Just in time for the holidays, Lego launched a set based on the classic Christmas movie "Home Alone". 21330 Home Alone House is the 38th entry in the Ideas theme and will be available on November 1st. The price is US$249.99 | Can be $349.99 | UK £229.99. Its number of parts is as high as 3957, even surpassing the huge 21323 grand piano, becoming the largest Ideas so far. In addition to the nominal home, there are five exclusive minifigures and many other additional features. Come on, we will discover how many movie references you can pack into a collection. (Spoiler warning: a lot.)
The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of the set for review. Providing products to TBB for review can neither guarantee coverage nor guarantee positive reviews.
The first thing you will notice about this collection is its size. It is packaged in a large, label-sealed box, higher than other seasonal products, such as this year’s Winter Village products, 10293 Santa’s Visit. It has a standard "adult theme" design-a black background, a large logo at the corner, and a strip with setting information at the bottom. As with all "adult" suits, the age range is set to "18", but the complexity of the building may be okay for a much younger person. The content of the series is well presented, but what's interesting is that Lego decided to use the "movie timeline" approach to show the minifigures. There are four of the five characters on the front of the box, and they are arranged in the same way as seen earlier in the movie. The old man Marley brandished a shovel and dragged his salt trash can. Kevin was standing outside his house, and the wet bandits were preparing to "work" next to their van. The back of the box shows this dollhouse-like function. The front of the house is built on hinged panels, allowing access to the interior. The row of in-line shots at the bottom outlines some of the movie moments that you can reproduce and shows that the different floors are modular. The minifigure shown in the main photo has completed the cast, and Kevin's mother has finally arrived.
Inside the box, 31 numbered parts bags cover 24 steps. The bags are divided into two groups, steps 1-11 and instructions are packed in a separate white box. The rest of the bags are loose, creating a properly messy unboxing experience. Grouping does help to separate the large number of parts bags included in the kit, and the auxiliary box helps prevent the instructions from becoming too confusing during transportation.
The instruction manual and two stickers are packed in their own bag. There is no cardboard liner or other reinforcing materials, but it seems to be packed in the sub-box before the parts bag, so it is well supported on the side.
The 476-page perfect booklet is the standard price for these sets. The first few pages introduced the topic of setup and playback, introduced the designer, and then skipped to the building instructions. There is a copy of Kevin's battle plan on the cover, and it also appears in the form of a sticker.
This creative collection was designed and submitted by fan Alex Strozhuk. Obviously a big fan of The Home Alone movie, Alex used McAllister's online blueprint and the movie itself to build the initial model in Lego Digital Designer and Studio 2.0. He focused on getting things as close to the original plan as possible while also maintaining the scale. He described the second floor as the biggest challenge.
On the Lego side of the fence, designers Antica Bracanov and Enrique Belmonte Beixe were responsible for turning Alex's vision into a physical scene. They were able to expand the things in the basement, as well as some Home Alone 2: Easter eggs lost in New York. (I haven't watched that movie yet, so if you find them, please feel free to point them out in the comments!) Kirsten Bay Nielsen handled the graphic design, possibly including the most unusual double-sided emoticons in Lego history in Marv minifigures superior.
This set has a wide range of elements, including some new prints and molds. I think builders will really like the new quarter-circle train track, and the new "pet flap" variant of the standard Lego door.
Other interesting works include a transparent dome/astronaut helmet, stop shaft (this new element only appears white for the second time), and curved corner slopes and windows. Another important recolor is the introduction of reddish brown masonry.
There are also various uncommon works in medium sky blue and sandy blue tones. Some made their debut here, others are hard to find.
The two stickers are full of one-off movie details, and it makes no sense for Lego to convert them into printed elements. On the first sheet are a large family portrait, a great Yuan Lego joke (more on this later), and other key details such as a bunch of firecrackers and a bowl of macaroni and cheese. The second sheet is printed on the silver foil background. Some stickers do not use aluminum foil, but things such as refrigerator doors and mirrors will definitely be improved as a result.
Lego’s standard practice is to often include an additional copy, which may be lost during the construction process. Thanks to the wide range of elements in this collection, this time you will be treated as a lot of loot. (The 1×2 technical brick shown here is not extra; it sneaked into the wrong pile during the photography process.) This is a nice little bonus, because these parts are very suitable for custom construction.
