TL;DR – Well, never have I been so happy to be wrong. This film was a blast from beginning to end.

Post-Credit Scene – There are post-credit scenes.

Disclosure – I was invited to a press screening of this film.

Masters of the Universe Review Introduction

Before we dive into the review proper, I think it is right to be a bit honest up front. I did not have high hopes for this film. It had been in production hell for an age and a half, the casting felt like a mess, it was hitting at a nostalgia that didn’t feel like it really existed, and it had a multitude of writing credits that made anyone concerned. Then there was the Jared Leto-sized elephant in the room. I was expecting a complete and utter disaster. Well, I need to go eat some humble pie, not because I like pie, I do, but because this was the most fun I have had in a cinema in an age.

So, to set the scene, Adam Glenn (Nicholas Galitzine) struggles a lot in Oklahoma City because people can never quite get close to him. Because sooner or later, he needs to tell them that when he was a child (Artie Wilkinson-Hunt), he was the Prince of Eternia, surrounded by magic, wonders, history, and the love of the people. But all of that changed one day when Skeletor (Jared Leto) attacked with his goons and captured his parents, King Randor (James Purefoy) and Queen Marlena (Charlotte Riley). They would have taken the young Adam to, in their search for the Sword of Power. However, the Sorceress (Morena Baccarin) saved him by sending him to Earth to keep the sword safe, but he lost it in transit. As you can imagine, that kind of story does not get you a second date and probably get you an awkward phone call cutting the night short. But things change when one day he gets a message that someone has finally found his sword, and Adam has a chance to return home.

The Casting is Fun

What an opening line-up, seriously, I have never been so glad to be wrong when it came to this cast. Nicholas Galitzine perfectly lands the ship as He-Man is clearly written with insight as to his character’s past and where it sits in the current zeitgeist. However, while referential, his performance never slips into parody or caricature. Which would have been a hard thing to pull off, given some of the content. Camila Mendes is the perfect energy balance with Teela, creating a good counterpoint for the film. Also, I am as shocked to say it as you are to hear it, but Jared Leto is actually good in this film. Now, had you not told me Jared Leto was playing Skeletor, I would never have known, and I am not sure if that is a good or bad thing.

It is often that there are “no small parts” and Masters of the Universe takes that and runs with it. Sasheer Zamata and Christian Vunipola are mostly there for comic relief, but then every single line of dialogue lands. Alison Brie and Idris Elba were clearly having a ball getting to chew all the scenery, and it was fun to see Morena Baccarin pop up as the Sorceress. One of the things that I liked about the story was that, even though there was a large ensemble cast, everyone got their moment to shine, and I really appreciated that.

The Visuals are Fun

Given how drab a lot of big blockbuster films are at the moment, it was a real delight to see a film that is just brimming with colour. It is clear that they are not afraid of their source material, and that courage makes its way into all these details that could have been ground down into grey spandex in other films. They contrast the dark textures of Iceland with gorgeous imaginary forests, and build a world that you almost believe in. It was also good to see some real intentionality in all the action. Travis Knight does have an eye for detail that probably comes from his work with Laika, and so we don’t fall into the trap of having a hundred jump cuts to imply action but show nothing.  

The Story is Some Very Messy Fun  

For better and worse, the story is very messy, which should not be a surprise given how many rewrites it went through. Also, let’s be honest, it is also one of the stories where you knew that was going to happen even before baby Adam got yeeted to Earth and lost his sword. There is a trajectory that was always going to happen, and they stick to the Hero’s Journey almost religiously. But as you already know the direction they are heading in, and the film knows that you know, they instead have a bit of fun with it along the way. Do two characters that became rivals at the start get a showdown at the end? Yes. Was it still fun? Absolutely. Now, much like Barbie, they are using this film to have a conversation with the audience, this time around conceptions of masculinity. They don’t really go deep enough to be truly speaking on the topic, but it does lead to some interesting conversations. Does it get lost within itself at times, yes, but never enough to derail things, it also doesn’t hurt that I was laughing so much that the ladies in the chair in front of me commented on it after the many end credit scenes.      

Recommendation

In the end, do we recommend Masters of the Universe? If you are a fan of the old or new cartoons, then I would absolutely recommend this to you. Though be warned, you may end up buying a whole lot of merchandise, and I cannot be held responsible for that. If you like a good action-adventure flick, then also give this a whirl. I would say that some of the content might not be suitable for some of the young members of society, but you will be the judge of that. I mean, there is a recurring gag that I am honestly surprised they kept in the final release, but then it did get a laugh every time they dropped it, so what do I know?    

Have you watched Masters of the Universe? Let us know what you thought in the comments below. If you liked Masters of the Universe, we would recommend Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves to you because they both understand their properties intimately, and also understand that they should be fun.  

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Bluesky at @Tldrmovrev, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

Feel free to share this review on social media and check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day. 


Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of Masters of the Universe
Directed by – Travis Knight
Story by – Aaron Nee, Adam Nee, Alex Litvak, & Michael Finch
Screenplay by – Chris Butler, Aaron Nee, Adam Nee, & David Callaham
Based on – Characters created by Roger Sweet
Music by – Daniel Pemberton
Cinematography by – Fabian Wagner
Edited by – Paul Rubell
Production/Distribution Companies – Amazon MGM Studios, Mattel Studios, Escape Artists, & Sony Pictures
Starring – Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Jared Leto, Alison Brie, Idris Elba, Morena Baccarin, James Purefoy, Charlotte Riley, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Christian Vunipola, & Kristen Wiig
With – Sasheer Zamata, Gary Martin, James Wilkinson, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, Kojo Attah, Jon Xue Zhang, Sam C. Wilson, Hung Dante Dong, James Apps, Artie Wilkinson-Hunt, Eire Farrell, & Dolph Lundgren
Rating – Australia: M; Canada: PG; Germany: na; New Zealand: M; United Kingdom: na; United States: PG-13