Review: 70914 Bane Toxic Truck Attack
Posted by CapnRex101,I have been hoping for a Bane bigfig since the first wave of DC Super Heroes sets was released in 2012 and 70914 Bane Toxic Truck Attack finally grants my wish! Bane himself will surely be the highlight but the rest of the set also looks rather interesting, with a six-wheeled truck and a delightful rendition of the famous Whirly-Bat!
Unfortunately, the price of £49.99 or $49.99 seems rather expensive to me, particularly since the model contains just 366 pieces. Hopefully its quality will ultimately justify that cost, as has been applicable to some of the other sets based on The LEGO Batman Movie.
Minifigures
Batman has appeared in all but two of the sets based on his movie so far and this minifigure is much like those which have gone before, wearing a black suit and a yellow belt. The cowl is moulded with considerable detail while the cape is made from a pliable fabric so the risk of creasing is lessened. I like Batman's double-sided head which features grimacing and surprised expressions. The expressive eyes are particularly pleasing.
Both sides of the torso are printed with some muscle definition and the front of the chest includes a yellow bat symbol. A separate element represents Batman's utility belt and he is equipped with a single batarang. I still think it is a shame that his legs are not printed with any detail as he looks rather plain when compared with other minifigures from The LEGO Batman Movie, although perhaps that is intended to mark Batman out as unique.
Bane is one of my favourite Batman villains and is ideally suited to a bigfig rendition so I had high expectations for this figure. Fortunately, it does not disappoint in the slightest, representing the hulking mass of Bane's muscular body perfectly and incorporating plenty of attractive details. The luchador mask looks splendid with a combination of black and silver printing as well as piercing red eyes and I like the zip printed on top, all of which is faithful to the original character design from the comics.
The figure also wears a sleeveless jacket with large collar and a white fur lining which recalls that seen in The Dark Knight Rises. I was initially unsure about the combining of the mask with the jacket but actually it works nicely and I appreciate the references to the most influential depictions of this popular character. His olive green trousers and large boots look great too, suggesting a military vibe which is appropriate for the Santa Priscan mercenary.
Bane's strength and durability are enhanced to superhuman levels by Venom, a highly addictive drug upon which the villain is dependent. This is stored in a large assembly on his back which is attached using four studs and the lime green substance is pumped directly into Bane's muscle tissue through two tubes. Additional reserves hang in tanks beneath the Venom pack and I am very glad that this has been constructed separately rather than being moulded onto the bigfig as that allows Batman an opportunity to damage it during battle.
The LEGO Batman Movie is packed with obscure characters and the Mutant Leader is one of the most unusual examples. He appeared in The Dark Knight Returns and presented an overwhelming physical challenge to the Caped Crusader, just as Bane did in the famous Knightfall story arc. This minifigure is printed with plenty of muscle alongside a few scars and his arms feature studded wrist bands which are taken directly from an animated version of the original comic.
The Mutant Leader's teeth are sharpened into points and he sports a pair of red-tinted glasses reminiscent of the visor worn by Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation. I think this minifigure looks pretty good on the whole and seeing another obscure character in LEGO form is always a treat. He is armed with a flaming torch in this set, just as he is in The Dark Knight Returns.
The Completed Model
Batman is equipped with an arsenal of equipment and vehicles, some of which are fairly specialised so appear to be of limited use. The Whirly-Bat is a particularly famous example so to see it represented in LEGO is a delight. The model looks very spindly, with a simple Technic frame supporting the spinning rotor on top, but this suits the humour of the Whirly-Bat and I quite like its unfinished appearance.
A batarang is clipped to the side of the support structure so Batman can place both hands on the handlebars during flight. It looks very ungainly with him seated in place but, once again, I think this works perfectly and I like the bat wings which are fitted clumsily to the rear, as if Batman suddenly decided that his new gyrocopter needed some extra bat branding! With such serious foes as Bane and the Mutant Leader included, the contrast of the Whirly-Bat is absolutely marvellous in my opinion.