The structure is divided into several main parts. You start with the OH-KAY truck, then build the house layer by layer, and finally build the tree house. We will study each stage carefully, and then delve into other game features.
The first is rapid vehicle construction. The OH-KAY Plumbing & Heating truck is a faithful reproduction of the movie truck, although it does not have any doors on its side. The logo is based on a sticker, and as you can see, I can never align it perfectly. The van has a detachable roof rack with ducts, an openable rear door and a bench for two people. There is also a removable golden trophy box (trophies and kitchen faucet) to add a bit of story value.
The license plate is our first Easter egg-"AKE37" is probably to set something for designer Alex Storozhuk. (The license plate in the film says "4565 AK")
The van is well designed, but the box of loot is a bit difficult to get in and out of the back. This can be done, but in the end it may be more dramatic than expected.
This van, coupled with the great Harry and Groom minifigures, may do well as a small scene alone. Although the main focus of the set was McAllister’s home, the addition of the van helped to fill the movie world in a popular way.
The construction of the McCallister house started with a solid foundation, which contained some simple Technic transmissions. A long rod extends along the length of the base and has two 90-degree bifurcations to provide rotation for future "Christmas Party" playback functions.
In general, the base is a very strong structure. The Technic gear is very strong and does not seem to get stuck when I test it. The front edge of the house has windows leading to the basement, a bit of Hollywood magic, we will see that the "actual" basement was built separately.
The interior spaces of the house eventually suffered widespread complaints about the larger Lego structures—their lights were very dim. The designer tried to counteract this by freely using window elements. It does help a bit, and helps to match some of the locations seen in the movie. The central staircase twists to the second floor, and a plunger element is built into the back wall. We will see what this is later.
The dining area on the right side of the first floor has a short flight of stairs instead of windows in front of a strange open gap. This is where the kitchen/basement sub-building will be connected later.
Once the walls are erected, the internal details are established. The fireplace has some good component uses, including the aerospace mechanic robot legs that add some texture. I'm not sure what the golden frog should be-maybe it's a call to Home Alone 2 or other designer Easter eggs. The basketball player's "cardboard cut" train is a bit cute, but the car with only half of the wheels feels a bit wrong. The jerseys on the players read "BRICKS 23"-different from Michael Jordan's "BULLS 23" in the movie. A clever joke or a way to save a bit of licensing costs? You are the judge!
The shelf in this corner will soon have a tree, but ground debris enters first. Next to the stairs are several pairs of roller skates, representing the micro-mechanical trap set by Kevin in the last scene, and several 1×1 circular plates, used for glass decorations, and used as water chestnuts under the window. And my favorite Meta-LEGO joke: next to the packaged gift is a small copy of LEGO Ideas 20330: Home Alone House (available on November 1st, priced at 249.99 US dollars | 349.99 US dollars | UK 229.99 pounds.) I want to know If there is a smaller copy of 20330 inside, you will observe very, very carefully. There is a smaller version...
There are many things worth seeing in the complete family room setting. The tree is compact but still interesting. The unprinted bird decorations feel that they also have good potential for reuse.
Other decorations include the front door, "feather trap" fan, big clock, dining table and chairs. The fan design is very sharp, as is the chair. The clock feels that it can be relocated to almost all Lego home environments. Please pay attention to the unfinished "High Nutrition Microwave Macaroni and Cheese" plate on the table.
The finished restaurant is a bit cramped because it mentions three memorable moments in the movie. The fan, "holiday party dummy" and macaroni and cheese combine to form a room that is a bit back in time.
The next steps include building a front window for the house. There is a film of the Empire State Building on the inner wall. This is a reference to "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York". Even I couldn't help but find it.
The walls are hinged on the outer corners and locked in place with clips in the cyan lounge chair. The panel can be kept closed well, but requires a little force to open. You will be tempted to lean on the external blinds to gain leverage, but be aware that they may pop out before the click connection gives way.
On the opposite wall is a picture of the Eiffel Tower, with an anchor point connected to the base of the record player. In the final step, the area in front of the house will get some shrubs and lights, but other than that, this almost completes the construction of the first floor.
Seen from the back, there are some necessary concessions-the large hole in the wall of the restaurant we mentioned earlier, some technical connections around the gap, and the plunger knob at the top of the stairs. The texture on the walls is well done, using the new reddish-brown masonry.
