I Regret Buying It - LEGO Barad-dûr Set 10333 Review:

[@lukasthebuilder]

*LEGO sets in this video (affiliate links):* *The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr* ❯ bit.ly/LegoBarad-dur *THE LORD OF THE RINGS: RIVENDELL* ❯ bit.ly/LegoLOTRRivendell amzn.to/48jZmn3

[@Noddy000]

The meat menu reference clearly went straight over your head. I chuckled to myself when putting the sticker on

[@lukasthebuilder]

What does the meat menu have to do with Barad-dûr? The reference is actually tied to the Uruk-hai, creatures of Saruman, which links it to Isengard. In the movie, this moment happens when the Uruk-hai kill all the orcs to have meat back on their menu. So, is LEGO implying that the Uruk-hai came to Mordor, wiped out the orcs, and Saruman is taking power over Sauron? That’s not how I remember the story from the movie or the books. Did I miss something, or am I working with a completely different version of The Lord of the Rings? Please enlighten me!

[@KeyserTheRedBeard]

Awesome video, Lukas the Builder. I really appreciated your detailed insights into the Barad-dûr set! Your thoughts on the interior design and how it contrasts with Sauron's character were particularly interesting. Given the mix of elements in the build, do you think there could have been a more cohesive theme that ties the different rooms together better? Looking forward to your next upload! Keep up the fantastic work!

[@lukasthebuilder]

Thank you very much. I just wish more rooms had been connected to Sauron and his dark side. But I understand it’s LEGO, so they aim for a more optimistic approach.

[@Candyon240fps8]

Nice video. Yes Barad-dur should have been a bit taller. You can find mocs on rebrickable for it. I’ve already done a base upgrade and now I’m going to build more for the actual tower. My new barad-dur will come out to be 43 inches tall. 😄

[@lukasthebuilder]

Oh wow, that’s going to be a towering Barad-dûr!

[@TheSithari7]

I'm sorry but if it was all plain black it would look really blank and if it was all closed up then it would be obsolete for minifigures

[@lukasthebuilder]

They could have added more lava-colored elements instead of the grey rocks. And if the set was enclosed, they could have designed it to open up, similar to the Home Alone set.

[@TheSithari7]

​@lukasthebuilder for how much more money? It's a display set I don't imagine you plan to display it backwards and the rock stops it from looking so plain.

[@kristiankoch7625]

The Dining Room seems to be based on the "There is Meat back on the Menu..."-Meme from The Two Towers. And the Meaning of the Scroll in the library (3-7-9-1) refers to the Poem about the Rings by Tolkien. Imho this set is unfortunately is about a 60% miss, i personally would have preverred a golden hall of meduseld, or a helms deep, maybe even a new orthanc?

[@lukasthebuilder]

I was also thinking about the reference "There is Meat back on the Menu," but to be honest, it’s more related to Isengard than Barad-dûr. And thank you for explaining the meaning of the scroll. Personally, I would probably prefer the battle between Gandalf and the Balrog at the Bridge of Khazad-dûm.

[@DavyJones2259]

I agree with most of your point Lukas, but I feel that some of the points you made could be differently interpreted. I believe a library is actually quite fitting if you imagine the Mouth of Sauron using it. Also I think that Gollums face print fits more with the simplicity of the rest of the Lego figures than the older design. The pupils of the face print is quite annoying though. Also I feel we should’ve got more mini figures (Probably more orcs) as the tower feels a bit empty. I agree with the rest of your observations which is why I would probably be purchasing Rivendell instead of Barad-dür. In my eyes this set is mediocre. Keep up the great work btw! ❤

[@lukasthebuilder]

Thank you so much! I was currently building Rivendell, and I can’t recommend it enough-it’s absolutely stunning. If I had built Rivendell before Barad-dûr, I think I would have been even more disappointed with Barad-dûr. Rivendell is a masterclass in LEGO building techniques and display, while Barad-dûr feels more like just a standard set. Apart from the Eye of Sauron at the top, I struggle to find anything truly interesting about it.

[@douglasevans9599]

This is really good set but should be around 300-350 usd

[@lukasthebuilder]

For me, I found the building techniques a bit boring, especially in the lower sections. As for the price, I’m okay with it, but it was definitely a better deal when the GWP was included at launch.

[@Alaedious]

I enjoy your videos and narration! 😊❤ I purchased this set, too, and happily, I'm not disappointed. I just changed the disposition of the interior a bit more to my liking.

