed the color they use for Groot since that figure was first introduced.
Still looks nightmarish to me, that cassette tape is sweet though.
That's not Groot, that's Abomination.
@VintageDude said:
"GROOT-E-Sque!
But I´ll have that cassette tape anyday!
The 80´s never left the building (or my life):
my car, VCR (VHS), Double Cassette Tape Stereo Tower,
stereo with double cassette and record (vinyl) player 33 1/3/45 RPM -
all of them are from the 80`s."
Get out of my loft!!
I previously built the one designed by buildbetterbricks.com. Their one had an openable mouth and rotatable eyebrows, which allowed it to have a range of facial expressions, at the cost of some accuracy. I wonder if that would have helped here, rather than making him permanently joyous
https://buildbetterbricks.com/products/custom-lego-guardians-of-the-galaxy-life-size-baby-groot-instructions
Wish they could have paneled over the exposed technic a little better... Still going to get this guy to live in the middle of my houseplants though.
@MZ_1 said:
"That's not Groot, that's Abomination."
I am Groot!
Looks cute. I just want too much, so probably will not end up buying him
Wow, he’s got a filthy mouth! That language would curdle a salty old sailor’s blood!
All I can think of when I see this model is the opening sequence of GoTG VII with Groot dancing around to the music while the others fit a large monster in the background! A definite must have for me :) Thanks for the great review :)
Those eyes still scare me. It's like he's staring into your soul...
What you call "unsightly" and "unfortunate", I call amazingly accurate: https://imgur.com/gallery/gFFpA7D
@VintageDude said:
"GROOT-E-Sque!
But I´ll have that cassette tape anyday!
The 80´s never left the building (or my life):
my car, VCR (VHS), Double Cassette Tape Stereo Tower,
stereo with double cassette and record (vinyl) player 33 1/3/45 RPM -
all of them are from the 80`s."
I know the 80's are all over the place these days, especially now that Stranger Things 4 is finally out.
But may I just recall that most (if not all) of the music on mum's mixtapes is from the 70's, which are great enough. ;)
@VintageDude said:
"GROOT-E-Sque!
But I´ll have that cassette tape anyday!
The 80´s never left the building (or my life):
my car, VCR (VHS), Double Cassette Tape Stereo Tower,
stereo with double cassette and record (vinyl) player 33 1/3/45 RPM -
all of them are from the 80`s."
My VCR started eating tapes... :(
I am Groot? I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot!
As someone who's been MOC'ing a transforming tree / plant "mech," I'm always interested in first-party treatment of humanoid trees. Yes, that's a very narrow universe encompassing Groot and Ents, as far as I know.
@bgruner said:
"What you call "unsightly" and "unfortunate", I call amazingly accurate: https://imgur.com/gallery/gFFpA7D "
The grey band would be accurate for some tapes, but not the Awesome Mix cassettes.
@VintageDude, I still have a working VCR. I don’t use it but it’s there should I need it.
@Padmewan: I am still upset that the LotR line didn't give us an Ent.
Haven't seen the movies (yet), and all of those stickers....yet I do really like this set! And already seen it discounted for €43, so I might just buy it pretty soon...
@TheOtherMike said:
" @Padmewan : I am still upset that the LotR line didn't give us an Ent."
10237 has one, technically.
@Squidy74H:
I would assume that’s what the face is based on, because I don’t remember him having that mile-wide grin for the rest of the movie.
@lORDoFtHEbOARD:
Awesome Mix 1 starts in 1966 with “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, and ends in 1979 with “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)”. The release years were 66, 68, 69, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 75, 75, 76, and 79.
Awesome Mix 2 starts in 1962 with “Bring It On Home To Me”, and ends in 1978 with “Surrender”. The release years were 62, 64, 70, 70, 72, 73, 74, 76, 77, 77, 77, 78, and 78. And I guess Hasslehoff recorded a new track for the film in 2017, but I’m pretty sure that’s not on Starlord’s mix tape.
Hopefully I got the right dates. Some of these were recorded and released in different years, others were recorded by more than one artist in different years, and I have no idea when any of these came out on cassette (none of them had the tell-tale hiss of being recorded off of vinyl LPs or 45’s). Anyways, 25 songs spread across nearly two full decades, with about 1/4 from the 60’s and the rest from the 70’s. Since Quill gets abducted in 1988, I guess she just hated 80’s pop. Not that I blame her. I had a boss who loved it, and told me he was waiting for it to be considered “Classic Rock”. I’ve heard stuff from the 90’s, and even from post-2000 on classic rock stations, but not the stuff he listened to.
@Padmewan:
Poison Ivy had a plant-“mech” or two, and I remember something from the Studios monster subtheme, but I don’t know if you’d count those.
