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Yes, I’m a product of the 80’s and while growing up it was always G.I. Joe first, He-Man second and Transformers third. I loved them all, but I was always Team Joe with Eternia always coming in a close second. In 1987 cannon Films delivered their bombastic version of the Masters IP and while it strayed heavily from the tried-and-true formula of what made the cartoon special, it still holds a special place in many of our hearts.
A newer live action version of Masters of the Universe had been in development hell for years and finally, almost four decades later, Travis Knight’s vision finally storms into theaters with a resounding bang. Many hardcore fans will dismiss certain things and unfortunately negativity just seems to win over anymore while people just look to hate things but I am here to say that this is one true He-Man fan that thinks that Knight’s film is an epic, nostalgic, sword swinging flick that is why we love to go to the movies in the summer. this is grab your limited-edition popcorn tin, settle into your set and grin from ear to ear for two hours as this is a movie that pays homage to the source material white slicing its own path with the sword of power. The performances are spot on, the visuals explode right out of the cartoon for the ultimate effect, and the action sequences are kinetic, adrenaline pumping and even a little brutal in some situations.
Masters of the Universe begins on Eternia and Knight gives the audience time to fall in love with this world before that shows how it fell to Skeletor launches his assault which forces Prince Adam’s parents to exile him to earth in order to save his life. Fifteen years after the opening events, we find Adam living on Earth and working for all things, an HR job. Even though he’s been on earth for years, Adam has never forgotten where he came from and those he left behind as he makes it his life mission to track down the lost “Sword of Destiny,” that was separated from him when he first lands. hoping it will bring him home. Even though Adam knows his heritage, no one on Earth believes him of course which leads to many awkward situations. Adam, of course, ultimately tracks down the sword just as the evil Skeletor and his army comes calling. This is where Adam’s childhood friend Teela (Camila Mendes) comes to the rescue and brings him back to the world he belongs too.
The first half of the film definitely embraces the tried-and-true fish out of water trope but thankfully we do not spend a lot of time on earth as Knight knows what we all want. As Adam, Nicholas Galitzine plays the role with the right amount of goofy charisma just like the character is in the cartoon so if anyone complains to you about that aspect, then you know they are not real fans. Adam is a hero lurking and lying in wait, but he does suffer from any type of combat training that would make him useful when the villains come a knocking. This leaves Mendes’s Teela a chance to shine first as she delivers in the film’s earlier action sequences and she is perfect in the role radiating spunk, looks and a fact that she is no damsel in distress by any stretch of the imagination. Knight knows that the audience wants the payoff and that this is indeed a He-Man movie so we do not have to wait long before Galzitine is able to roar the iconic line that will give you chills. Galitzine is perfect in the role, and he plays Adam with a certain amount of goofy charm that does evaporate when he transforms. You have to believe in Galitzine as he is essentially putting the movie on his broad shoulders, and he manages to alternate between awkward young man and kick ass warrior with relative ease.
The supporting cast surrounding Galitzine is solid and Mendes is having fun playing the heroine who gets almost the same number of cool moments as Galitzine does. Idris Elba is usually awesome in anything that he’s in and as Man-At-Arms, he is all in and even manages to put layers to his character going from a swashbuckling hero at the beginning who spirals into drunken fool when he believes he has failed his kingdom and his king and queen that he has sworn to protect. While he’s not at his best, Elba pulls off a lot of the film’s comedic moments before its time to stand up and become the warrior he once was. Now, you’re only as good as your villains and here that aspect doesn’t suffer one bit. Alison Brie is sensational as Evil-Lyn, although she deserved more screentime. Brie brings the right amount of campy evil aesthetic to the role while she generates just the right amount of humor and menace. As Skeletor, I feel that no one will ever fill the shoes of the late, great Frank Langella who poured his soul into the role back in ’87, but Jared Leto manages to do his own thing and even though it’s mostly a voice acting turn here, Leto embraces the evil while also garnering many laughable moments. His hands up and I’m done speech had me in stitches and it was a fun scene to watch.
We do get a certain cameo from a certain action icon that has played the hero before and while it isn’t the greatest of cameos, it still manages to do the job. The older generation passes the sword of power to the newer generation and even though it was rather low key and anti-climactic, it still served its purpose and made me smile when the icon said that certain line.