[@lukasthebuilder]

Thank you so much. For me, this is my least favorite set of the year.

[@MinosPrimethekingoflust]

This is a incredibly nitpicky review and i dont agree with this at all, the only thing i hate is the price but then again lego charges 50 bucks for hulk in a mech suit, the tower being taller would make this expensive ass set 50 bucks more, the rocks look fine idk whatchu talkin about, the orange in the middle is out of place i agree with that, the interior is fine, first floor is a torture chamber and entrance (the easter eggs are out of place i agree) the second floor im not sure but i think theres a cafeteria in the tower in lotr, and the study? bruh sauron uses that to like make plans and shit, and u think he just sits up in his tower doing nothing all day? He proly reads

[@lukasthebuilder]

Thank you for sharing your opinion. After several months of owning this set, I still feel it falls short compared to other releases this year. It’s also the one purchase I regret, as it doesn’t resonate with me at all, despite being a big LOTR fan.

[@shebo3693]

Geat video as always 🫶 ,, since the release date of that set ( after lego ran out of fell beast gwp ) and rivendell is almost out of stock all the time at lego ! I think this answer lots of questions. 😂

[@lukasthebuilder]

Thank you

[@karrde593]

This set I perceived differently. First the build was incredibly basic compared to the almost not Lego advanced Rivendell, and while bored for most of it, I actually appreciate it more as a rare song to building in that scale and being allowed to use bricks instead of 1x1 spares. The second is a profound appreciation of having something so large and monumental from Lego that isn’t a mainstream / goody guy symbol. That is also a very rare treasure. Did you laugh at the marketing pics with ikea furniture? Yes the interiors were forgettable and I didn’t care for the minifigs, any of them. Also if I didn’t get the fell beast… yeah maybe that is the missing special.

[@lukasthebuilder]

I agree with you about the construction being a bit boring, especially the first two bottom sections. The towers were a bit more enjoyable. When it comes to scale, I prefer Gringotts Bank over Barad-dûr-similar height, price, and brick count. As for the Fell Beast, I missed out on it because I bought the Tuxedo Cat instead when it was released. By the time I convinced myself to buy it, it was sold out everywhere, and I finally got mine by the end of August. Next year, I’ll definitely make sure to purchase it right away!

[@Lapince78]

Rivendell is better

[@masonj4779]

Taller??? It’s a toy.

[@beatmasterbossy]

Wow, this sounds like nit-picking above and beyond. I get not liking the price, it's only 5400 lego... But, this is like "I could do better than lego master builders" And it sounds more like bitterness than anything objectively constructive.

[@lukasthebuilder]

So you genuinely think this is a good or great LEGO set? For me, this might be the first time I regret purchasing a LEGO set.

[@TH3HY3N4]

@@lukasthebuilder It won best lego set of the year on brickset, so you are the minority here, bud.

[@thabos8]

Wow, for that kind of money, you could have both mega construx castle grayskull and snake mountain with more than double the parts, better minifigs and a way better building experience.

[@joshlyman7059]

this set was pretty disappointing to me even the choice of structure is odd, Barad Dur is supposed to be truly enormous and it would always going to be hard to pull that off. Making it semi minifig scale was a stupid idea. than the designers thought it would be neat to waste a third of the interior on a stupid movie meme, seriously , what the fuck is up with the dining hall and the minifigs are just kinda wasted potential, we got a good Sauron minifig but it's an incredible shame we didn't get a minifig of Sauron in his fair form, something much more important to any book fan than the over-armored thing in the movies. Including orcs is welcome but not needed for Barad Dur. If Rivendel had the 9 walkers Barad Dur ABSOLUTELY should have included the 9 riders. Don't get me wrong I still liked the set enough to have bought it but imo it's hald fantastic and half a mix of wasted potential and odd choices

[@lukasthebuilder]

You’re absolutely right. I’ve never regretted buying any LEGO set until this one.

[@MinosPrimethekingoflust]

Wow, that's nitpicking

[@MinosPrimethekingoflust]

Bruh 10 minifigs ain't enough? And I think alot of big lego sets are semi mini fig scale look at every star wars set, the mini figures are great and all that I think is missing is the witch king, having a bunch of orcs makes sense cuz they are the only things that populate the tower (other then like sauron and other guys) this comment is incredibly nitpicky

[@joshlyman7059]

@@MinosPrimethekingoflust I bought the set, I built it and those were my impressions... "bruh"

[@MinosPrimethekingoflust]

@@joshlyman7059 I just think ur nitpicking tho