[REVIEW] 7965 Millennium Falcon

[Future74]

I was really looking forward to this version of the Millennium Falcon.

And I disagree with people who say there is no need for this remake.

Yes, it’s another Millennium Falcon but it’s not a mini, midi or USC set and the previous version (4504) is dated from 2004 and that one needed some improvement.

Although not really minifigure “scale” (as the USC) this is the minifigure set.

Set name: Millennium Falcon

Set number: 7965

Year of release: 2011

Price: 159.99 EUR / 139.99 USD?

Parts: 1238

Minifigures: 6 (Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Darth Vader)

Lego’s Description

Escape from the grip of the Death Star in the iconic Millennium Falcon™!

Will you rewrite history and help Ben Kenobi defeat the dark side? Prepare for an epic battle of intergalactic proportions! Straight from the Death Star escape scene of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, the all-new LEGO® Star Wars™ Millennium Falcon features stunning details including hull plates that open to reveal a detailed interior, twin flick missiles, rotating quad laser cannons and a detachable cockpit cover. Includes Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, Ben Kenobi, Princess Leia Organa and Darth Vader with assorted weapons.

•Includes 6 minifigures: Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, Ben Kenobi, Princess Leia Organa and Darth Vader with assorted weapons

•Features opening hull, detailed interior, twin flick missiles, rotating laser cannons, detachable cockpit cover, chairs, cup, control panels and game board

•Flick-fire the twin missiles!

•Rotate the laser cannons!

•Measures over 15” (38cm) wide and 4” (10cm) tall

Brickset

Box, front

Box, back

From Wookieepedia:

Constructed as unit YT 492727ZED in 60 BBY by the Corellian Engineering Corporation in their shipyards at Orbital Assembly Facility 7[20] as a YT-1300f light freighter

Numbered bags!

I never know for sure, one set contains them and another doesn’t.

But in this case the box luckily contained numbered bags, which is very helpfull with the build.

Manuals/instructions

Dreaded Sticker Sheet

What can I say; nobody likes the DDS but all-printed parts is unlikely.

The Falcon in Docking Bay 94 on Tatooine, shortly before departing for Alderaan.

"What a piece of junk!"

"She'll make point five past lightspeed. She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid. I've made a lot of special modifications myself."

―Luke Skywalker and Han Solo

Minifigures

Minifigures, heads

A nice feature is the two faces of Luke and Leia.

*EDIT: more pictures of the minifigures

The new hair pieces of Luke and Leia are both asthonishing!

Leia and Ben Kenobi

The build

Bag 1 and numberless

Result after Bag 1

Bag 2 and result

Bag 3 and result

Bag 4 and result

What?? Have I made a mistake??

I checked all previous pages and couldn’t find any mistakes.

Why TLC put these extra parts in?

A big mystery since it aren’t parts that are likely to get worn down or something like that.

Bag 5 and result

Bag 6 and finished

All spare parts

C-3PO and R2-D2

The Millennium Falcon

Front

*EDIT: note that in this review the landing gear is wrongfully attached. It's supposed to be like this.

Back

Right

Left

Top

Top, open

Down

Special features

Laser cannons

The Falcon is equipped with a pair of dorsal and ventrally mounted Corellian Engineering Corporation AG-2G quad laser cannons.

Finally there are also quad laser cannons underneath the Millennium Falcon.

Position of the gunners

And of course both quad laser canons need to be operated by two gunners. Hurry, Han and Luke there’s a couple of TIE’s coming in...

Flick fire missiles

We can all complain about flickfire missiles, but the Millennium Falcon supposed to have some.

The ship also has a pair of Arakyd ST2 concussion missile launchers mounted between the forward mandibles.

Yes, it would have been nice if you could conceil them.

Landing Gear

Also the landing gear doesn’t come off easily (as it did with 4504), but still isn’t retractable.

Hyperdrive

A big improvement from previous version.

Top plates

I cant help the feeling that the space between these could have been less.

Top plates, ship up-side-down

The ships top plates don’t “open” up easily when the ship is upside down, in comparison to the 4504. This is a improvement as it becomes more playable this way.

Less holes

This is the back of the MF. As you can see the design is improved so there is less holes. No need to MOD it to close these gaps like in the 7675 AT-TE.

