Lego Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (21360) review: "This delightful set is a scrumpdidilyumptious tribute"

The Lego Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (21360) set is yet another example of why Ideas is one of Lego’s most exciting themes, not to mention a veritable goldmine for the best Lego sets. From a brick-built tribute to Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night to a snapshot of the Italian Riviera to a vending machine that spits out minifigures, you’re never quite sure what fan-designed kit is on the horizon.

At first glance, this 2,000-piece diorama of the Chocolate Room from the 1971 classic movie is further proof that almost any license can be immortalized in Billund's hallowed bricks, without losing any of its character and charm. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more fitting subject for a Lego makeover than Wonka’s quirky Chocolate Room, not to mention the larger-than-life Roald Dahl characters that inhabit it. I couldn’t wait to get my chocolate-covered fingers on this set as a result. The question is: will the Lego Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (21360) set turn out to be a never-ending gobstopper of sweet-toothed surprises or a one-way trip to the juicing room? Let’s find out!

Lego Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (21360) features

• 18+ set for display and play
• Nine minifigures
• Better value sets do exist

This 18+ diorama might be intended for display, but the wealth of Minifigures and the odd play feature could pique the interest of a few lucky (supervised) youngsters. Still, Timothée Chalamet’s recent turn as the eccentric chocolatier aside, nostalgia for Lego’s take on the 1971 classic is largely going to be courtesy of adult builders.

I think that the $200 / £200 mark tends to be a bit of a sweet spot for adult brick fans, providing suitably large sets you can sink your teeth into, without taking up too much space and straying into serious Lego collector prices. However, compare this set’s MSRP to other licensed Lego sets and it just about hits the average price-per-piece ratio. That means some licensed sets do provide more pieces for less money, but then again, others provide fewer pieces for more money.

That said, nine minifigures is an acceptable haul, as is the wealth of brightly colored, and oftentimes uncommon, pieces.

Lego Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (21360) build

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• 2,025 pieces
• 14 stickers
• A detailer's delight

This set comprises 2,025 pieces, spread across 16 bagged sections. Kudos to Lego for, once again, ditching the plastic packaging. I also appreciate it when larger rosters of minifigures are spread throughout the build; it feels like a treat every time you get to put one together.

I started the build by constructing the base and piecing together the foundations of Wonka’s office and the two riverbanks. It was then onto one side of the chocolate waterfall and its simple Technic mechanism, before returning to the office for detailing. Time was then spent building the rockface around the office, before moving onto a tank-tread-like section of the waterfall. After the factory facade was constructed, I dealt with the pipework next and then moved onto the fun bit, detailing the left-hand riverbank. With the bridge built, I then pieced together the Wonkatania, before detailing the right-hand riverbank to finish.

The Lego Ideas Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is a refreshing departure from the inherent repetition present in most Lego sets. I experienced pockets of repetition here and there – particularly when piecing together the chocolate waterfall – but the diorama’s unsymmetrical design limits the repetition found in modular buildings and vehicles.

I did, however, spend a lot of time laying down small 1x1 and 2x1 pieces. If you’re a builder who can’t wait to get to the detailing, then this is definitely the set for you. Once I built up the base, much of my time was spent adding details, and as you can see from the imagery, this set is bursting with little nods to film.

Aside from the occasionally vague step in the instructions, there’s very little here to trouble seasoned builders and even relative newcomers. There are few Technic pieces and most of the build techniques are standard fare. Some Lego sets require intricate support structures, but there’s very little in the way of that here, so it always feels like you’re progressing forward.

The chocolate waterfall essentially operates via a tank track that rotates over a series of axles. It’s simple, effective, and although it’s the only part of the build that’s extremely repetitive, it’s a big enough departure from the rest of the model that it’s still fun. It also feels robust, with no complications, such as elastic bands, that could be prone to failing in the future.

Lego Ideas Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory design

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• Gorgeous take on a beloved film
• Bursting with details from the movie
• Largely excellent roster of minifigures

The instructions booklet features an image of the original Ideas blueprint, conceived by Lego Fan Designers Roberto Ceruti and Jody Padulano. Not only did they come up with the idea for a working waterfall, but I’d argue that their use of undulating tiles to form the chocolate river exceeds the Lego designers’ efforts. Overall though, I certainly believe we ended up with the more definitive version.

The Lego designers have moved the bridge to the rear of the model and stretched the concept to include two island-like banks, either side of the river that feature key props from the film, such as the candy cane tree, edible teacups, and gummy tree. The waterfall itself is flanked by a series of pipes – which sucks up the hapless Augustus in the film – along with the mechanism the Oompa-Loompas use to pour sugar into the river, complete with the hidden door that they disappear into.

The biggest addition to the original concept is the Wonkatania boat, which ferries the remaining children and their parents away from the Chocolate Room and into the infamous 'Tunnel of Terror.' This little vehicle is a fantastic representation of the movie prop, complete with a spinning paddle wheel at the rear. It can seat six minifigures and an Oompa-Loompa at the helm. It's also just big enough to pass beneath the bridge in its entirety.

The waterfall looks good, and the simple mechanism works perfectly (no need to complicate it further). It’s the river that I have a small problem with. It’s largely just a flat carpet of brown studs, and when the rest of the model is brimming with detail and character, it stands out all the more.

