Harry Potter Vs. Draco Malfoy In Lego's The Flying Lesson
Written: Jul 31 '02 (Updated May 26 '03)
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Pros: Two very cool characters, accompanying broomsticks, a Rememberall.
Cons: Not much replay value, Rememberall gets lost very easily, cheesy ground cart.
The Bottom Line: This is a ‘must have’ set for collectors purely for the two Lego figures and the Rememberall.
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| Freak369's Full Review: LEGO Harry Potter Flying Lesson 4711 |
It still seems like yesterday when we lined up for the premier of Harry Potter And The Sorcerers Stone at the movie theater. One of my favorite scenes [other than the Quidditch game] was when the young students took their first magical ride on their brooms. The Flying Lesson was supposed to capture the overall feel of the flying scenes from the film as well as the growing riff between Draco and Harry. Unfortunately, this set lacks any real power and if it weren’t for the two figures included with the set – there really wouldn’t be any reason to write a review.
Draco Malfoy
Oh Draco! If this set came with nothing more than the Rememberall and the Draco figure, I would, personally, still consider it worth the suggested retail price. Draco is a key figure to have in your collection and just like Harry Potter, you honestly can’t have too many of them on hand. The Lego Draco is very impressive – from the sculpted hair to the conceited little sneer on his face – it’s one of the best adaptations in the Harry Potter And The Sorcerers Stone Lego series.
Draco comes with a cool cape and of course his broom [black]. One of the most impressive things about Draco is his facial expression. Most of the time you get Lego figures that are just plain and boring, not the case here. Draco makes a very impressive figure and is essential when creating any type of Hogwarts scene or design. I suggest having at least three Draco figures if you plan on constructing a Hogwarts scene – one for looking in Hagrid’s window, one for the magic lesson and one for the flying lesson / stealing of the Rememberall. Then again, I am Lego obsessed so sometimes its best to just ignore my suggestions.
Harry Potter
Just like every other set, Harry Potter arrives on the scene donning his glasses, scar on the forehead and Gryffindor uniform. If I’ve said it once, I’ll say it a thousand times – you can never have too many Harry Potter figures! If you are planning on building the massive Hogwarts scene [see the back of the box for the construction of this] then you will need at least five Potter Lego figures.
Harry has the cool Gryffindor uniform stenciled on the torso piece as well as the black cape with stenciled gray stars. These are the standard issue capes that all the students have so it doesn’t matter which one you outfit Harry or Draco with. Make sure you check the inside of the box before tossing it in the garbage, the capes are packaged in a small white box that could very easily end up in the trash if you aren’t paying attention. Just like Draco, Harry has a broom [brown] that easily fits in his hand.
The Cart
I am assuming that this was the Lego designer’s idea of a joke. They had no idea what to include with this set so they threw in some cart that could possibly have some use – in some alternative dimension – but sorry – it won’t be in my Hogwarts scene. I would have rather seen this marketed as an eight-figure character set or with more pieces than to have this useless piece of junk included with the set. I’d even go so far as to say don’t bother building this, use the pieces for stock, because it is a complete waste of time.
Instructions
The fold out booklet of instructions shows the proper assembly of the two characters as well as the useless cart [can you tell I really hate that thing?]. Some people might say that having instructions for the construction of the Lego figures is a waste of paper, but for those just getting into Lego’s or those converting from the Duplo line – these are important things to know. Sure you could probably figure it out, but it’s nice to know that the option is available for those who are ‘Lego challenged’.
Be sure to check the box for an invitation to join the Lego Club, this allows you to receive the Lego product catalog, special perks and gifts [example - Bionicle comic books and trading cards], advanced notices of sales and clearance items and discounts to the Lego theme parks. From time to time you’ll also receive small sets [packaged in the poly bags, not boxed] as a thank you for being a Lego fan. If you haven’t subscribed to the magazine, what are you waiting for? It’s free, fun and will give you kid plenty to drool over :]
Things To Know
Since the Rememberall gets lost easily, I suggest checking out craft stores for a little thing called a “pony bead”. While the Rememberall and the pony bead are not exactly the same size or shape, it will serve as a passable substitute. You can pick up a bag of these for as little as .50 cents for about 25 – 30 beads. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors and it’s a little cheaper than having to invest in this set over and over again.
One thing that I did with my own personal set [not the boys set] was to take glow in the dark t-shirt paint and coat the inside of the Rememberall. This way I would be able to pick it out a little easier if it became mixed in with other Lego elements.
Since the cart that comes with this set is cheap, cheesy and utterly useless; I suggest trying to build a small scene from other Lego elements or trying to incorporate this into another Harry Potter Lego scene. There are several inexpensive Lego sets from this series that can be picked up and blended with this set, please see the end of the review for my suggestions.
The Bottom Line
While this is a small set and doesn’t offer much in the way of replay value as a stand-alone set, it is a very nice investment for completing the Hogwarts scene. For me, I had to pick up a few of these just to round out my Harry Potter collection. This wouldn’t make a great set to give a child since there is almost noting to do with it other than assemble the figures and cart but if this were given with a few other small sets – the building potential is unlimited.
I suggest these sets to accompany The Flying Lesson since they would make great companion sets - Diagon Alley Shops [set 4723], Hogwarts Castle [set 4709] or Snape’s Classroom [set 4705]. If you try and skimp and pick up only the smaller less expensive sets for a child, they will get bored with the selections rather quickly. Pick up a medium sized set and watch them unleash the magic of Hogwarts :]
The Stats
Set Name: The Flying Lesson
Family Set: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Lego Set: 4711
Number of Pieces: 22
Age Recommendation: 6 - 10
Ease Of Assembly: Easy
Time Of Assembly: 5 -10 minutes
Cost: $2.99
As always, thanks for the read!
^V^ Freak ^V^
© 2003 Freak369
Other Harry Potter Lego set reviews ...
Hogwarts Express
Quidditch Practice
Dobby’s Release
The Dueling Club
Slytherin House
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $2.99
Type of Toy: Blocks
Age Range of Child: Whole Family
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