The second floor is built on a more ordinary overlapping slat bed. The platform at the top of the stairs is built next to the stairwell leading to the attic. There are a variety of windows at the rear, and there is also a plunger knob with gameplay characteristics.
That knob activated the collapsed shelf in Buzz's bedroom. Pulling it will remove the support rods under the hinged shelves, allowing them to fall forward. When locked in place, the top shelf sags a bit, but this is not very obvious.
Kevin’s parents’ bedroom has more interesting furniture. There is a bed with four posters, a bedside table with a (labeled) digital alarm clock, and a printed 1×1 popcorn box brick. This lamp is also an interesting design, with a 2×2 flower as part of the lampshade. There is also a fireplace in the corner, I don't remember seeing it in the first movie.
Buzz's bedroom is also full of what I think are Home Alone 2 Easter eggs, including a safe heart-shaped and Duncan's Toy Chest sticker toy catalog. There is also a superhero poster For Oleksii Storozhuk no.1 on the door – it must mean something, right? There are also frame photos of Buzz's BB-gun and his girlfriend in the room, a joke that is really not outdated.
The set also includes more movie combinations on the Buzz shelf. There is a string of firecrackers, some money, and a glass container for his spider. The blue helmet also adds a bit of color.
There is a "no entry" label outside Buzz's door. You can also see another movie reference in the Buzz spider wandering in the stairwell. On the other side of the floor, the bathroom sets are grouped together. The callback here is a wrapped toothbrush, silver foil stickers and a bottle of shaving cream.
The combination of the exterior walls is almost the same as that on the first floor. The connection point is hidden at the bottom of the small table at the top of the stairs.
Putting two floors together can already create a beautiful building. The modular design means that customizers can easily copy the building to add more floors or replace the roof for a more urban feel.
From the back, things look more sturdier, because there is not much overlap with other sub-models. The control knobs are very subtle and easy to spot when playing, but not so obvious, they will ruin the appearance of the wall.
The loft space is again built on the basis of overlapping slabs. The internal space here is more narrow, because most of the horizontal space is swallowed by the slope of the roof.
Some key elements in the film reappear. Mainly Kevin's battle plan. It is printed on the aluminum foil sticker, but there is no silver display. The table lamp is interesting, and the black hot dog element is used for the neck. I also found a gum machine and a folding bed in the background of the movie. In the movie, it has a more tacky checkered pattern from the 70s, but I am not against upgrading to a more glamorous blue-green. Interestingly, although all three beds use pull-out back covers, the architectural style of each bed is slightly different.
The completed roof has a center that swings upwards, allowing access to the game space. It is a bit challenging for my old man to reach into the corner, but the main areas of the bed and table are easy to access.
With the roof in place, the front is almost complete. The seams of the opening wall are well hidden, which is a good display.
After opening, you can see that the designer managed to pack a lot of things into this collection. This already has the look and feel of a high-end doll house, and is convenient in the proportions of minifigures. There is more to do!
If you have been summarizing all the key locations and events in the "Home Alone" movie, you may have noticed that several key locations are missing from the house. Especially the basement and kitchen. These locations exist-but are pulled into their own sub-buildings. The layout of the house has some necessary freedom-the steps leading to the basement have disappeared, and the door is now "on the ground". Instead, the kitchen is now on the stairs. This is an acceptable compromise-you can't really raise the rest of the house just for this room. Putting the basement on top of the kitchen would be a step that most people are willing to suspend their doubts.
The freezing point in front of the door has been recreated with transparent blue tiles with a satin finish. The stairs leading to the kitchen also have an icy spot-not very accurate, because this is actually done on the front step in the movie.
In the basement there is a washing machine, a tool box and a sticker of Marv socks glued to the floor with tar.
Kevin’s imagined enemy of the basement furnace has also been loved by many people. The buildings here are very threatening. When the top grate/mouth is pushed down, the light bricks will glow like hell.
The stove components can be disassembled for play, or can be lurking in the corner.
The kitchen door has this great pet flap function. This is a new door element of Lego, and I doubt we will see it in many future series.
The kitchen set is compressed a bit, but still contains all the key elements, as well as some. There is a blowtorch trap at the door, and the same goes for the TV/VCR combo to play "Dirty Soul Angel". There is also a Little Nero's Pizza takeaway on the counter.
