Lego UCS Venator review: "A stunning model, and one of the best UCS sets"

You can now lead the charge against those tricksy Separatists with the Lego Star Wars Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser, and I'm so happy about that. The prequel Star Wars movies got a lot of things wrong, but the spaceship designs really were top notch. Nowhere is that clearer than with the Venator – the main battleship used by the Jedi forces during the Clone Wars (and precursor to the Empire’s iconic Star Destroyer). Fans of that beautiful ship are in for a treat with the latest Lego Ultimate Collector Series (UCS), as they’ve finally brought this magnificent ship to Lego life to celebrate the 20 year anniversary of the Clone Wars.

The Lego Star Wars Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser is on sale for $649.99 / £559.99 via the Lego Store, which is admittedly a lot. So, should you buy it? Lego were kind enough to send us one out to review, and now that I’ve assembled this monster, I can confidently say that it’s one of the most impressive Lego Star Wars sets of the past few years – and arguably one of the best Lego sets overall in terms of sheer ambition.

Lego UCS Venator: Features

Much like the old Lego Star Destroyer kit that was discontinued in 2022, the Venator is a big boy. It comes in 5,374 pieces and measures over a meter long when it’s completed, so you’re not going to be able to just pop this thing on the shelf when it’s finished. Do some pre-measuring and make sure you have somewhere big enough to display it.

It’s not cheap either, with an eye-watering $649.99 / £559.99 price tag making it the fifth most expensive set that Lego currently sells (the Lego UCS Millenium Falcon has the top spot).

Lego UCS Venator: How easy is it to build?

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• 5,374 pieces
• Only a few stickers
• Takes a loooong time to build

Difficult probably isn’t the right word to describe building the Venator. None of the individual things you have to do are challenging, but there are just so many steps (four books' worth). It’s more of an endurance event. It took me about 14 hours to build, and I was really going for it to try and hit deadlines. As anyone who has built big Lego kits will tell you, your thumbs and fingers really start to hurt after a protracted period of pushing blocks together, so you can’t just smash it out in two days.

You start off building the internal structure that runs down the center of the ship, before adding the stands that raise it up off the ground. Unlike smaller Lego sets where the model just slots onto the stand, the legs are built into the superstructure here to add extra stability to this massive model.

After that, you build the bulkier stern section and the raised bridge which contains the command deck. There are some impressive tricks used to get the diagonal angles of this structure just right so you don’t end up with a stepped pyramid effect. After that you’ll take a break from the hull to build the massive engines.

From there, you move on to adding the outer shell of the ship, adding the gray and red panels to the underside, before finishing up with the top of the main deck for a grand finale. It all comes together in a really satisfying way as you put those last few panels on the top to complete the look.

Attaching the panels on the underside of the ship is probably the most difficult part of the build, as your view is obstructed and you’re working under the frame. However, even then, it wasn’t too bad.

Lego UCS Venator: Design

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• Truly impressive in person
• Lacks iconic central hanger
• Side hangers are a fun touch

After you’ve finished the marathon build, you’ll have a simply stunning, and rather imposing, model to try and find a home for. It’s a beautiful thing to look at, just like the actual ship from the Clone Wars TV show.

There are loads of small details to find as you glance over the model, from the turret arrays that run along the top of the ship, to the windows of the bridge. I especially like the differences between the two hangar bays on the sides: the port side hanger is open and has a tiny Republic Gunship flying out of it, while the starboard side hanger has its blast doors closed.

There is a major disappointment with this build though. The Venator’s most iconic feature is the main hangar, which sits under the red stripe that runs the length of the ship. In the Star Wars movies and TV shows, this crimson panel splits in half to reveal the sunken hangar. This is completely absent from the build. I understand why though; the internal structure of the ship is where that hangar would be, and it would have been nigh impossible to move this structure to make room. The sliding roof would likely have been a nightmare too. Still, it’s a real shame that this feature is missing.

Alongside the Venator itself, you also get a cool printed display plaque, a 20-year anniversary Clone Wars block, and two minifigures — Captain Rex and Admiral Yularen. Rex comes with a cloth shoulder pauldron, which is a nice touch. There’s also a display stand so you can show them all off.

Should you buy the Lego UCS Venator?

The Venator is my favorite ship in all of Star Wars, so I’m definitely biased on this one, but yes you should… assuming you’re an experienced Lego builder, you can afford the hefty price tag, and you have the space to display it.

It takes an age to build and it’s definitely an endurance test on the skin of your hands, but it’s also great fun to put together. With loads of variety in the build and some advanced techniques, this build will keep Lego masters entertained. And when you’re done, you’ll end up with a stunning replica of one of Star Wars’ best ships.

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How we tested the Lego UCS Venator

I built this Lego kit over the course of a few days and paid particular attention to the ease of construction, clever design features, general presentation, and how it compares to previous kits.

You can find out more about our process in our 'how we test' guide.