During the last double VIP points event at the LEGO® Store, I made a mammoth purchase. Incidentally, it earned me 9000 VIP points. I bought the UCS Millennium Falcon (75192). For a while, this was the largest LEGO® set ever produced. In 2020, the Roman Colosseum dwarfed it in terms of piece count. However, the Millennium Falcon remains a physically larger build. I love Star Wars. While I do not often collect the LEGO® sets, I thought this would make an amazing May the Fourth review for this year. Additionally, this sets comes with some bragging rights 😉.
UCS MILLENNIUM FALCON SUMMARY
- NAME: Millennium Falcon
- SET #: 75192
- THEME: Star Wars
- COST: $899.99 CAD
- BRICK COUNT: 7541
- MINIFIGURES: 7
- OF INTEREST: 1 BB-8 droid, 2 buildable porgs and 1 buildable mynock
- RELEASE DATE: September 14, 2017
UCS MILLENNIUM FALCON QUICK REVIEW
- VALUE: 87% (Very good cost-per-brick and build time, but not as good as I expected.)
- BUILD: 85% (Great exterior detailing, but scant interior and lots of loose bits.)
- MINIFIGURES: 50% (This is not a set for Minifigure collectors, the ratio of bricks to figs is bad.)
- ENTERTAINMENT: 100% (Amazing display primarily for Star Wars fans, but fun for all AFOLs.)
- OVERALL SCORE: 81%
UCS MILLENNIUM FALCON REVIEW
VALUE: 87%
I am not going to candy coat this. The price tag for this set is astronomical. It costs $899.99 in Canada. However, it also comes with one of the largest bricks counts of any LEGO® set ever. The Millennium Falcon is a 7541-brick kit. Consequently, the cost-per-brick is $0.12. Surprisingly, that is not as good as I expected. It is still better than average (my collection sits at $0.14/brick). However, I usually expect better from particularly large sets like this. I rate the value-per-brick at 87%.
Hands down, the Millennium Falcon is the longest build I have ever experienced. It took me 21 hours and 17 minutes to build from start to finish (1277 minutes). Obviously, I did not complete this project in one sitting. I assembled the set gradually over 10 days. I paid full price for this set, so the cost-per-minute of build time was $0.70. Once again, that is good, but not the best I have seen. I usually expect better from a large set. In this case, the Millennium Falcon earns 87% again. Overall, the value of this set rates as incredibly good in my books, but not amazing.
BUILD: 85%
Since the Millennium Falcon was such a monster project, I kept a build journal. Consequently, I will not rehash all the details here. It was about 3500 words of commentary after all. However, I will summarize here. There is a lot of hype surrounding this set. Lots of people want it, it is also almost always out of stock, and lots of people have reviewed it already. Building this set was like seeing a popular, much anticipated film. You go in with your perspective skewed by everything everyone else has told you. The actual experience is quite different. I am not saying that this build was a flop. Far from it, in fact. However, it was not what I expected going in. Try to go in with an open mind. Of course, I say this as I am about to tell you my own opinion on the build.
Firstly, I was surprised by the lack of interior details. The Millennium Falcon is so big and heavy that it needs a solid internal structure. The majority of the interior consists of inaccessible spaces filled with Technic rods, pins, and beams. You can access the escape hatch room, the common room with the Dejarek game, the central laser cannon control area, and the co*ckpit. One of my biggest disappointments is a completely unused space taking up a quarter of the ship’s rear. It is the perfect space for another movie scene, but you just cover it up and leave it empty. The ship includes swap-out components to make the ship look like it is from the Empire Strikes Back or the Force Awakens. The difference minute. Those bricks should go to filling out that back room. I doubt fewer people would have bought this set without the swap-out option.
A completely unused space occupies a quarter of the ship interior.
Secondly, this ship is huge, and it gets huge fast. That makes it hard to work with. At several points, I felt I needed an extra set of hands. That was particularly true when assembling the underside. You cannot see what you are doing a lot of the time. Consequently, panels are hard to attach, and I made a lot of mistakes. I had to try and fix those mistakes later once the ship was even heavier. I attached a few things incorrectly and did not notice until hours later when something else came into contact with them. This really is an expert level build. It had me stumped, confused, and incorrect more than once. That is not a bad thing though. The challenge was a nice change from the smaller sets I often build.
Thirdly, I do not like how the roof panels sit on the frame. If you turned the Millennium Falcon upside down, the entire roof would fall off. Nothing locks in place. Granted, no one will flip this build over. To even try, you need more than one person. However, I do not like how loose and shifty every piece is. Every time I touch the model, something moves, and I feel like it is about to break off. This set really is meant for admiration from afar once built.
The ship can be set up as it was in The Empire Strikes Back or The Force Awakens.