There is an aluminum foil sticker on the refrigerator door, pictures of dogs on some refrigerator magnets (it must be another Easter egg, right?) and New York travel guides. There are two boxes of Mac-n-cheese in the refrigerator, which are very unstable on several shelves. When the door opens, it is difficult for me to keep them in place. Maybe this is a design choice?
A simple movable roof completes this architectural addition. The large white Technic connector on the kitchen level is part of the game function that we will introduce later.
The trash can here has a dual purpose. As shown on the box, it is the salt shaker dragged by the old man Marley. But it also has another movie moment, with Kevin's ticket thrown in the trash can. The carrier on the sticker here is "Adwind Airlines"-which is different from the product placement of the movie American Airlines. (An interesting article I found while writing this article indicated that the full set of tickets for this trip will cost the McCallister family approximately $35,320. Oops.)
Additional slot behind the main house. The control of the game function requires a large gap on the back wall and provides a visual connection between the kitchen and the dining area. The need for a full-height basement means that there are stairs leading to the kitchen to manage height changes between rooms-this is a reasonable solution because you can't reach everything in the kitchen. The restaurant can move between areas anyway figure.
As mentioned earlier, the extra rooms are not really film-specifically accurate in positioning, but they don't feel inappropriate. Using them as movable sub-buildings also means that you can display your equipment in a shallower area if you store this bit elsewhere.
The finishing touch of the house is to add some snow-covered green plants and Christmas lights in the front yard. A miniature trophy was also included to replace the problematic "Lawn Jockey" statue, which was repeatedly hit by Little Nero's pizza delivery man in the movie.
The final appearance of the house is stunning. Thanks to everyone who participated in bringing this scene to life.
The last freestanding structure in the series is Kevin's Tree House. This is a quick build without too much complexity, but again it is a solidly designed model with some interesting techniques. The ladder is well structured and the tree house itself is spacious while still maintaining a small footprint.
On the roof is a red brick airplane. This is another place where I am not sure about what is being quoted. But for "just because" inclusion, it does seem complicated.
The tree house can be connected to the main house with a long rope and locked in place with inclined 1×2 tiles. You do need a little space to tighten that rope, so plan accordingly.
In the next section, we will browse the timeline of the movie to see what playback options are available. We will start from the early days of the film because the wet bandits are stealing loot from their recent theft.
At the same time, Kevin was left alone at home and managed to destroy Buzz's room to find all the forbidden loot that a sibling would definitely hide around.
Later, Kevin dragged his sled into the room to perform some downhill maneuvers.
The plunger at the top of the stairs allows Kevin and his sleigh to fly out of the house. I captured this moment early in the build so that you can see it more clearly.
The mirror in the bathroom captures the unforgettable moments of Kevin's reaction to the aftershave. Of course, it looks like a horror movie because Kevin’s demonic face is distorted by stickers, but at least Lego didn’t let me deal with an almost naked Kevin figure made for this scene.
Later, Kevin simulated a holiday party to confuse the wet bandits. The external knob turns the train set and turntable at the same time. The movement is very smooth, and the technical connection means that if you really want a bit too funny speed, you can connect it to the motor.
The turntable of the record player works well, although it is a bit far from the window, it is not really visible when the outer wall is closed.
However, if you shine a light directly on the window, you can see the basketball player spinning. The windows on the back and sides of this room are blocked by the room contents and cannot provide any lighting.
Oh yeah. Kevin and old man Marley are becoming friends. This is my "what if...?" In another reality, Marley is indeed a serial killer, and Kevin's life is much harder.
Speaking of severe violence, the infamous "iron trap" is ready, waiting in the kitchen/basement play area. Turning the knob, a brick iron fell on the unsuspecting but worthy Marv minifigure.
Lego decided to use another expression, Marv, to show his ironed state, which still seems surprising. I'm really curious whether a creative builder somewhere can reuse this face for any other purpose than Home Alone's imitation/tribute.
The last family trap I want to mention is the swinging paint can. This may be the least successful of the entertainment activities, but at least we got a purple 2×2 round brick from this deal. I like purple bricks.
