LEGO Marvel 76217 I am Groot Review

Whether you’re a devout fan of Marvel comics or have just seen the Guardians of the Galaxy films, chances are you’ll have grown a fondness for Groot. A tree-like creature only capable of saying “I am Groot”, Groot’s child-like nature makes him disarming, even though he has great strength. And now, thanks to LEGO, you can have a Groot of your own. Pick up LEGO Marvel 76217 I am Groot, and after just a couple of hours you’ll have a baby Groot to look after. But should you?

Related: The Best LEGO Marvel Sets for Adults

What’s in the box?

In the smallish box you’ll find just 3 bags, unsurprisingly numbered 1-3. There’s also a sticker sheet with 15 sets of stickers (there are whopping 23 stickers overall, unfortunately). as well as an 88-page instruction book. The instruction book is free of any flair – there’s no foreword or anything like you often get with these collector-style sets.

LEGO Marvel 76217 I Am Groot Review: The Build

Opening bag 1, first up is building the humorous plaque that comes with the set. It’s a simple two-piece construction with a sticker to attach to provide Groot’s details. Of course, all it says is “I am Groot” over and over again. Once you’re done with the plaque you then move onto building the included cassette: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 & 2. This is a quick and fairly easy build but the end result is very impressive indeed. There’s nice usage of tires to recreate tape. In fact, there’s nice parts usage overall.

Still on bag 1, you then finally start building Groot. His central torso is built in two parts – the upper body then abdomen. They’re attached to each other via a ball joint to allow rotation at the hips. It’s a nice, solid structure, with stickers to add more detail and a wood effect. There’s clever use of claw-like pieces to give some texture on his shoulders and underarms, too.

Moving onto bag 2, you start building legs and feet for Groot. Ball joints are employed and offer a pleasing degree of articulation, but it’s a shame that some parts are placed so that you you can’t change his gait. It means that foliage located at his feet is a bit cluttered, and it also limits the stances you can achieve. Leaf pieces are used to give a bit of detail at this stage, as well as whips that represent vines.

After completing the legs and feet, Groot’s arms and hands are next on your agenda. They’re built in multiple pieces, once again allowing for great articulation. What’s really neat here, though, is that each arm piece is a little bit different, providing some variety. Another whip is used on the left arm to great effect.

With bag 3 of LEGO Marvel 76217 I Am Groot, it’s time to finish things: building Groot’s head. First you build a central structure, then you add on bits around it, much like when you build a BrickHeadz model. Some bits, however, are attached by just small rods, and they don’t feel connected very well. We also had some loose-fitting bricks which didn’t help. Hopefully you won’t. There are some wonderful details once the head is completed, but it’s very big. Perhaps a little too big.

Ultimately, I Am Groot is rather enjoyable to build, despite it being awkward to position some head pieces. Multiple just feel like they’re forced on, holding others in place. Overall, the head is possibly the least enjoyable part of Groot to build, but it brings him to life.

Play or display?

We’d say that LEGO Marvel 76217 I am Groot is a display piece rather than a toy for play. It may be relatively inexpensive and have a fairly low piece count, but this is a model to be looked at and admired rather than swooshed around and bashed. Indeed, you get the sense that some parts wouldn’t take much rough handling to break. Still, the articulation might make it fun for careful and considerate hands to have some fun with.

Value for money?

Priced at £44.99, LEGO Marvel 76217 I am Groot offers what we could considerable good value for money. It’s an enjoyable little build and the finished model is something you can easily display on a shelf. Some may consider the included cassette tape unnecessary padding, but it surprised us with just how realistic it looks, and it’s great to display alongside Groot – or any other Guardians of the Galaxy model.

Should you buy LEGO Marvel 76217 I am Groot?

If you’re a devout Marvel fan, or simply love the sentient tree-like creature, we think LEGO Marvel 76217 I am Groot is worth a buy. It’s not perfect, with one or two building issues along the way, but it’s a fun build on the whole that will occupy 2-3 hours of your time. And the end result is something that looks impressive despite its fairly low cost and piece count.