MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE (2026)
There is something wonderful when a film embraces what it is. Masters of the Universe is such a film. Fully aware, throwing nice in-jokes and references, Masters of the Universe, while longer than necessary, is a fun film.
Narrated in voiceover by Adam Glenn/He-Man (Nicholas Galitzine), we learn of the world of Eternia. It was a wonderful place, though perhaps not for Adam. Despite being the prince and heir, Adam is small and not a good warrior in training. This distresses Duncan (Idris Elba), the kingdom's Man-At-Arms. His daughter, Teela, is better and she enjoys both teasing and helping Adam. However, the evil Skeletor (Jared Leto) has invaded and conquered Eternia after a fierce battle. The fall of Castle Grayskull seems to doom the universe. Fortunately, the Sorceress (Morena Baccarin) was able to spirit Adam off to safety. The Queen Marlena (Charlotte Riley) sends Adam and the powerful Sword of Power to her home world of Earth.
Unfortunately, Adam cannot hold onto the Sword of Power in the escape. Adam is now a poor schlub in Oklahoma City. Enduring the drudgery of human resources, suffering the faux perkiness and toxic friendliness of his supervisor Suzie (Sasheer Zamata), Adam searches for the Sword. At last, he has a hit and races to a comic book shop where he, with some difficulty, pinches it off a display. That one act triggers a signal for Teela (Camila Mendes) to find him and bring him back to Eternia. That also, however, lets Skeletor know that Adam is still around.
Now back in Eternia, Adam must take his place as the mighty warrior he needs to be. Easier said than done. He has no training. He has always been a bit of a klutz. His father's warriors look on with disenchantment. Duncan is a shell of his former self and a bit of a lush. Adam also faces both Skeletor and his own Girl Friday, the powerful sorceress Evil-Lyn (Alison Brie). Adam discovers that with the Sword of Power, "I HAVE THE POWER!" and becomes the powerful warrior he knows is within. However, that power has a powerful foe in Skeletor.
The battle for Eternia begins. It will take many turns, and not all will survive. Will Adam discover the hero within to become He-Man? Who will triumph to take Castle Grayskull and rule Eternia?
Unsurprisingly, he finds that she leaves without saying goodbye. This whole section sets up a lot of Masters of the Universe's tone. It is filled with action and fantasy. It is also, thanks to Chris Butler, Dave Callaham and Aaron Nee's screenplay (Nee curiously billed twice), filled with humor and heart. The opening does a lot of things right. It sets up the world of Eternia. It sets up the various personalities and flaws of Adam, Duncan, Teela and Skeletor. We see that Adam, for example, is at heart a good kid who wants to be a capable warrior but also a caring and compassionate person. Teela, for her part, loves the action but also has a soft spot for Adam.
It has the requisite action for when Eternia falls. However, Masters of the Universe also has a slightly tongue-in-cheek manner. It is self-aware. Skeletor can be menacing, such as in his declaration to King Randor (James Purefoy), "There are no statues of losers". However, when Skeletor makes what he thinks is a clever quip, he is genuinely surprised that none of his henchmen laughed. He has to point out to them that he expects a response. At that point, Evil-Lyn starts the cacophony of chuckling that pleases Skeletor.
Masters of the Universe blends humor and action very well. It is an amusing film. Note that I said "amusing" and not "funny" because it embraces its own offbeat universe without mocking it. The film knows that it is meant as an amusing romp and a nice jaunt for Masters of the Universe fans. It does not ridicule either the source material or fans. Instead, it throws nice in-jokes that are in a positive spirit. The film uses 4 Non Blondes What's Up? which was the source of a popular He-Man gif. There's a nice cameo from Dolph Lungren, who starred as He-Man in the original Masters of the Universe. "You're taking my spot", he tells the unsure Adam when they are at the gym. The pun is clear, but it also works within the context of the scene. The film has a quick appearance from Orko, a cutesy, bumbling magician who gives us the moral of the story.
In short, Masters of the Universe is fully aware that it is meant as a nice tribute to the original animated series. It is not mocking it or sending it up. Instead, it is playing with elements while still giving viewers a good mix of action and fantasy.
His antagonist also does a wonderful balancing act. Jared Leto has been struggling in terms of his filmography post-Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club. He was not embraced as the Joker in the DC Extended Universe. His previous film, Tron: Ares, was a massive misfire. Here though, he made Skeletor both a figure of fear and a figure of fun. He could be menacing and dangerous. He could also be slightly goofy and not aware of how silly Skeletor came across. This, again, was a deliberate choice by both Leto and director Travis Knight. Skeletor was, if memory serves right, both. He was the villain, an embodiment of evil. He was also a bit silly and unaware of how goofy he could be.
The other performances keep to that balance of humor and sincerity. Idris Elba was probably the most dramatic in terms of acting and character. He needed to be as Duncan, the man whose sense of failure led him to drink but who now must rise to redeem himself. Camila Mendes too was excellent as Teela. The film mercifully forgoes turning her into a "girlboss" who dominates the other characters. She is quite strong and capable as a warrior. She is effective as a mentor to Adam. However, she is He-Man's right-hand woman, not his superior. Teela can hold her own against the others, but she is there to support Adam, not dominate him. I would say that Alison Brie was the one who leaned in the most into the camp manner as Evil-Lyn. However, as I think that was how the role was meant to be, I think it works within the film.
Masters of the Universe has some nice visuals, making Eternia into that fantastical universe that it needs to be. Daniel Pemberton's score was rousing when it needed to be. So many of the elements in Masters of the Universe blended well that the overall effect was a positive one.
I do think, in the negative elements, that the film is longer than it needs to be. Master of the Universe runs almost two-and-a-half hours. I think that is around a half-hour longer than the original 1987 film (which for full disclosure I have yet to see as of this writing). That length, including mid and post-credit scenes, eventually starts wearing on the audience. Another character is not as well integrated as he could have been. Hussein (Christian Vunipola) is Adam's Oklahoma City roommate. His main characteristic is in crying at sappy television programs/movies. He humors Adam in his Eternia stories rather than openly disbelieving them. However, he does pretty much nothing to the plot and seems a throwback to earlier drafts. It is not a bad performance, and he is not totally unnecessary. He just seemed a bit of an odd duck among the goings-on.
Those are minor points to an overall entertaining film. Masters of the Universe is a pleasant, fully aware, enjoyable romp. While it is unfortunate that the box office shows otherwise, in terms of entertainment and enjoyment, I would say that Masters of the Universe does have the power.
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