Because of the narrow dorms and horizontally-spanned stairs, the best thing you can really do is to put paint cans in the stairwell. It's not exactly the "thump" at the end of the movie, but you know that the designer must somehow include this critical moment in the scene. The game feature with a sled slide is more child-friendly, so it makes sense that it takes precedence over repeating more physical damage for the robbers.
But all good things must end, and it's time for Kevin to take the zipline to freedom. He can't catch the handlebar here, but his horrified face can really capture this moment well.
The tree house is equipped with a pair of scissors to reduce the attempts of robbers.
And, in the end, Kevin reunited with his family, represented here by his mother Kate. Come on Kevin! Get ready for years of treatment!
As expected, all five minifigures are unique to the suit. You get the old man Marley, the wet bandit Harry and the groom, Kevin and Kate McAllister.
Kevin, of course, is the star of the show. I know I know. surprising!
Kevin's double-sided torso and head are all new prints. However, his hair and medium-sized dark tan legs have appeared before. Kevin also comes with a scarf and hat to make you look more suitable for outdoor activities.
Kevin's mother Kate also has a new double-sided head and torso. Her dark orange hair used to be exclusive to the Harry Potter series.
Old Man Marley is slightly more common, perhaps because he has been around for so long. His double-sided torso is new, and his light gray beard has previously only appeared in the Hidden Side theme.
Sadly, Marley's "beardless" face is not a new print. It would be nice to see the printed beard here, because the bushy beard accessories are a bit too hairy and not suitable for his movie look.
The wet bandits Harry and the groom are also excellent minifigures. Both have new double-sided torso prints and unique faces.
Harry wears two hats-his knitted hat and a police hat, which are a callback to his disguise at the beginning of the movie. Preparing a complete police outfit for him might be a bit too much, so this is a good nod to these scenes without adding the cost of another outfit for the secondary character.
As we have already noticed, Marv may have the wildest dual-emoji head in Lego's history. However, the appearance of "smashed by iron nails" is so iconic that I suspect that graphic designer Kirsten Bay Nielsen may not have much trouble getting it through management.
Home Alone is a classic 30-year holiday, and Lego’s decision to take advantage of this nostalgia is not too shocking. When you think of the reboot version of "Sweet Little Family" that will be shown in theaters a few days after the date of this film street, it won't be that shocking. But about marketing is enough. Is this a good kit? I think the answer is a very reliable "you bet".
The build is both fun and fascinating, and many of its game features have recently been bypassed by other "adult" Lego products. Every nook and cranny of the set is filled with movie reference materials and Easter eggs, and the choice of five exclusive minifigures is just right. 3957 pieces of $250 each cost an astonishingly low cost of 6 cents, almost unheard of for a licensed property. Unusual colors, wide shapes, and unique prints make it a great part package for those who don’t like ultra-violent farce Christmas movies. This set will definitely become a popular choice for Lego fans this holiday season, so if you have a temper, you might want to buy one early. Or maybe you can use a parent or guardian who owes you a lot of time.
LEGO Ideas 21330 Home Alone House will be on sale at LEGO Shop Online from November 1st, the price is 249.99 US dollars | can be $ 349.99 | UK 229.99 pounds. It is also available through third-party sellers on Amazon and eBay.
The LEGO Group sent an early copy of the set to The Brothers Brick for review. Providing products to TBB for review can neither guarantee coverage nor guarantee positive reviews.
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Congratulations to Alex Storozhuk for releasing a wonderful set!
This has the same basic flaw as the module-the ugly streaks of tiles and panels on the exterior wall. No, there are no sepia and black stripes on the buildings in the movie. So why is Lego and why? Do you really think it looks good? Or do you think that builders over the age of 18 need color coding? Yes, more parts may be needed to avoid this, but for a suit of this size, this really shouldn't be a problem, especially because if the walls are evenly colored, the final product will look better.
The two white birds on the Christmas tree refer to "Lost in New York"—the two turtledoves that Mr. Duncan gave to Kevin for Kevin’s generous donation of allowances to the Children’s Hospital—Kevin raised a pigeon and took the other One for this bird-Lady of Central Park
One reference you may have missed is the ruby on the front door. In the third act of the first movie, Harry put his hand on the doorknob, unaware that Kevin had a barbecue starter on the other side.
Mr. Classic, interesting point. It's hard not to see it now when you look at the photo of the real house. Not only are there no black lines, but the tan is exaggerated in this version. The original IDEA version is more balanced.
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