A chemical tank is included as a piece of destructible scenery, perhaps containing some more Venom based on the trans-neon green liquid visible inside the storage cylinders. Each of the three small cylinders can be slotted into the large tank, perhaps to be filled in readiness for transportation, but they can be hurled out by pushing down on a yellow 1x2 tile which is printed with hazard stripes. This function works very well and could be used to represent the destruction of the chemical plant or the theft of the tanks, depending on the play scenario.
The sides of the tank are decorated with Ace Chemicals hazard symbols and I like the orange stripes which introduce a bit of colour on the base. You can remove the tank entirely as it is not connected using studs but rests on a Technic axle, as shown in the image below. This plunger runs up through the centre of the tank and ejects the cylinders but does not hinder destruction if you want to knock over the light bluish grey chemical tank entirely. Small bits of scenery are often uninteresting but this is quite a good example as it incorporates some fun features while also looking fairly realistic.
Bane drives a large truck with orange armour plating and six wheels. I do not immediately associate the colour orange with Bane but it is still recognisable as belonging to the monstrous villain as a large tank filled with Venom is strapped to the back of the vehicle. Furthermore, it looks rather like an adapted military vehicle, once again suggesting that Bane was involved with military experimentation and mercenary operations in accordance with the traditional origins of the character.
A row of trans-clear headlights line a bullbar at the front of the truck and prominent fenders protect the wheels on either side. These are decorated with stickers featuring some paint wear and another sticker is used on a flag beside the windscreen which depicts Bane's childhood teddy bear Osito. I appreciate this reference to his background but the inclusion of the actual bear would have been even better, perhaps inside the cab or attached to the bullbar as a mascot.
The truck is angled forward so presents an intimidating profile and I like the bulbous tyres which have been chosen, giving the impression that this vehicle could roll over any terrain. The rear wheels include dark tan hubcaps but they are absent at the front which looks a little odd, although this is relatively insignificant in my opinion and the exposed grey wheel hub looks fine.
A simple suspension system acts upon the four rear wheels and they have considerable travel so really can traverse small obstacles like the chemical cylinder shown below. Stacks of pearl silver 1x1 round plates represent the suspension springs behind the wheels but these are just for show and do not actually function. Nevertheless, their presence shows good attention to detail on the part of the set designer and the rocker mechanism is sufficient.
The driving compartment is far too small for Bane's enormous frame but you can seat the Mutant Leader or any other minifigure at the steering wheel and a sticker is also included for the dashboard. Bane himself stands on a platform above the cab, just like the similarly imposing Killer Croc in 70907 Killer Croc Tail-Gator.
A huge rotary cannon is mounted on top of the truck and this features grips suitable for bigfig hands as well as a targeting sight printed on a magnifying glass. The barrels can be manually rotated to launch Venom globules and capsules, both of which would presumably cause a terrible mutation if they hit their target. Three spares of each projectile are included so you can swap them as you wish, although I rather like how it looks with alternating capsules and globules as in the image below.
Bane looks brilliant standing behind the rotary cannon and his head lines up perfectly with the targeting reticule so he can maximise accuracy. The bigfig adds a lot of height to the vehicle but avoids looking awkward, due in part to its squat stance and the placement of the gun on the truck.
A tank full of Venom is attached to the back of the model using two Technic pins. This can be removed with ease and is about the right size for Bane to throw, although he cannot actually grip the valve control wheels on the ends securely. The metallic silver dishes look great and the trans-neon green elements are very striking, lending further colour to the vehicle without overwhelming the orange bodywork.
Overall
This is a magnificent set on the whole, offering enormous play value as well as a pleasing selection of figures. The Bane bigfig is undoubtedly the outstanding component but his truck is also very enjoyable and it looks splendid on display beside the vehicles belonging to the other villains from The LEGO Batman Movie. I like the smaller models too as the Ace Chemicals tank functions well and the Whirly-Bat looks brilliantly inelegant, presenting a comical contrast with the brutal appearance of Bane's truck.
