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'Masters of the Universe' Review

Release Date: 06/05/26 [Cinemas]

Genre: Action. Adventure. Fantasy. SciFi.

MPAA: Rated PG13.

Distributor: Amazon MGM Studios.

The Verdict: A Maybe


A smart, witty, not-too-serious but still fun enough to cross generational barriers, adaptation of a 50-year-old IP is the perfect recipe for a fresh, summer blockbuster film.


Travis Knight’s Masters of the Universe, the long-awaited live-action take on He-Man, doesn’t quite reach this level. But it does come close.  


After nearly two decades in development hell, Masters of the Universe arrives as Mattel’s follow-up to 2023’s Barbie but feels a decade too late. Direct comparison between these two films is not appropriate, however. While Barbie dealt with the existential crises of women and womanhood, Masters caters to the more straightforward audience, arguably, the boy crowd, seeking adventure rather than a thesis. 


This is not He-Man’s first foray into live-action territory, nearly 40 years removed from the previous Masters of the Universe film from 1987, starring Dolph Lundgren as the titular hero of Eternia. One of the challenges this new film faces is acknowledging its dated place in pop culture and being satisfying enough to entertain a new, younger audience who have likely never known He-Man or his story.


After absconding to Earth with the mythical Sword of Power to hide from the vile Skeletor, Adam, the prince of Eternia, grows up, recovers his sword, and returns home to save his world from evil. This plot is conventional and to the point. The film knows this and populates itself with popular songs, buckets of humor, and lots of action set pieces to separate itself from virtually every other movie with the same story released in the last 25 years.


On the storytelling front, Masters does two things very well. First, it’s self-aware and doesn’t suggest it’s anything other than a silly action story, and secondly, it wisely doesn’t overshare from its own lore. The canon details of He-Man are sprinkled in slowly and methodically, with some not even showing up until the very end, because this film knows that, given its precarious challenge, it cannot afford to rely on nostalgia alone to get it across the finish line. 


Too often, however, I kept feeling that not only had I seen this all before, but I’ve seen it done better. I’m reminded of other movies with ostensibly silly premises that pulled off the magic trick of being better than expected, 2023’s Dungeons and Dragons and 2003’s Pirates of the Caribbean. Instead of getting engrossed in the story unfolding for Adam and his compatriots here, I was reminded of better experiences. 


While that issue comes down to the scriptwriting, Travis Knight’s direction here is quite excellent. His deep understanding of visual storytelling is front and center, allowing me to immerse myself in Eternia’s sweeping landscapes and gorgeous set pieces. 


Nicholas Galitzine carries the sword as Adam, and is tall, handsome, and at times, goofy and awkward. The deck of supporting characters around him also entertains, particularly Idris Elba as his father’s master-at-arms, Duncan. Camila Mendes plays Adam’s only childhood friend, Teela, who gently teases and motivates Adam as he struggles to find his confidence. Other notable names drop in, including Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn and Morena Baccarin as The Sorceress. Jared Leto takes up the mantle of Skeletor, the main antagonist and crunchy bag-of-bones, fighting to keep the rule of Eternia for himself. Leto, often painted as the poison pill for any film project he signs on for, delivers a surprisingly entertaining turn as Skeletor. He chews the scenery whenever he is on screen here, and despite his reputation, he actually elevates instead of detracts. 


Speaking of Skeletor, his look is excellent and tactile; Masters of the Universe does have a lot of CGI, but in the hands of Travis Knight, it delivers a generous serving of practical effects, too, which are further complemented by the wonderful set design.


What took me out of this experience, rolling my eyes and looking at my watch, were the music choices and the humor. The needle drops are indeed quite excellent, just oddly placed and even felt inappropriate in some sequences. But the biggest violation of my senses came from the clunky scenes flooded with clumsy jokes. The humor felt flatter than a pancake. With some rough mathematical calculations, I estimated that for every salvo of 10-12 jokes, one joke actually made me laugh, smile, or felt tonally correct. The constant battery of stale comedy reminded me of the worst parts of the MCU’s second or third phase, providing laugh cues instead of actual laughs.


Despite the tonal flaws, Masters of the Universe does deliver on what it set out to do. I suspect the He-Man devotees of the Gen-X/elder Millennial sort will appreciate the cumulative ride this film provides. There is enough lore here for the older group to enjoy with nostalgic recall, and plenty of heart and familiarity to lull the younger viewing audience. Masters of the Universe is indeed formulaic and safe, and while its magic did not work on me, it will surely connect with many other viewers.


 
 
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