Quarters with bed

*EDIT: Boarding ramp

*EDIT: Cockpit

Luke’s training exercise

A very nice addition: Luke’s printed visor.

Smuggling compartments

I mentioned this in my review of the 4504, maybe they read it? Great job TLC.

If I had to choose between a Escape Pod and this compartment, it would be the last.

The Falcon's smuggling compartments.

Comparison to the 4504

Ratings:

Design: 4/5, not everybody will be pleased, but I’m very satisfied. TLC definitely showed it improved the design. It’s very sturdy and bigger than before.

Build: 4/5, very enjoyable.

Playability: 4/5, Thanks to the design this is a set-to-be-played-with. The interior has really nice features.

Minifigures: 4/5, All key-minifigures from Episode IV are included, except for the droids.

Price: 4/5, I think this set is worth every penny. Although I got it for a very reduced price. The 4504 used costs as much as this baby new these days.

Overall: 4/5, a great addition to your collection, I recommend it!

Hope you enjoyed this review.

All above and more pictures can be found here in the gallery

Reviews previous versions:

7190 Millennium Falcon (2000), it’s done by ybeline.

4504 Millennium Falcon (2004) by me.

Edited June 16, 2011 by Future74

[Mr. Elijah Timms]

Great review. I think I'm happy with the 4504 actually... love the smuggling compartment though!

[gcanik]

Very nice review of this set and very good pictures and captions to accompany them. I too like the printed visor minifig head for Luke Skywalker. My only issue is the price tag of this set as with all Lego sets priced over $100.00 (especially once my son sees pictures of this and starts begging for one). Would have been nice if they added just a little more detail to the rear of the mainhold/hyperdrive area and made the landing gear a wee bit taller so she sat up higher.

[lightningtiger]

Thanks 'Future74' for this review, must convince wife to buy me this for my birthday....oh crap that is going to be hard.....6 month layby more like it !

The only downside with this set......no droids !

Looks quite solid and a great looking play set.

Hoth first, Falcon second.....ouch I though I was going to spend a lot on Lego this year !

May the Eurobrick be with you !

[______]

I don't like how it looks underneath, it looks unfinished, also the two 'prods' for lack of a better word come out a bit too much unlike on the last ship. Some nice minifigs but I don't see any vast improvement.

[Ki-Adi-Mundi]

Wow, a huge hug for this highly anticipated review! Thanks, buddy.

Your review is excellent with very clear photo shots of the set and minifigs. I especially love your small scenes and funny dialogues.

Please allow for a few requests:

It would be great if you could add (closer) shots of

- the front compartment (in the 'nose' which can be folded open)

- the cockpit (also with with minifigs seated)

- the boarding ramp (from inside and outside)

Regarding the set itself:

I recognised the top flaps to have differing gap sizes. Is this a result of the build or is it that way by design?

The back of the ship (side view) looks a little squeezed from behind. Is it just me or would you agree on this reception?

The main sublight thrusters are somewhat broader in the original film model. What could be the reason for this design?

The front landing gear seem to be hinged on different stud lines. Was this your build or is it intentionally designed that way?

Might it be possible to mod in an escepe pod without a major overhaul of the ship?

In the end, i cast a vote for 'outstanding'. There are a few things that could be better (as always) but IMO this set is top of the line in regards of overall design, visual attractivity, resemblance of the original, size, playability, minifigs (printing/faces) and design features. TLG honored this crucial SW vehicle the way it deserves. It's expensive but not out of the reasonable. Is a must buy this year for me.

Edited June 15, 2011 by Ki-Adi-Mundi

[Churchill]

Thanks for this great review. I don't think I have any new thoughts, other than what we've all been saying all along. It looks like it is what we thought it was. I wish they could have added some bulkheads inside, but that's easy to MOD. I'm very underwhelmed with the blue tubing used for the engines. I thought that solution was fine on the midi version, but here, it just doesn't cut it. The underside is just too plain. Too flat.

All that being said, I like the playability. It's much more than just a feature; it's an environment where you can recreate the scenes from the movies, but also create new scenes. I don't have 4504, and I think the mandibles are really disproportionate on this one, but seeing the comparison shots, I do think the overall look of this is much better.

So all in all, I think it's a good set, and I'll probably get it. I'd love a much more accurate model, but that's why I have the UCS Falcon. This one will be a bit more fun to play with. For my kids, of course.

