This year marks the 25th anniversary of DreamWorks’ Shrek; it also sees everyone’s favourite Orge make his LEGO® debut. Originally, Shrek was being developed into a feature film by legendary director Steven Spielberg before it became one of the first animated films to come from DreamWorks Animation. Shrek is loosely based on a children’s picture book published in the early 90s by William Steig and follows the aforementioned green Orge and his happy-go-lucky companion, Donkey, as they are tasked with rescuing a princess.
Its crude humour, excellent voice cast and numerous mockery of classic fairy tale tropes, often used by Disney, saw Shrek become a cult classic. It was soon followed by sequels, spin-offs and animated shorts. This year, a fifth outing for Shrek was meant to hit the big screen but was pushed back to 2027. Which is why the release of the Shrek sets and minifigures may seem a little random. But does the new set offer a layered build like an onion, or should it be cast in a tower never to be seen again? Here’s a look at the new LEGO Shrek, Donkey and Puss in Boots set.
Product Details
Set Name: Shrek, Donkey & Puss in Boots | Set Number: 72423 | Pieces: 1403 | Theme: Shrek
Instructions: Paper booklet + Builder App | Sticker: n/a | Minifigures: Puss in Boots
RRP: £109.99 / 119.99€ / $129.99 / 199.99AUD / 179.99CAD
Availability: LEGO Stores, LEGO Online & LEGO retailers
The Build
The build begins with the base. This is built to mostly be studless, apart from a few connection points. It’s inspired by Shrek’s beloved swamp, so it features splash water, a couple of sunflowers and greenery. There’s also Shrek’s iconic warning signs making sure his Swamp isn’t disturbed by unwanted guests. This uses printed elements and is added to the base once Shrek and Donkey are in place. With the base complete, you move on to the two buildable figures of Shrek and Donkey. These are both built independently of the base, but are also built to become part of it.
Donkey is partly built into a small rocky mound; this allows him to appear as if he were standing. The front legs are both slotted into the rock plinth via a part of Technic pins. This makes Donkey fairly stable but also reduces the posing possibilities. Despite that, it’s a decent representation of Donkey. Especially the head, which uses printed elements for his eyes. You can also move the ears, head, and tail. Once you complete the build of Donkey, you’ll notice an odd gap on his side. This isn’t a mistake, but its purpose will be revealed once Shrek is built
Shrek is the biggest part of the build, and his LEGO brick transformation manages to capture the ogre’s visual charms. Shrek is built in sections, with the biggest being his body. Within Shrek’s belly are some treats he’s previously enjoyed, including an onion, eyeball and a tasty waffle. Proving Shrek and Donkey did indeed stay up late, share manly stories and have waffles in the morning. Shrek’s creation includes some interesting build techniques, layering of elements to create both Shrek’s appearance and his clothing. Shrek also features several printed elements, including his eye and cherry smile. Similar to Donkey, Shrek has limited articulation; you can slightly move his head and right hand, with the other being fixed to Donkey’s body and thus filling in that aforementioned gap on Donkey’s body.
Both brick-built characters are fixed to the base via Technic pins or ball joints. This provides a secure connection and allows both characters to be posed in a natural manner, especially Donkey, who stands on a rock. Obviously, being fixed in place does limit how they are posed, but there is a little movement in Shrek’s head and right arm, along with Donkey’s head, mouth and ears. Yes, the pair do look a little odd at certain angles, but you’ll only be displaying it face on.
Although the set’s focus is Shrek and Donkey, it also features Puss in Boots. Oddly, the character, who was introduced in Shrek 2, is a minifigure. This makes it look extremely at odds with the scale of the buildable figures. Although a minifigure is always welcome in a set, I feel it would have been better for this particular set not to include one. That’s purely because it looks odd against the rest of the set. The minifigure itself is nice, and it’s unique. It uses different legs and has a different face print compared to the version of Puss in Boots found in the upcoming Shrek Series minifigures. It also includes a cape and sword.
The Verdict
There is a growing annoyance with display-focused sets. But they haven’t stopped play-focused sets from being created, and this particular set is a great example of a display set done well. Many fans of the original film are the target audience for it. Plus, it’s safe to assume there will also be Shrek playsets on the way, most likely alongside the release of Shrek 5. Although the Puss in Boots minifigure is nice, it does feel a little out of place due to the odd scale of it next to Shrek and Donkey. Look out for my review of the LEGO Shrek Series minifigures. Until then, the Shrek, Donkey and Puss in Boots set is available now.
