Review: 75525 Baze Malbus
Posted by CapnRex101,75525 Baze Malbus contains 148 pieces and is therefore the fourth largest Buildable Figure to date based on its piece count, although the price of £19.99 or $24.99 is consistent with the other Rogue One: A Star Wars Story sets.
However, the design of this figure departs from the traditional structure in order to form an area of bulky chest armour and this marks a welcome change from other sets, some of which could be criticised for their repetitive design. Not only are some of the building techniques quite unusual but the resultant model looks great on the whole, albeit with a smattering of notable flaws.
The Completed Model
Baze Malbus wears a fairly drab combat uniform in the film and one would reasonably expect the model to feature a similarly muted colour scheme. However, bright red is used for the armour over his upper chest and this looks quite impressive against the dark tan of his . The figure measures 25cm in height and is therefore scaled perfectly beside his fellow Guardian of the Whills, Chirrut Îmwe, who is a little shorter.
The head sculpts for Buildable Figures are often criticised but they seem to be improving gradually. This example is reasonably detailed but there is little texture in the hair which detracts from the model in my opinion. The scruffiness of Baze's hair and beard is clear to see in the film but has not been recreated very effectively and his eyes are printed as though he is looking up so it is difficult to pose the figure in a realistic manner. On the other hand, I like the flesh skin tone and the scarring under the left eye looks great. This is certainly a better head sculpt than that of 75110 Luke Skywalker but falls short of some of the other human characters without helmets.
I like the bulky armour very much and the bright red colour scheme is probably the best that could have been done, although this colour is far dirtier and more muted in the movie. Stickers adorn the front of the armour and this continues on the lower torso where five more stickers are used to represent Baze's belt. and some dark brown pouches. The size of the armour necessitates some unusual building techniques as the shoulder pads are mounted on Technic elements above the shoulder joint rather than attaching to the shells over the upper arms.
I am always disappointed to see stickers on the Buildable Figures but the legs are thankfully printed and the detail on Baze's right leg is faithful to the character in the film. The new armour element which forms the kneepad has the potential to be very useful even beyond Constraction models and is left blank on the right arm so could prove quite versatile. While the upper torso introduces some atypical building techniques, the arms and legs are standard in their construction so offer the traditional points of articulation at the ankles, knees, hips, wrists, elbows and shoulders. The head is also mounted on a ball joint and is not restricted by the armour at all, contrary to my expectations.
Baze is armed with a substantial MWC-35c repeating cannon. The electroscope on top looks great but the accessory otherwise bears little resemblance to the blaster in the film as it should be a bit larger, the colour of the barrel should be brighter and the handle should be set further back towards the butt. A spring-loaded shooter is hidden inside the casing and the trigger is situated underneath, as is typical for the Buildable Figures. It would have been nice to see some other form of blasting action as the weapon is notable for its rapid firing, although this would have necessitated a new piece as there is no room for a rotary stud-shooter.
A long charge belt links the cannon to a refrigerating tank mounted on Baze's back and this measures a little over 15cm in length. It looks splendid but restricts the articulation of the figure quite significantly, only exacerbating the issues which are caused by the bulky chest armour. The cylindrical tank is fairly accurate to the movie and I like the colour scheme very much as it matches the blaster, although it is only fixed around a single Technic pin so tends to rotate as the right arm is moved.
Overall
The Buildable Figures continue to impress. 75525 Baze Malbus is my least favourite of the three new models but is still very satisfying, with some great detail on his armour and plenty of interesting building techniques to be discovered. I like the red and dark tan colour scheme and Baze's unique weapon looks great in relation to the film.
However, there are some issues which should be taken into consideration. The poseability of the figure is limited by the length of the charge belt and it is disappointing to see so many stickers used, although this may be a result of the relatively high piece count which is not reflected by the price point. This factor counts against the model in some respects as the set could have been improved had the parts budget been greater but the lower cost naturally makes it more affordable as well. I would rather have paid a little more for an even better figure but the set still offers good value on the whole.
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.
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14 comments on this article
All these Rogue one buildable figures look great to pose! Can you do a review of the Duel of Fates next?
Good review! I am very impressed with the unique look of this figure, and look forward to adding him and Chirrut to my collection. They're such great characters and it's a delight that they translated so well to buildable figures.
Is the face really Medium Dark Flesh (Medium Nougat)? All the pics I've seen, including yours, make it look more like regular Flesh (Nougat), same as the skin tone for the minifigure version of him or the garage door of the Simpsons House.
I NEED HIM!
@starwars4ever2 - A review of 75169 Duel on Naboo is on its way but the 75173 Luke's Landspeeder review will be published first.
@Aanchir - Right you are, it is flesh in colour as you said and I have edited the review. Thanks!
The Guardians of the Whills. I love how his head looks so authentic. It has got to be the best human head yet.
They should have used dark red instead of just red. Of course they likely went with the latter to avoid the costs of moulding many new pieces in dark red.
Lego really needs to replace those hideous hero factory hands, they only work on robots
These reviews have been awesome, the Y-Wing next please.
Thanks @CapnRex101 for all the reviews! Also, will you be doing a review for the new A-Wing?
Yes! Can't wait to get that set!
These look great, if only they were better developed characters that I cared about I'd want to get these models! I'd be down for a movie of their own, but as they stand I thought they were poorly implemented in the movie overall.
Yeah, really wish by now they would create some alternate hands, like an open palm so you can rest the weapon on it properly. These clenched fists just don't always look right.
I'll probably get this on a clearance sale, like some of the earlier ones now.
The head looks a little weird, but I think overall it captures the look of the character quite well. The gun is way too small though- it's the same piece everyone else has, and his is a lot larger even in System scale.
There's a pair of red windshields on top of the armor... somebody could make a 10242 Mini Cooper set in red, now!
To me the Rogue One figures are disappointing because they don't look like the characters.