Edited June 15, 2011 by Churchill

[Blondie-Wan]

I still desperately "need" the UCS version, but I'll also be glad to get this. While I intend to ultimately make my own Millennium Falcon rather than relying upon any of the official TLG models (even the UCS), this one appears to be a clear improvement over both the 7190 and the 4504 both inside and out, while also being both more detailed on the inside than on the 10179 and substantially more affordable than it. The biggest disappointment is the entire underside, but for overall playability and such this still looks like a fine set.

I've missed out on entirely too many LEGO Millennium Falcon sets; I'm not going to miss this one, too! I plan to add this to my collection.

Thanks for the review!

[White Cat]

Thanks for the great review. Now I need to consider getting this baby again. The interior to me is still a big downfall because of the hyperdrive when compared with 4504, but the exterior is really do the justice for me. .

Edited June 15, 2011 by White Cat

[Nightshroud99]

Great job reviewing this beast! I can't wait to get it myself!!!!

[Blackknight112]

Thanks for the great review. I was waiting for one. I'm still not sure if I should pick it up. I like it, but the shape is a bit odd somehow and the price is a letdown.

[Aanchir]

Nice review! I agree, this is definitely an improvement over the 2004 version in a lot of ways.

About the extra pieces, I feel obligated to point out that extra pieces are decided not by usefulness, but by weight. 1M Technic pins with studs, for instance, are extremely light, and if one were missing the quality control weight check could easily miss it. By including extras in each bag, TLG helps ensure that the set will have at least enough to build the model (since if a bag were missing more than one Technic pin, the weight check would be more likely to catch it before it made it to store shelves).

I agree that the multiple faces for Luke and Leia are a nice feature. In Leia's case, the two expressions add personality, whereas the training helmet for Luke is something I always wanted to see done in LEGO. I also like the new face designs for Han, Leia, Luke, and Obi-Wan. The old ones were beginning to feel very outdated. These, on the other hand, have a similar level of simplicity but with a more authentic likeness of the characters and actors.

Incidentally, I'd like to see some comparison pictures between the new hair piece for Leia and the classic one. While the dark brown color is nice, I'm not sure how necessary the new mold is (I believe it's a new mold, anyway-- it seems different from the original, even though a comparison pic would help me identify the differences).

On a related note, what are your opinions on Luke's new hair piece? In my opinion, it's a definite improvement on the previous two styles (the standard male hair, which didn't really match his hair in "A New Hope" very well at all, and the standard female hair, which worked better but still didn't quite resemble his hairstyle. This new one is very nice, and thankfully one thing I worried about-- that Han's standard hair piece would seem too simple compared to the realistic textures on Luke's hair and Leia's-- doesn't seem to be a factor after all.

Anyway, I can assure you I won't be buying this set. I stopped collecting Star Wars sets a long time ago, and if I ever want to get back to collecting them I probably wouldn't cash in on this Millennium Falcon, since it's good but not outstanding enough to justify the price tag (unlike the UCS version, which is more expensive but easier to justify). There are some obvious flaws, like the frequently-observed boringness of the bottom of the vehicle-- while adding more detail would have driven up the price significantly, I still feel the flat, gappy design detracts from the model significantly.

If I ever do get back into Star Wars, I'll probably just try to find the UCS version online for a good price, and hopefully this version's minifigures will appear in other, smaller sets. Still, great review, and you definitely convinced me that TLG's design team still has what it takes to make a Millennium Falcon set that can hold its own in comparison to previous incarnations.

[TheDarkness]

Awesome review! I am still on the fence with the set. It looks good, and better each time I look at a review, but is pretty expensive. Will see what discounts come out!

[Praiter Yed]

Thanks for the review Future74 I think this looks much better than I anticipated. The underside is a bit basic, but is this really a huge problem? I imagine kids would mostly play with the interior rather than spend huge amounts of time swooshing and surely AFOLs would just put it on display (although I'm sure we're all guilty of an occasional swoosh every now and then).

IMO this is one of TLGs better efforts this year but as I already have the UCS I won't be buying this one. I'll probably pick up the new Luke on BL though.

[Aeturnus]

Great review..looks like an awesome set but 2 versions of the falcon is enough for me.

[P4trickvH]

Great review i like how you did the scenes in between, makes it even more fun to read. I love the set, well i have to i got it my self to :D

[Masked Builder]

Good work! This Falcon is better in many respects but the bottom needs a lot of work. The figures look good though!