However, the price point of £49.99 or $49.99 is comparatively expensive, particularly in the UK where the larger 70915 Two Face Double Demolition costs the same amount. For this reason I am hesitant to recommend the set at full price, unless you cannot resist the lure of a Bane bigfig like me! At a slightly reduced price it is certainly a worthy purchase and counts among my favourite sets based on The LEGO Batman Movie.
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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25 comments on this article
Awesome set thx for the review
Fantastic review. Shame about the price.
Those are some pretty useful pieces to be on the end of a stud shooter. It'd be a shame to lose those silver parts.
Fantastic review of yet another fantastic set. You can clearly see the hard work the set designer has put into this and also a special mention to that wonderful Bane bigfig. I had said from the moment that bigfig's started to appear in sets that we needed a bane and finally years later my hopes have been answered.
Amaizing review and vehicle for Bane and Mutant Leader.
Bane looks like a big guy
I can spot a few useful pieces in this set. Mutant Leader's torso would look amazing on a custom "old man Logan" minifig.
If you know the British prices for these sets, how come they haven't been updated??- I'd like to know how much the other sets cost here in the UK too.
^ They'll get added to the database automatically when they are sold at shop.LEGO.com: we don't have time to add them all manually what with all the other stuff -- writing reviews etc. -- we do.
^Is that why the CMF's are never updated with prices and piece counts??
Oh my, what a cool set. Was looking forward to this review. Thanks always, Capn!
Fun set, nice review. I'm guessing that the slightly inflated price is due to the presence of a bigfig, which the piece count doesn't accurately reflect.
Can't think off the top of my head but what's the cheapest set a bigfig has featured in?
Huh.. I totally forgot about the June LEGO Batman Movie sets. I haven't seen any talk about that movie in months.
But great review, I may get this one if it goes on sale.
@Andhe, the hulkbuster and moana's ocean voyage were £29.99 and £39.99 respectively with big-figs but the troll assault wagon had one and was £13.49.
@AgentKallus: The Castle/ Troll sets weren't licensed either, which plays a factor in pricing, where the Disney/ Marvel sets are licensed and will come with higher price tags as a result. Just like with any licensed properties.
I think on terms of actual set, the Batwing, Ultimate Batmobile, and Two Face Double Demolition are all superior. The Bane bigfig is really quite superb, though, and the set is by no means bad... I'm super excited to see reviews of the other sets!
Thanks for another detailed review. Whether you get this at full RRP over the Double Demolition set would seem to be based on whether you like Bane or Two Face more. I thought Bane's teddy was included but that must've just been when I saw the latest 6 wheeled Technic truck for the summer wave - which does indeed have a teddy!
I'm not so sure I'll be getting this but it IS good design, also i'm not much of a fan of the lego batman movie.
I really appreciate that when confronted with the Whirly Bat, you guys sided that it was accurate and humorous, rather than suggesting extra parts for parts' sake. Some models need to be simpler.
Still, this is really more of a $30-40 set with a cool bigfig. I'll probably bricklink or ebay Bane.
Any word on when this will be available? June 1st, presumably?
50 quid?!? Somebody's having a laugh!
Is there any steering or articulation of the front wheels? I kind of like the main vehicle but I'm not sure if I want the whole srt
.
@Nermal - 'For you...'
@tyresoflaherty - In the UK it will certainly be officially released on the 1st of June and I assume that will apply elsewhere in the world, although am not absolutely certain.
@AddictedToStyrene - Unfortunately not, the front wheels are fixed in place.
It does not look to be a good set, also, why is Bane a Big Fig? He was human sized in The Dark Knight Rises.
Not my cup of tea, but thanks for the review! Waiting for the Batwing review...^^