With Indiana Jones set to return to the big screen in the upcoming Dial of Destiny, we’re starting to see more and more toys that celebrate the exploits of the whip-cracking archaeologist. Naturally, everyone’s favorite construction toy is getting in on the action with a number of sets commemorating Dr. Henry Walton Jones’ adventures. The LEGO Temple of the Golden Idol is, hands down, the highlight of that new batch of releases.
A big set recreating the setting of the opening scene from the Raiders of the Lost Ark movie, it gives you a detailed model of the Temple of the Chachapoyan Warriors, where the protagonist found himself betrayed by his two guides and left empty-handed by his nemesis, Rene Belloq. Whether you want to relive that action-packed prologue, whet your appetite for the upcoming new movie, or just have a new toy from your favorite treasure hunter franchise, this thing delivers, arguably, the most fun Indiana Jones LEGO set yet.
The LEGO Temple of the Golden Idol is a detailed diorama of the Temple of the Chachapoyan Warriors, consisting of three sections, each one corresponding to a memorable scene from the first Indiana Jones movie’s opening sequence. First is the temple entrance, which features a crumbling entryway, skeletal remains, and various other fixtures from the film, along with that giant boulder that ends up threatening to run over our hero when he unwittingly triggers the trap by miscalculating the amount of sand needed to replicate the Golden Idol’s weight. And yes, you can the LEGO boulder loose by twisting the skull-labeled dial at the front of the structure.
Next is a section that recreates the ravine the whip-cracking, wisecracking protagonist has to cross to escape the triggered traps. It has two skull-labeled dials on the front – one that raises the stone door and one that allows the professor to swing across the wide gap to get away from the rampaging boulder.
The LEGO Temple of the Golden Idol’s third section is the most complex, as it recreates the chamber where the Golden Idol is kept. Like the other sections, there’s a knob out front, which lowers the statue using a trap door and lights up a brick above it, before causing the large stone face to topple forward to simulate the temple crumbling in the film. All three sections are connected in a continuous dungeon-like layout, allowing your minifigs to recreate the group’s brief excursion in the South American jungle.
Once assembled, the entire set measures 20 x 8 x 7 inches (width x height x depth), so this makes for quite the big model any Indiana Jones fan will be happy to show off on a shelf somewhere. It’s made up of 1,545 pieces, making for a rather big and immersive build that can keep you engaged for a decent bit of time. Set comes with four minifigs, namely Indiana Jones (complete with hat and whip), Satipo, Belloq, and a Hovitos Warrior.
The LEGO Temple of the Golden Idol comes out on April 1st, priced at $149.99.