LEGO Review – Rocket & Baby Groot 76282

The name’s Rocket. Rocket Raccoon.

Today, we’re taking a closer look at Rocket & Baby Groot 76282, one of the latest Marvel sets looking to recreate lifelike characters from LEGO bricks and elements.

Ever since the canny Rocket Raccoon appeared in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, a whole generation of MCU fans have counted the hot-tempered mercenary and weapons expert as a firm fan favourite – somehow managing to provide even more action and comic relief among a team that was already pure action and comic relief.

Join us for our concise review, with plenty of pictures of this fully posable brick critter…

First Impressions and Best Features

There’s a lot going on with this busy, detailed model, and that’s not a bad thing. Thanks to the varied elements used, the set enjoys a unique aesthetic, combining wiry arms with wide feet and bounding legs to adequately portray the character’s animal body. Special mention goes to the appendage, which repurposes barrels and plant elements to recreate Rocket’s bushy tail.

Comparisons have been drawn between Rocket and the similarly-styled Chewbacca set released in December, though we think the gun-slinging racoon is a much better build, with a more dynamic range of colours and pieces used to create differences. To us, the Chewbacca model felt like a bloated mess of brown brick slopes, whereas Rocket boasts rich brown hues coupled with dark blue clothing and lots of facial detail. The minimal use of sticker decals on this set should also be praised, along with the size and height, which is just enough to make the model stand out without being excessive.

We’re sure you won’t be surprised to hear that the articulated joints are our highlight of the set, with Rocket able to assume numerous battle-ready poses. Our photographer even managed to get him climbing out of one of our acrylic display cases – see the header image at the top of this article! All the joints – bar the elbows – are movable, creating plenty of display possibilities.

The cute Baby Groot minifigure is also the proverbial icing on the cake. Just don’t lose him…

Design Flaws

Our initial impression was that the face has a lot of character, with whiskers, sharp teeth and bushy brows. However, the more we stare into those wide, giant eyes, the more we begin to understand some of the more vocal criticisms of the set surfacing online.

Terrifying. Nightmare fuel. Cursed. Looks like a rat. These are just a few thoughts from the online LEGO fan community.

When you compare the model to pictures of Rocket Raccoon from the GOTG movies, there’s no doubting the difference. The wide eyes seem like a strange choice in retrospect, having little in common with Rocket’s soulful, human-like eyes. Then again, take a look at some of the original drawings of Rocket from the comic books, and you will often see a savage face with teeth bared and eyes wide while shooting a giant weapon of some kind.

We’ll leave it up to you to decide, but we’re gearing towards Rocket & Baby Groot 76282 being its own artistic interpretation of the character with a unique design that suits the elements used.

Final Score

It would have been easy to play it safe with the Rocket & Baby Groot 76282 model, but we think the LEGO team have produced something with real character, reflecting the spirit of the Guardians of the Galaxy hero we know.

If you’re looking for the quintessential Rocket action figure to add some superhero style to your collection, we doubt LEGO will produce anything better in the foreseeable future.

Our final score, considering all aspects of the model –

8/10

How To Display Your LEGO Rocket & Baby Groot 76282 Model

Make your Guardians of the Galaxy model an integral part of your superhero collection with this acrylic display case, designed to keep the model safe from dust, accidental damage, and Chitauri invasions.

This see-through exhibition case is suited to any flat surface, offering a bespoke way to display your LEGO Rocket and Baby Groot figures, highlighting every detail and brick. A must-have for any Marvel Studio’s Guardians of the Galaxy fan.