Many will protest that Masters of the Universe strays too much into the comedic lane, but any real fan will know that this is exactly how the cartoon was. Knight does an admirable job in balancing the lighthearted with the darker aspects and we get the right amount of both. Unfortunately, on the negative side, there is some MCU style meta humor that does fall flat but even though it doesn’t always work, I feel the positives shared the heavy lifting. Most importantly, when the action hits, it’s treated seriously and there are even some brutal beats to the choreography as well. Masters of the Universe isn’t Lord of the Rings so it’s important to remember what you’re watching and temper expectations for that certain franchise. there is a lore to Masters of the Universe, but it was never supposed to be as heavy as Tolkien. There are some heavy moments and true emotional consequences which blends well into the campier parts.
Then there is the musical score. What can I say as this is truly an epic soundtrack that radiates just how big this movie is. Daniel Pemberton’s score oozes some of the best fantasy pumping sounds that I have heard in a long time. Adding the sensational guitar riffs by Brian May of Queen, and you have the vibe of Flash Gordon and Highlander lending an 80’s style bombastic and banging chef’s kiss while also doing some contemporary hints at the same time. I won’t spoil anything, but we even get a certain iconic Queen song at a certain time that had me grinning like a satisfied 10-year-old child and the scene was an awesome and feverishly satisfying hero moment.
In terms of the visuals and special effects, the movie looks sensational and it even looks like they ripped certain scenes right out of the cartoon or the toy packaging. It’s a colorful, vibrant and visually striking look that illuminates most of the film with exactly what the doctor ordered. I’ve read a few comments (not that I care as I’m just curious) where some viewers complained about dodgy CGI and special effects, but I was clearly not seeing the same thing as the film is a colorful barrage of spectacle and epic cinematography baked into the green screen.
I touched on it a little earlier, but the action is plentiful and the action design is an eclectic blend of cartoon inducing force and more adult oriented savage combat. The standout sequence for me is without a doubt the battle on Snake Mountain when He-Man deploys beast mode and essentially goes one man army with pulverizing stunt work that encompasses swords, fists and bravado that induces chest thumping on another level. It’s He-Man’s hero moment that is crowd pleasing and the carnage is justified and welcoming and to see He-man finally let go and do what he does best was a very emotional moment for me. It was as if his actions were channeling what he was feeling and this is definitely a more barbaric He-Man similar to what we got in the mini-comics. Adam gets the opportunity to transform into He-Man twice during the runtime and both times, I got the chills and my hair stood up on the back of my neck and when the finale transformation hits, fans know that Adam’s warrior journey has finally come full circle. Make no mistake as Knight makes sure that all the heroes including Ram Man, Fisto and Mekaneck all get their chance to shine when the epic climax attacks and Mendes’ Teela shines numerous times throughout when it comes time to get dirty and physical. Elba also has plenty of cool as hell situations and his altercation at the beginning is a standout. he has a massive battle with trap Jaw that is both visceral and quite unflinching that showcases just how bad ass he is and Elba is no slouch as he is a veteran of action cinema fare.
If I was going to talk negative and I guess you should always because why is it possible to enjoy a movie without bashing some of it is that Cringer is only on screen for a few moments and especially in the finale. Even then, he never transforms into Battle Cat except at the very end where we do get the money shot that was on full display in the final trailer. It was as if I was watching Snake-Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins again where the payoff only comes in the final seconds. I was fine with the teasing of characters’ names as they are quite silly if you think about it but in the end, they all accept what they are called and that justifies it throughout.
Overall, Masters of the Universe is the He-Man movie we all have been waiting for ever since Cannon Films tried to give it a go all those years ago. Travis Knight executes pretty much all the necessary fanfare and nostalgia while forging a new path for the IP as well. Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Idris Elba and the rest of the cast succeed in bringing the cartoon characters to life and Galitzine looks perfect as He-Man. I hear the arguments that he could have been bigger, but I feel that would have been distracting in the long run. When fully suited up, he immerses himself into the character and does it with respect.
The visuals, action and above all the music are near perfect for the vibe of the film and Knight manages to blend both camp and seriousness into a fun and satisfying viewing experience for fans that have been there from the beginning and a new generation just now discovering what this franchise has to offer. Will we get more entries in this one? That remains to be seen but we do get not one but three stinger scenes during the credits at the end with one certainly expecting to instill the right reaction from the crowd. Masters of the Universe shouldn’t probably have been made in this day and age but I’m ecstatic that it was because this is the very definition of a popcorn munching, summer movie blasting good time. Somewhere along the way, we forgot that movies are supposed to be this fun and escapist entertainment and Knight is here to rectify that once and for all. he is a true fan of this beloved IP, and it shows in every frame of the film.
VERDICT: 4 Out of 5 Stars
Masters of the Universe has the power and delivers nostalgic fun, escapist thrills, thrilling action and lovable characters for a pumping summer movie blast that makes going to the theater just plain all-out fun again!
