Lego Marvel Avengers Helicarrier review

It’s safe to say that the Lego Marvel Avengers Helicarrier won’t be finding a place in our list of the best Lego Marvel sets any time soon. It’s a real shame too: when the Helicarrier was first announced, I was very excited about it. I’d missed out on the huge Helicarrier when it retired in 2017, so getting another model of it — a much more affordable one — seemed like a good alternative. Readers, it isn’t.

Being on a similar scale to the Lego Star Wars range of ships including the Millennium Falcon and the Executor Super Star Destroyer, I expected something similar. Heck, it’s even made largely out of gray bricks, just like a Star Wars ship — it’s a surefire win, right? But thanks to a dull and frustrating build and a boring finished model that lacks any ingenuity, it really falls short of my expectations.

Before I get into my full review of the Lego Avengers Helicarrier, though, why not see what sets we do recommend in our guide to the best Lego Marvel sets? And if you want to grab a bargain, check out our round-up of the best Lego deals.

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Lego Marvel Avengers Helicarrier review: Build

With 509 pieces split over just four bags, the Lego Marvel Avengers Helicarrier is a very manageable build, even if you’re not an expert builder. It took me around an hour and twenty minutes to complete, going at a fairly slow, leisurely pace, so it’s a very easy set to complete in one sitting.

The trouble is that it’s a very boring build, with very little of interest to spice things up. There are also a lot of stickers — they’re applied to smooth black tiles to map out the runways and walkways on top of the Helicarrier. They’re not only frustrating to apply but can negatively affect the final build if you don’t manage to get them perfect.

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Some parts of the build aren’t very clearly defined in the instructions, either. I had a bit of trouble applying the top black plate, and several elements are rather flimsy, so don’t be surprised if a piece or five comes flying off while you’re trying to attach something else. The Lego store’s description of the set says that the helicarrier can be detached from the base “so you can get a closer look” — but I think it’s simply a case of being flimsy.

Perhaps the worst thing about the Helicarrier, though, is how overpriced it is. This should not be an $80 set, and nothing here justifies that price — other than the fact you’re paying Disney/Marvel tax. I picked it up with a more than 30% discount, and still don’t quite feel I’ve got my money’s worth.

Lego Marvel Avengers Helicarrier review: Design

I suppose if you’re a huge Marvel fan, you’ll at least be pleased that the Lego Marvel Avengers Helicarrier does resemble the real thing. But that’s about the only praise I can lay on it. It’s perhaps the nature of the Helicarrier design itself that it doesn’t quite work at such a micro scale: any detail is lost, and you’re left with a boring mass of grey bricks.

Lego has attempted to add some detail in with some yellow and orange squares dotted around the deck, which I assume are meant to be smaller crafts, but any nuance is lost at this scale. I at least appreciate the four big engines — perhaps the most iconic part of the Helicarrier’s design — have been recreated here, but you’ll be disappointed to know that the fan blades don’t rotate.

The display stand included is at least well-designed (even if the connection point to the Helicarrier isn’t the most secure). It comes with a printed ‘Helicarrier’ sign, much in the same vein as the Lego Star Wars midi-size ships. Once it’s stood on a shelf, it’s certainly secure enough, but I wouldn’t like to keep touching and fiddling with it — not that there’s much to fiddle with on the actual Helicarrier.

Should you buy the Lego Marvel Avengers Helicarrier?

Unfortunately, it’s really hard to recommend the Lego Marvel Avengers Helicarrier to anyone but the most ardent Avengers fans. Even then, I’d strongly advise you wait for a sale — this set isn’t worth its $79.99 asking price.

With no other Marvel sets built to a similar scale (at least as of yet), it’s not even like you need the Helicarrier to complete a set (as you could argue in the case of the Star Wars equivalents). Skip this one, and wait until Lego inevitably releases an Ultimate Collector’s Edition version of the Helicarrier, with all its detail proudly on display.

Other Lego sets to consider

If you’re also a Star Wars fan and like this scale of set, we’d highly recommend the Executor Super Star Destroyer or the Tantive IV. They’re similarly priced with a similar piece count, but both make much more enjoyable builds — and the models themselves have much more detail to them.

In terms of Marvel sets, I really enjoyed the Endgame Final Battle — it’s more of a playset but still looks fantastic on display. I’m also a huge fan of The Amazing Spider-Man wall art: It’s a little more expensive, but it looks absolutely fabulous. And the fact you can hang it on the wall is a huge bonus.