I suspect the decision was made not to texture the river, because the relief would prevent the boat from fitting under the bridge, but I’m sure the bridge could have been heightened slightly to get over this. Speaking of details, this is a busy little set. So much so, I had a blast watching the Pure Imagination scene from the movie and spotting all the little details the Lego designers have included in the model.

In fact, such is the dated aesthetic of the film, I think the Lego model looks better than the movie set in many areas. For one, it’s even more vibrant and colorful. As somebody who’s put together a lot of big, grey Lego Star Wars ships, alongside a plethora of monotoned buildings and vehicles, it’s always a treat to build a colorful set.

A small touch that goes to show just how much thought went into this set’s design are the three lamps. You’ll notice that as they recede towards the back of the model, they’re actually physically smaller, creating a sense of forced perspective. This is a common technique in model making and is a lovely touch.

Spin the set around and you’ll find a cutaway that reveals Wonka’s office. Lego has done a great job of replicating the eccentric half-accessories that litter the room. There’s even a television (ahem, Wonkavision) with a tiny figure inside (this is a sticker), a small nod to Mike Teevee’s untimely departure, later in the film.

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Speaking of fates, some fans have pointed out that the blown-up Aunt Marge in Privet Drive: Aunt Marge's Visit (76451) could have been used to make an inflated Violet. And while this is a great idea, it would have been a bit of a superfluous addition, considering this set is themed around an earlier scene in the movie. I do wish, however, that given the diorama design, it featured a plaque, and perhaps a small side build in which to display the Minifigures. This would have boosted the set's perceived value, too.

The Lego Ideas Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory features nine minifigures, the five golden ticket winners: Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregard, Augustus Gloop, Mike Teevee, and of course, Charlie Bucket, who each come with a neat printed golden ticket and use medium-length, hinged legs. You also get Grandpa Joe, two Oompa-Loompas, and Willy Wonka himself. Each miniature has a reversible, dual-printed face and is exclusive to this set.

Ironically, the main protagonist, Charlie, is my least favorite character. I can forgive the absence of printing, beyond his face, because he spends most of the film wearing a plain navy turtleneck and dark, plum trousers. However, for some reason, his minifigure’s trousers are light brown. Grandpa Joe doesn’t fare much better. He sports a generic black pinstriped torso and back, with light-grey trousers. Not only does he wear a plain suit in the film, but his blazer and trousers match. Still, the face print and receding grey hair do the trick. Thankfully, the rest of the roster is considerably better.

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I’m pleased to report that Willy Wonka is the pick of the bunch, with his exquisite back, torso, hip, and leg printing. He boasts an all-new moulded hair-and-hat headpiece, which really captures Gene Wilder’s eccentric likeness. Lego has accurately matched the shade of purple for his jacket, too. My next favorite minifigure is the chocolate-loving Augustus Gloop. This charming little chap features an exclusive chocolate-covered face print, as well as torso, back, hip, and leg printing, the latter used to replicate his shorts. The skin tone of his legs doesn’t quite match his face and hands, but this is otherwise a fantastic little figure.

Mike Teevee is another winner. The designers have nailed his lemon-curd western jacket, and his white cowboy hat can be mounted on his back, as per the Chocolate Room scene. Veruca and Violet are both relatively simple figures with just torso and back printing, but this certainly gets the job done. Their hairpieces really look the part and Veruca has a separate skirt piece to recreate her red dress.

The Oompa-Loompas are sure to be fan favorites. Their torsos are beautifully printed, and they look great with their orange faces, white eyebrows, and green hair. Lego has also gone to the trouble of using white hands for gloves. Perhaps leg printing could have been added to replicate the film characters' stripey socks, but this was likely impractical because the Oompa-Loompas use Lego’s shortest, fixed legs.

The eagle-eyed will notice that one of the minifigures is female. Not only is this nice to see from an inclusion standpoint, but it’s also a film-accurate Easter egg, because one of the Oompa-Loompa actors in the film was portrayed by actress Pepi Poupee.

Should you buy the Lego Ideas Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory?

The Lego Ideas Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (21360) is a shining example of a beloved IP in brick-built form done right. Sure, it’s not the best-value Lego set out there, the chocolate river could have been more detailed, and two of the largely excellent roster of minifigures miss the mark a bit, but otherwise this is a gorgeous set that could become quite sought after if Lego doesn’t revisit the theme.

It’s littered with details from the movie, bursting with color and charm, and most of the alterations to the original Ideas submission have changed it for the better. I wholeheartedly recommend this set to Wonka fans and film buffs in general. After all, "Oompa-Loompa doompa-dee-dee, if you are wise you’ll listen to me."

Ratings

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How we tested the Lego Ideas Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

I built the Lego Ideas Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory set solo, in roughly two 2.5hr sittings. During the build I took notes, and once I finished, the model sat in my living room for a couple of weeks. I then tested the durability thoroughly during a two-hour photo shoot, where the model was moved about and the minifigures were set up in different poses. I’ve been collecting Lego since the early ‘90s, and have amassed a large collection of classic and modern sets, so I guess you could call me a brick-building super nerd!

For more information on our procedure, take a look at how we test products.

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