@TheOtherMike
10237. It’s not Treebeard, and it’s not on par with this guy, but there _is_ an Ent.
This would be better if he came with the Ravager overcoat as well. :)
I'm honestly bamboozled over how anyone would find this figure unsettling, just utterly bizarre.
Whereas most like the mixed tape, that's meh for me, another everyday object made from Lego.
Groot, however, is excellent and just adorable.
This is the cutest LEGO set i've ever seen (probably some FABULAND characters are cute as well)! So this is a MUST HAVE! No matter what others think or say about hits set.
@VintageDude said:
"@ lORDoFtHEbOARD in Belgium, 31 May 2022 19:17
@VintageDude said:
"GROOT-E-Sque!
But I´ll have that cassette tape anyday!
The 80´s never left the building (or my life):
my car, VCR (VHS), Double Cassette Tape Stereo Tower,
stereo with double cassette and record (vinyl) player 33 1/3/45 RPM -
all of them are from the 80`s."
I know the 80's are all over the place these days, especially now that Stranger Things 4 is finally out.
But may I just recall that most (if not all) of the music on mum's mixtapes is from the 70's, which are great enough. ;)
Mix Tapes started in the 60´s when he first cassette tapes and tape recorders
came out on the market, but mix tapes where also common in the 80´s.
@StyleCounselor in United States, 31 May 2022 19:19
@VintageDude said:
"GROOT-E-Sque!
But I´ll have that cassette tape anyday!
The 80´s never left the building (or my life):
my car, VCR (VHS), Double Cassette Tape Stereo Tower,
stereo with double cassette and record (vinyl) player 33 1/3/45 RPM -
all of them are from the 80`s."
My VCR started eating tapes... :(
What a shame! My heart goes out to you.
I wrote the ´80s´ on purpose because that´s when the VCR
where modern/in. There are some good VCRs out there
in thrift stores and online.
My two VCRs are really from 2003 and 2006,
but in the Millenium almost everyone started to get rid of them - except for me.
I enjoyed the movie ´Red Heat´ from 1988, with Schwarzenegger and Belushi
on VCR two days ago."
Thanks for the tip. Definitely will have to hit up some thrift stores to get one that works.
My vinyl is still cranking strong! ;)
@PurpleDave said:
" @Squidy74H:
I would assume that’s what the face is based on, because I don’t remember him having that mile-wide grin for the rest of the movie.
@lORDoFtHEbOARD:
Awesome Mix 1 starts in 1966 with “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, and ends in 1979 with “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)”. The release years were 66, 68, 69, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 75, 75, 76, and 79.
Awesome Mix 2 starts in 1962 with “Bring It On Home To Me”, and ends in 1978 with “Surrender”. The release years were 62, 64, 70, 70, 72, 73, 74, 76, 77, 77, 77, 78, and 78. And I guess Hasslehoff recorded a new track for the film in 2017, but I’m pretty sure that’s not on Starlord’s mix tape.
Hopefully I got the right dates. Some of these were recorded and released in different years, others were recorded by more than one artist in different years, and I have no idea when any of these came out on cassette (none of them had the tell-tale hiss of being recorded off of vinyl LPs or 45’s). Anyways, 25 songs spread across nearly two full decades, with about 1/4 from the 60’s and the rest from the 70’s. Since Quill gets abducted in 1988, I guess she just hated 80’s pop. Not that I blame her. I had a boss who loved it, and told me he was waiting for it to be considered “Classic Rock”. I’ve heard stuff from the 90’s, and even from post-2000 on classic rock stations, but not the stuff he listened to.
@Padmewan:
Poison Ivy had a plant-“mech” or two, and I remember something from the Studios monster subtheme, but I don’t know if you’d count those.
@TheOtherMike
10237. It’s not Treebeard, and it’s not on par with this guy, but there _is_ an Ent."
You didn't look them all up did ya? I could tell some were from the 60's (like Marvin Gaye and Tammi Tarrell for example) but at first glance i knew most were from the 70's. Guess mum hated the 80's, pretty much like my parents.
But actually, for me it's all good music anyway.
@lORDoFtHEbOARD:
Yeah. It wasn’t that hard. Wikipedia has articles for the two soundtracks, and every song is linked except Hasslehoff’s. All the artists are listed, which helped when more than one artist had released a notable recording, and the other pitfall was when the recording date was mentioned, but it wasn’t released for another year or two.
@CapnRex101 said:
" @bgruner said:
"What you call "unsightly" and "unfortunate", I call amazingly accurate: https://imgur.com/gallery/gFFpA7D "
The grey band would be accurate for some tapes, but not the Awesome Mix cassettes."
They should have used a clear tile instead...it would be well hidden instead of the light bluish grey tile. Otherwise...this is a really nice set that I have already preordered.
Does anyone else think that this set is a little late?