The exterior of the Millennium Falcon is the reason to get this ship. The greebling work happens almost non-stop throughout the build. Consequently, the exterior features marvelous detail with pipes, exhaust ports, docking ports, guns, and a variety of other mechanical bits. Additionally, the entry ramp actually lowers beneath one of the airlocks, and a panel on the underside slides open to reveal a drop-out cannon.
Ultimately, I have two main contentious issues with the Millennium Falcon. There is not enough inside the ship, and I do not like the loose-fitting roof panels. If that rear quarter of the ship had something in it, I could overlook the first issue. With that said, I understand the need for a solid internal structure here. Consequently, I will only remove half a point for that. As for the second issue, I would prefer hinged panels as seen on smaller models. However, I do not know how well that design works on this massive scale. It bugs me how much the panels shift though. I rate this build at 8.5/10.
MINIFIGURES: 50%
A set this size needs more Minifigures. The Ewok Village was 74% smaller than this set yet came with 17 Minifigures. Betrayal at Cloud City had 21 Minifigures and it was 63% smaller. The Millennium Falcon includes a paltry seven minifigs. You get young and old Han Solo, Leia Organa, C-3PO, Chewbacca, Finn, and Rey. If I am being generous, you also get BB-8. If a kit contains an R2 unit, I normally count that as a character… but they at least have some articulation. I will not count buildable characters like the two porgs of mynock. The brick-to-fig ratio for the Millennium Falcon is 1077:1. My average is currently 169:1. Truthfully, before doing this review, my average was better. The ratio is so bad here that it actually pulled my average higher. My usual rating scale does not even work. The ratio score is actually less than zero.
In terms of character uniqueness, the Millennium Falcon also flops. Two characters appear only in this set: young Han and Leia. However, they represent minor color variations over characters that come in other kits. I did not even realize they were unique at first. Ultimately, the Millennium Falcon is not a set for Minifigure collectors. It is a great build with a few Minifigures thrown in for good measure.
A set this big needs A LOT more Minifigures…
With that said, the Minifigures you do get are nice. Each consists of all the standard parts. Additionally, all have either double-sided faces or special molding on the back of their head. Six of the seven feature leg printing as well. In terms of accessories, the characters come with four guns, one crossbow, and a helmet. I will also count the porgs (they have cute, printed faces) and BB-8 here. Finally, the various rooms feature 10 printed computer panel pieces. If you look carefully around the ship, revolvers feature as piping here and there. I rate the character designs and accessories at 100%. Sadly, with a ratio score of zero, the overall Minifigure rating is 50%.
ENTERTAINMENT: 100%
Despite my misgivings with the Minifigures and select design aspects, the Millennium Falcon is an entertaining build. You learn a lot of new techniques, it keeps you on your toes, and you build for almost a full day. When finished, the set is a stunning display piece. My only question now is where do I keep this monster on display. At the moment, it takes up most of my build table. I imagine a coffee table with a glass top looking down onto this set. However, until then, it is so big that it is in the way wherever I put it. It is also not something you want to move around too often. Incidentally, it requires both arms to lift it up. Additionally, those ever-shifting panels and little details make lifting it unnerving. If you plan ahead before building this set though, none of those are actually issues.
As a Star Wars fan, I love more than I dislike about this set. I also think the allure of building one of the biggest LEGO® sets ever makes this kit appeal to more than just Star Wars fans. It is a challenge even for avid builders. Despite loving Star Wars, I do not normally buy the sets. This one made the exception list partly just to say I built it. However, this is an AFOL only set. Do not imagine your kids playing with this. The Falcon has too many loose panels and delicate details, as well as too little interior playable space. Additionally, the set is way too difficult for kids to build. Even I found it challenging. Since it is meant for AFOLs, I will not include a KFOL rating along with that warning. Overall, I rate the AFOL entertainment at 100%.
OVERALL SCORE: 81%
Is the UCS Millennium Falcon (75192) my favorite LEGO® set? No, it is not. Am I glad I bought and built it? Absolutely, I am. What an experience it was! I wish it had more of an interior, especially since there is space for some. Additionally, it needs more Minifigures. For a set this size, The LEGO® Group should include every character who ever set foot on the Falcon in the movies… maybe even a few who just walked around outside it. Perhaps others do not feel the same way, but Minifigures are a major selling point for me. Otherwise, I plan to keep this set on it display and I like it a lot. This is a Star Wars fan’s dream set for sure. What are your thoughts on the UCS Millennium Falcon? Feel free to comment below or reach out on social media.
Until next time,
-Tom
p.s. To read my Millennium Falcon build journal, click here. You can also view my purchase video and unboxing on YouTube!
Want to support True North Bricks?
If you like the content at True North Bricks, please follow on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or YouTube for regular updates. Additionally, you can support True North Bricks by making your LEGO® (and other) purchases using the links in the menu to the right. As an affiliate of those retailers, I earn from qualifying purchases. These earnings come at no extra cost to you but help to the keep the content at True North Bricks free. Thanks for your support!
