Lego Star Wars UCS Millennium Falcon review

Let’s make something clear at the start of this review: the Millennium Falcon is the most iconic ship in the history of science fiction. It is one of the most recognizable images in all of pop culture over the last 50 years and it has endured as a staple of childhood fantasy since Luke Skywalker first called it “a piece of junk.”

It’s been replicated in Lego many times. In fact, at the time of writing, there are three different versions of the Falcon in production, and since the first one 20 years ago, it’s one of the most remade sets ever. It even has an older Ultimate Collector Series (UCS) model which was long sought after by collectors for years. However, it wasn’t until 2017 that Lego reintroduced the icon to the UCS line with the new UCS Millennium Falcon and it’s been the holy grail for Star Wars fans ever since.

In many ways, the UCS Millennium Falcon feels like the final boss of Lego. Not only is it probably the most visually striking Lego release of all time, but it’s also one of the most complex. This isn’t just a normal Lego set but bigger. In order to pull off the incredible design, the detail, and the scale, the set is as much about building a solid frame within the Falcon as it is decorating the outside with the hundreds of small parts to give the ship it’s weathered effect. Part-technic set, the core of the Millennium Falcon is a rock-solid foundation of bricks that make it feel heavy, sturdy, and crucially, possible to move without feeling like it’s all going to break apart.

If you’ve somehow got a few bucks left after the Millennium Falcon, be sure to check out the best Lego Star Wars sets for more classics like the X-Wing or huge playsets like the Mos Eisley Cantina.

Lego Star Wars UCS Millennium Falcon review: Build

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The UCS Millennium Falcon is an incredibly long, enjoyable build with over 40 bags included in the set, broken down into 17 stages and an instruction book that is almost 500 pages. The early build focuses on building a frame for the ship, while later sections are dedicated to the canopies at the back of the Falcon, and the various detailing elements. If you’re doing this with a friend or group of friends, it’s a great set to break up into teams, as most stages are disconnected from each other, allowing for some synchronous building. 

There will be sections of the build where you’ll empty the bags and all of the pieces will sprawl out in front of you like an asteroid field and you’ll wonder how it’s even possible that they fit on your table. This, again, is why you basically need a separate table to sit the Falcon on while you work on the component pieces. It’s appropriate that something that costs as much and is similar in size to a small car practically requires a garage for you to actually build it.

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A lot of these pieces early in the build are essentially the infostructure for the various panels that make up the roof and bottom of the ship. These Technic pins and other pieces make a foundation into which other sections are plugged in, which not only makes the ship feel very stable but for sections of the ship that feature interiors, making them easier to access.

At other times, the huge number of pieces are used to flesh out the exterior of the ship, replicating the rough, mechanical look of the ship perfectly. The mix of reds, tans, and dark grays emulate the colors of the Millennium Falcon perfectly.

This isn’t a build you should, or really can, rush. Set it up somewhere so that you can go back to it whenever you want. It’s not a race, so feel free to open a bag, work on it for a bit, and then relax. You’re not likely to build many Lego sets that are quite this staggering in your life, so it’s certainly worth taking the time to savor the experience.

Lego Star Wars UCS Millennium Falcon review: Design

The Lego Star Wars UCS Millennium Falcon looks absolutely perfect. Truly there is almost no way to imagine it being any better. It replicates the jagged edges of the ship to perfection while maintaining its sleek shape. The ship has a few interiors that represent the classic scenes from throughout the franchise, and even a few more areas that are accessible. This is the first time the cockpit has actually been large enough in one of the Millennium Falcon sets for all four of the seats to fit.

It’s certainly not the easiest thing to display on a shelf, so your kitchen table may be occupied for some time, but there are several display stands on the market that make for an excellent addition to any shelf. Whichever room this ship is in, we can say that without a doubt it’s going to be the very first thing people ask about.

The minifigure selection is probably the only element of the set that could have been slightly better. It includes two versions of Han Solo, one from Empire Strikes Back and one from The Force Awakens, Princess Leia from Empire Strikes Back, Chewbacca, C-3PO, BB-8, Rey from The Force Awakens, Finn from The Force Awakens, and two Porgs. Sadly, Ben Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, R2-D2, Lando Calrissian, and Nien Nunb, all characters that have made famous appearances in the Falcon, aren’t present.

They even include Luke’s helmet from when he was first trained in the Jedi arts by Ben Kenobi, but no figure. This feels like a bit of a letdown considering this is the definitive version of this set, but both Kenobi and Skywalker are in much cheaper sets so it wouldn’t be too difficult to add them to this if you’re looking for a more screen-accurate cast.

There are only a very small number of stickers which is appreciated, but for one of the most expensive sets ever it feels like there probably should have been no stickers at all and more printed tiles – it’s a minor nitpick though. Honestly, all of the complaints with this set are minor nitpicks. It’s very difficult to find fault in something that you’ve stared at through the Lego shop window for five years like Charlie Bucket.

Should you buy the Lego Star Wars UCS Millennium Falcon?

Yes.

If it’s not clear already, we basically couldn’t recommend a set more than we do the UCS Millennium Falcon. It feels virtually impossible to justify $800/£700 for a Lego set, but from the outset, you’ll know if that’s too much for you. This is the upper limit of Lego, it remains the most expensive Lego Star Wars set ever, sharing the price point with the more recent UCS AT-AT. But, saying that… we think it’s worth it. If you look at how much Lego sets generally cost and what you get from them in terms of pieces, length of build, and quality of model, as soon as we started actually building the thing, the price started to make sense. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a ridiculous amount of money for a Lego set, but we don’t think it’s overpriced by any means.

The whole thing screams quality from the second you buy it. When the poor delivery person that was assigned to haul this colossus to our door turned up, it felt like an elite piece of kit. There’s a reason that when this set first came to Lego stores staff recommended that you either get a trolley, or they’d offer to wheel it out for you – it is very, very heavy! Once you open it and you’re greeted by the sleek black box, you’ll soon realize that the set is actually four boxes within one. Each of these sports a different Millennium Falcon-related quote and some lovely illustration.

When the build was finished and we took the requisite 50 steps back in order to see the whole thing, it was genuinely a bit overwhelming. This thing that looks like it should be behind glass at Legoland is sitting in your office. Sure, you can’t pick it up and make it zoom through the air unless you’re Brock Lesnar, but the hours I’ve spent just looking at it can’t really be overstated.

Other Lego Star Wars sets to consider

If you’re buying the Lego Star Wars UCS Millennium Falcon you probably have most, if not all other sets already, but just in case you’re just getting into the hobby, the Star Wars line has a huge number of excellent sets that we recommend checking out.

The Lego Star Wars Mos Eisley Cantina is a set for a serious Star Wars or Lego collector. It feels like one of those sets that are going to be very heavily sought after in years to come, and we understand why. It’s absolutely massive, and it’s one of the most enjoyable builds in the line.

The smaller but still mighty Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon is a great entry point for classic fans (and a lot cheaper), as is the Luke Skywalker’s Lego Star Wars X-Wing and other original trilogy favorites. For those willing to commit the money, there’s the UCS AT-AT which recently launched and took the crown for the largest Lego Star Wars set ever.

For Mandalorian fans, we recommend the Lego Star Wars AT-ST Raider as an entry into the ships and vehicles from the series. There are also smaller sets that come with The Mandalorian figure, such as the recently released The Armorer’s Mandalorian Forge which looks cool, but is more of a playset rather than a display piece. There’s also the Razor Crest, which is an iconic ship from the show, but it’s a bit more expensive than something like The Child or the AT-ST.