This past week saw the long‑awaited theatrical release of Travis Knight’s Masters of the Universe, based on the iconic ’80s Mattel toy property. This movie has been in development in one form or another since 2009, and many MOTU fans (myself included) were starting to get a bit sceptical that our favourite franchise would ever make it to the big screen. With an impressive cast and a hefty budget of around $180–200 million, it’s clear that Amazon MGM Studios are putting their best foot forward with this one, but does it have the power or not? Let’s find out…

Firstly, it’s obvious that a solid amount of cash has been pumped into this production. The CGI looks the business throughout, capturing both the sprawling beauty and the utter desolation of Eternia — a world where fantasy and technology blend together seamlessly. Not only that but the practical effects, of which there are many, are of a consistently high quality and help this movie feel less like a Playstation cut scene, which is always a risk with this sort of thing. The film delivers plenty of bombastic action sequences packed with explosions and magical effects, and despite Cringer/Battle Cat looking a bit iffy in places (CGI animals are notoriously tricky to integrate alongside human actors), this is a great‑looking movie.

Tonally, it flits between straight‑faced fantasy, MCU‑esque comedy, and near‑parody, but it never feels mean‑spirited in its good‑natured ribbing of the source material. The inherent silliness of many character names (Fisto, Ram Man, etc.) is explained beautifully, and the explanation actually makes a surprising amount of sense. There are also plenty of Easter eggs for eagle‑eyed fans to geek out over (I certainly did!), and the sprawling cast does a good job of showcasing the diverse, colourful nature of Eternia’s inhabitants, while still leaving plenty of rounds in the chamber should we be lucky enough to get a sequel.

Now to the cast: Nicolas Galitzine does a strong job as the “Most Powerful Man in the Universe,” bringing a likeable dorkiness to Adam and gradually growing into the role of He‑Man as he becomes more comfortable with his newfound powers. Giving him a background in HR – where talking, brainstorming, and open communication are key – is an interesting choice, but it leads to some genuinely funny moments without derailing the story.

Interestingly, two of the more controversial casting choices – Idris Elba and Jared Leto – absolutely shine as Man‑at‑Arms and Skeletor respectively. Elba blends comedy, physical badassery, and solid emotional beats, while Leto chews the scenery with gloriously over‑the‑top villainy and some legitimately hilarious comedic moments. Camila Mendes gives a solid turn as Teela, showing great chemistry with both Galitzine and Elba, and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson delivers a surprisingly scene‑stealing performance as Fisto. Alison Brie is probably the only real weak link in the main cast, feeling more like “Alison Brie in a costume” than Evil‑Lyn.

The pacing is a little iffy at times and not every joke lands, but the third act delivers an air‑punching crescendo of coolness as the goodies and baddies pair off into a series of increasingly fun showdowns. Extra credit should go to the absolutely blistering soundtrack, with Daniel Pemberton and Brian May delivering a rollicking, ’80s‑infused guitar‑riff score, alongside well‑timed needle drops like “Princes of the Universe” by Queen and, yes, even “What’s Up?” by 4 Non Blondes.

While your individual mileage may vary depending on your affection for (and familiarity with) the source material, there are enough funny moments and cool action set pieces to make this a worthwhile way for anyone to spend a couple of hours – and if you’re already a MOTU fan, you’ll feel like a kid in the ’80s again as your favourite characters are brought to the big screen with real affection and enthusiasm. Oh, and make sure you stay for both the mid‑credits and post‑film scenes if you don’t want to miss an important message and a little glimpse of what to expect if we’re lucky enough to get a sequel.

Rating: 4/5.

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The writer of this piece was: Craig Neilson-Adams (aka Ceej)
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