[ZO6]

Thanks for the review, Future74!

I really wanted to like this set, but as time passed and I saw more and more pictures of it, I realized that I was underwhelmed with the results. My biggest problem with the set are the proportions and the gaps between the flaps that make up the top of the ship. I can deal with the size of the cockpit as anything smaller would severely compromise the ability to seat more than 1 fig. The front mandibles however look ridiculous - surely this just came down to lazy design. In addition, the access holes on the top of the mandibles are so small that they look silly. While I'd have liked the bottom of the ship to be somewhat more finished, I can forgive this somewhat as adding more to clean it up would only further drive up the price tag. The large gaps between the panels on the top of the ship are unacceptable. In this day and age, TLC is capable of using the proper parts and building techniques to minimize these gaps - particularly for a set that costs as much as this.

I do like what has been done with the interior, the minifigures look great (Luke is the real winner), and I love the amount of greebles that were used on the exterior of the ship.

I own the original minifig Falcon, but unfortunately I can't justify picking up this newest one.

[stackables]

I will pick this up when I can get it for 10% off

[Jedi master Brick]

Great review Futre74, The set looks nice, the game and comparmant shows lego can put detail in. Lukes hairpiece is good a buy for me

[_bIG_fM_]

Funny review ! It was a good idea to quote from the movies, that was very cool.

But didn't agree with your judgment about the engine, the engine in 4504 was much better...

[Brickdoctor]

Thanks for this review. This set is looking better every time I see it, but I think it's still a pass for me. Too much money for not enough special pieces and minifigs, which is ultimately what I have to judge a set by since I'm going to break it down anyways.

[Lobot]

Great review, thanks! I really like the minifigures (especially Luke) and some of the detailing is an improvement on the earlier version. However, the exposed technic beams on the underside look truly awful!

[Blondie-Wan]

On a related note, what are your opinions on Luke's new hair piece? In my opinion, it's a definite improvement on the previous two styles (the standard male hair, which didn't really match his hair in "A New Hope" very well at all, and the standard female hair, which worked better but still didn't quite resemble his hairstyle. This new one is very nice, and thankfully one thing I worried about-- that Han's standard hair piece would seem too simple compared to the realistic textures on Luke's hair and Leia's-- doesn't seem to be a factor after all.

The new mold is terrific. I do have one long-running quibble about Luke's hair, though, that runs from the very first LEGO Star Wars sets from way back in 1999 all the way to the present day - Luke is not as blond as licensees think he is! TLG has been using tan for Luke's hair since forever, and while it is an improvement over the canary-yellow blond hair he was depicted as having for Kenner's earliest Luke action figures (from around 1978 to 1982 or so) and in a lot of early Marvel Star Wars comics, it's still not really his hair color. I guess many people probably perceive it as being close enough to work, but as it happens TLG currently has a color in its palette that's much, much better suited for the character - dark tan (I forget TLG's official name for it, though I'm sure you can refresh my memory, Aanchir ). But that said... tan is still workable, I think, and the new mold does work marvelously for the character, while still being general enough to be broadly applicable across a variety of themes. But as soon as this new element appears in dark tan, I'll swap it out on all my Luke minifigures to which it would apply.

I do think Han would benefit from using a different hair element than the one TLG has always given him, though. Actually, the new-ish parted male hair introduced in 2008 isn't too bad - ironically, it's used for Mutt Williams, but I think it's actually much better-suited for that character's father (and his counterpart in a longago, faraway galaxy) than it does for Mutt, while both of those Harrison Ford characters, Indy and Han, get to use the same old standard male hair. I really wish the carbon-frozen Han element from the new Slave I weren't modeled upon Han with that hair; when I finally pick up that set I'll rationalize the hair sculpt as representing the way the flow of the carbonite moved his hair around, or something.

I don't understand why TLG felt the need to do a whole new version of Leia's ANH double bun hairdo. The previous piece is entirely fine.

[Miss Kyle]

Ooooh, thanks ever so much for the review! I always missed the Falcons so far, so I really want this one. I'll have to save some money for it.

Love Luke's new hair, and Han looks fairly weird with his old one next to him. I think I'll have to do some digging in my minifig collection to give him a decent cool haircut.