In 1987, I did what any self-respecting kid obsessed with Eternia would do: I asked a girl out on a date just so I could go see Dolph Lundgren wear a velvet cape on the big screen. I had Castle Grayskull and Skull Mountain. I had the plastic power swords. I still have a pill of the original Mattel figures stored away. I’ve even already picked up some of the brand-new movie figures.
So when Amazon announced a massive, 140-minute live-action Masters of the Universe blockbuster directed by Travis Knight, my inner eight-year-old was screaming. But my grown-up critic brain was terrified. How do you adapt a franchise built on a musclebound warrior in a furry loincloth and a villain who is literally a cackling skeleton without making it an absolute trainwreck?
Masters of the Universe
- Director: Travis Knight
- Starring: Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Kristen Wiig, Jared Leto
- Genre: Action, Fantasy, Science Fiction
- Runtime: 141 mins
- User Rating: ★ 8.1
With the review embargo officially lifted, the verdict is in, and it’s beautifully complicated. It turns out this isn’t the disaster people predicted after Borderlands. But for those of us who grew up with the original Filmation cartoon as the gold standard, this movie pulls a massive tonal head-fake you need to know about before you spend your cash at the box office.
The film avoids getting bogged down in endless lore baggage by keeping the narrative setup remarkably lean. Prince Adam escapes to Earth as a kid, loses his magical heritage, and grows up as—I am not kidding—an everyday human resources employee who draws his forgotten childhood memories in a sketchbook.
Eventually, he finds the Sword of Power, and Teela tracks him down just in time to save him from Beast Man. From there, he is whisked back home to Eternia to overthrow Skeletor, who has completely taken over the kingdom. It takes a relatively small part of the runtime to establish this foundation, allowing the film to quickly focus on what matters most: the vibe and the world-building.
Where this movie absolutely triumphs—and the primary reason it demands your attention—is the sheer physical presence of its production design. In an era where modern sci-fi blockbusters frequently look like muddy, weightless green-screen soup, Travis Knight did something heroic: he built real, massive sets.
Eternia feels incredibly alive. There are dozens of actual extras running around in practical alien makeup, armour, and costumes that feel like they were pulled directly out of a vintage Mattel toy catalog. For a physical media collector and fan, seeing characters like Man at Arms, Ram-Man and Trap Jaw, just to name a few, translated into physical, real characters with real cinematic weight is an absolute joy.
Combine that visual texture with a stellar, bombastic disco-rock score by Daniel Pemberton—featuring roaring guitar solos from Queen’s Brian May—and the film maintains an infectious, kinetic energy. When the action sequences land, they don’t feel like dutiful, focus-tested superhero fisticuffs; they feel like someone playing with their childhood toys with an unlimited Hollywood budget. Visually and sonically, this movie screams for the premium theater experience.
However, we have to talk about where the film experiences some structural friction. The script, penned by Chris Butler and the Nee brothers, is deeply infected with the modern “Marvel formula.” It is incredibly self-aware of what it is. A movie based a toy that used a cartoon to market those toys. Think Guardians of the Galaxy meets Thor: Ragnarok.
Instead of playing the swords-and-sorcery straight, the film relies on a non-stop barrage of humor. There is a running gag where Prince Adam meets iconic characters and mocks their names because they were technically invented by a ten-year-old version of himself. Because Adam grew up working in corporate HR on Earth, he literally tries to bring conflict resolution strategies and empathy exercises to a life-or-death battle with a skull-faced dictator.
When it leans entirely into the pure camp—like Jared Leto’s wildly over-the-top, Tim Curry-esque vocal performance as Skeletor tossing out lines about He-Man’s “glorious thighs”—it’s a total blast. But when the movie tries to shift gears into a serious, heavy-handed emotional message about modern masculinity and living up to your father’s ego, the gears grind a little. The endless riffing can feel undercutting even through I found myself laughing consistently.
Despite those script issues, I had an absolute blast watching this movie. When it comes down to it, I was able to completely turn off my brain and just enjoy the ride and the action. It made me feel like a kid again, watching a Saturday morning cartoon literally come to life on a giant screen. And when Adam finally raises that sword and says “By the Power of Grayskull… I HAVE THE POWER!” and transforms into He-Man? It gave me genuine goosebumps.
A massive reason the movie works past its structural flaws is its phenomenal cast. The actors jump headfirst into the campy fun of this universe without holding back.
- Nicholas Galitzine (Adam/He-Man): He is a total blast to watch, beautifully capturing an Adam who is genuine. He desperately wants to step up to become the hero he believes he can be.
- Camila Mendes (Teela): She is fierce, kicks serious butt, and her introduction sequence saving Adam from Beast Man is a major high point.
- Idris Elba (Man-at-Arms): Elba turns in a fantastic performance as a battle-worn mentor who has lost his edge and must completely redefine who he is.
- Jerod Leto (Skeletor): I know most people do not like him, but as Skeletor you have no idea it’s him. He’s pretentious and fun. He makes the villain likeable, which is a hard thing to do.
The rest of the rogue’s gallery and heroic warriors are fantastic at embracing the theatricality of the world, though I did leave feeling that Evil-Lyn (Allison Brie) and the Sorceress (Morena Baccarin) were severely underused and deserved more screen time.
If you are going into this expecting the deep, lore-heavy, mature storytelling of the 2002 Mike Young cartoon or the recent Netflix Revelations series, you are going to leave frustrated. This is a surface-level, pure Filmation nostalgia trip.
Despite the snarky jokes, director Travis Knight clearly loves this sandbox. The fan service isn’t delivered out of corporate desperation; it’s handled with genuine affection. From a surprise appearance by Dolph Lundgren that brought a massive smile to my face, to the vibrant, neon-fused colour palette, it feels like an ’80s fantasy adventure filtered beautifully through a modern lens. It’s flawed, it’s shaggy, but it has a massive, undeniable heart.
The Big Question: Is it Worth Your Investment?
As a massive He-Man fan I can say absolutely. See it on the biggest screen you can with the best sound system possible. As a Marvel movie fan I can also give this a big yes. If neither of those categories fit your movie viewing flavour, go see it anyway. It’s a hell of a good time. Do NOT wait for the streaming release. We need the sequel.
Masters of the Universe is a sugary bowl of Saturday morning cereal come to life. Because of those massive physical sets and Brian May’s roaring guitar tracks, do not wait for streaming on this one—it earns a full Theater Premium Screen recommendation. Just make sure you stick around through the credits, as there are two and a half post-credit scenes that set up exactly where this franchise is heading next.
My Final Verdict: A flawed, high-energy, visually spectacular nostalgia trip that proves the Power of Grayskull is still very much alive.
Good Journey.
