Dilophosaurus Ambush (Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary by LEGO)

“Season’s greetings, fellow dinosaur lovers! Yes, it is us once again, Dr. Bella Bricking and my invaluable partner Beth Buildit, here to share some comfort and joy with the reviewing of yet another Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary set!”

“I can barely see with this thing on, Doc!”

“Let’s stick to the script, if you please, Beth. Here we have Dilophosaurus Ambush, released this past summer. Containing 211 pieces and retailing for $24.99 Canadian at most retail stores, it is the smallest of the five anniversary sets.”

“Also meaning the one least likely to hurt your bank account, Doc. Guess we should get started?”

“Beth, I’m standing over here.”

“Okay, so I really can’t see what this Dilophosaurus looks like, but I can tell that it’s a totally different figure from the one we reviewed way back in 2015, Doc. Come to think of it, that set had the exact same name as this one!”

“You are correct on both counts, my dear Beth. This Dilophosaurus is an original mould that was first introduced back in 2019, then used for a second time in 2022 with an identical colour scheme. This third version, however, is painted to more closely resemble the creature seen in Jurassic Park. Its main colour is olive green with dark green markings on its body, neck, and skull. The eyes are yellow, the teeth are off white, the claws are black, and the markings on its frill are yellow and red. It is also significantly smaller than the old Dilophosaurus, with a length of 9.5 cm and a height of 5.5 cm.”

“I can also tell that its only point of articulation is the hinged jaw, Doc. There’s a single stud on the back, the tip of the tail is made of rubberized plastic, and the right hand can grip LEGO accessories. Oh, and they still added the little cleft in the upper jaw, which is good. Overall, it’s less fun to play with than the old toy, but it’s more accurate to the movie.”

“Astute observations, Beth. Now on to the always stimulating task of building! Chop, chop!”

“Doc, I already told you: I can’t see properly with this !@#$ing thing on! Which pieces am I holding now?”

“Goodness, we’re not even close to either of those steps yet, Beth. Now do come along; I daresay I’m doing most of the work here.”

“That’s it! I’m taking this off already! Where’s my hairpiece at?”

*Sigh* “Back on top of the display case where we reside, Beth. Go and fetch it while I finish up here. And don’t even dream of removing that scarf. I declare, we ought to have dressed you as Ebeneezer Scrooge this year instead.”

“Well then, bah humbug, Doc!”

“Such cheek is most unbecoming, Beth. Now, let us get back on track. Here we have the devious Dennis Nedry from this set on the left with his previous version from Jurassic Park: T. rex Rampage on the right. While they are both dressed in the same garb, there are a number of small differences. This latest version has a dark blue shirt under his grey jacket and an all-yellow logo on his rain slicker. His visage is flummoxed and perspiring, perfectly reflecting the character’s emotions as he attempts to make his way to the east dock.”

“Yeah, and his slimed face also has a different expression. Plus he’s missing the logo on his back and has orange painted folds instead of black ones, Doc. And less printed detail on his hood to boot.”

“Here we have the source of Nedry’s frustration, my dear Beth, or rather, one of them. This is the sign post for the east dock that he inadvertently demolishes during a heavy rainstorm, thereby rendering him lost. Some nice tropical vegetation complements the setup, along with the infamous phony can of shaving cream that actually contains purloined embryos. Said can also featured in a previous review of ours, however, this one has the Barbasol logo printed on the side, as well as a flat round top piece with a nozzle printed on it.”

“And did you notice what piece gets used for the stream of shaving cream, Doc? It’s a frog, just like the one that was hidden in our last review. Again, all the 30th anniversary sets have one. The other cool thing about this build is that the arrow on the sign post actually spins around just like in the movie.”

“For the record, fellow dinosaur lovers, the arrow was originally pointing to the left before Nedry drove into it. We made certain to check!”

“And there she is, Doc, a 1992 Jeep Wrangler YJ Sahara, or as close to it as you can get using LEGO bricks. It holds together nicely, rolls along great on all surfaces, and has the right colours, including the red stripes that are supposed to somehow make the Triceratops keep their distance from it. Sure didn’t stop Rexy, though!”

“Yes, and it also bears the correct number, #12, on the license plates, hood, and doors, Beth. Kudos as well to the designers for going to the effort of incorporating dull brown bricks into the build so that the vehicle appears to be splattered with mud. The top of the roof is easily removable to allow access to the interior, which features a steering wheel, a moveable gear shift, and a fairly spacious cargo area. And while not as long as the Park Explorer from our previous review, this Jeep is two studs wider.”

“But here’s what bites about it, Doc: the roof is so low that minifigures with high hats or hairpieces like us can’t fit inside without keeping it off. Plus the seats and doors don’t allow minifigures to sit next to each other, which is why I’m stuck back here!”

“That is indeed somewhat unfortunate, Beth. It bears noting that the Jeep which is included in the Brachiosaurus Discovery set has a different build that allows two minifigures to sit in the front section. Still, what matters the most is that Nedry himself can fit inside just fine. And he was all alone in the scene on which this set is based, after all.”

“Say, check this out, Doc! So you know how the running board on the driver’s side has a sticker with muddy footprints made by a minifigure? Well, the sticker on the passenger side running board has a sticker with a muddy dino footprint that matches the Dilophosaurus‘ foot perfectly. And we all know that in the movie, the Dilo climbed into the Jeep on the passenger side. Gotta admit, that’s pretty clever on the part of LEGO designer Jordan Scott!”

“Quite clever indeed, Beth! But I am afraid we have once again reached the conclusion of our review. What is your verdict?”

“It’s a pretty neat set overall, Doc. The build is enjoyable, the Jeep looks a lot like the movie version and is fun to play with in spite of being cramped, the sign post is a smart accessory, the smaller Dilophosaurus trades articulation for movie accuracy, and the Nedry minifigure is decent, if not as detailed as the last one. This was good bang for buck.”

“Thank you, my dear Beth. And now it is time for us to bid our fellow dinosaur lovers a fond farewell and a very happy holidays. Take good of yourselves and those close to you, continue to expand your knowledge, and never stop seeking adventure. We shall see you again in 2024.”

“Peace out, folks. Stand up for what you believe in, fight for what’s right, help those in need, and try not to be a jerk unless someone seriously deserves it!”

“Now, Beth!”