Masters of the Universe – Review

Grayskull still has the power and after 45 years, it’s channeling the mystical energy of the universe through director Travis Knight, to deliver a more than worthy live-action adaptation of one of the most popular toy franchises of the ‘80s.

Make no mistake – this sophomore outing (the less said about the 1987 version, the better) is more satisfying than the recent Hollywood adaptations of iconic animated shows including Transformers or G.I. Joe, and even attempts to pull a Barbie (2023), of referential self-awareness but with enough sense not to deconstruct it as keenly, ensuring that the Gen X crowd who continue to hold the original series in high-reverence, can enter the cinema as an adult, but spend the next 140 minutes being the child that they used to be.

Knight, who enthralled audiences with Kubo and the Two Strings (2016), and revitalised the Transformers movie franchise with 2018’s Bumblebee through a strong reference and reverence to the source material, brings his magical touch to Masters of the Universe, deftly balancing the action, huge cast of characters, lore, fantastical world of Eternia, while also feeding the foundations of the franchise that he takes from.

Longtime fans know the story – Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine, The Idea of You) holds aloft the Power Sword to channel the fantastical powers of Castle Grayskull and becomes He-Man, the most powerful man in the universe and Knight builds in an origin that seems potentially plausible, doesn’t contradict the established series bible of which there have been many versions, and weaves in many elements that would appeal to fans but doesn’t alienate new audiences either.

As a child, the capital city of Eternos gets invaded by the evil Skeletor (Jared Leto, Tron: Ares) and in an attempt to save their son, King Randor (James Purefoy, John Carter) and Queen Marlena (Charlotte Riley, Peaky Blinders) send him, via the powers of the Sorceress (Morena Baccarin, Deadpool), to the Queen’s home planet, Earth. 

If you’re a fan, this little nugget plays well in establishing the rationale of hiding a child, with a backstory that was referenced but not a focus in the original series, that his mother is human. But even if you’re not aware of this detail, you don’t need to know the significance of why Adam was sent to Oklahoma.

And hide he did until Adam grew up, with childhood knowledge of his birth world and the heroes of his father’s kingdom, but little else. His quest to find the missing Power Sword, which he lost during transit to Earth, hangs heavy, as those around him question his sanity, until he finds it in a toy store, which in turns signals his childhood friend Teela (Camilla Mendes, Riverdale) to bring him home. 

The first act sets the stage but the main draw is Skeletor and Leto, who delivers one of the best voice acting since, well, Alan Oppenheimer from the original series. There’s homage to one of the greatest voice acting in a cartoon, yet Leto doesn’t copy – his playful, carefree and even almost maniacal rendition is memorable and also solely his own whenever he’s heard on screen. 

Leto is also joined by the amazing Alison Brie (Mad Men) as Evil-Lyn, his magical minion who equally relishes her screen time, delivering sharp lines and an outing that matches the flamboyant energy of Leto, while making Evil-Lyn stand apart from Skeletor’s team of colourful henchmen.

By the time Adam returns home to Eternia, plenty of jokes have been made, and audiences get to see a host of cartoon characters come to life, including Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba, Pacific Rim), Fisto (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Game of Thrones), Beast Man, Trap Jaw and more. It’s one thing to see an 80s-styled cartoon filled with familiar characters, but to experience the terror of Trap Jaw fighting Man-At-Arms, and actually winning – it’s actually pretty satisfying because the cartoon was rather bland on the good vs. evil part since evil never won.

But in crafting this story, Knight is also answering some questions fans have always wondered – what is with these names? As it turns out, he’s saying that most of the names of popular characters are based on the memory of a young Adam, a child taken from the safety of his castle, with scant memories of the faces he knew as a child. Fisto is so named, because he has a giant fist. Did audiences need that gap filled? Not really but it’s a nice nod and also a fun way to explain why the series is the way it is.

One thing Knight doesn’t answer though is why Castle Grayskull, which is designed with the face of a skull, bears little connection to Skeletor, the villain with a skull as a face. 

For fans, this is the movie based on a slightly kitschy cartoon that’s over 40 years old and the feeling of being at home and catching this on a Saturday morning with old friends – the movie captures that familiarity effortlessly. For non-fans, there is enough action, humour and some drama to make you laugh and appreciate the simpler times that this franchise was built upon.

For anyone looking for something more, Knight attempts to address the idea of masculinity and what makes a hero. This little detour isn’t heavy handed, and as someone who grew up with the cartoon, it helps recontextualize the nature of the toys and cartoon filled with muscular characters whose physicality defined the action hero of that generation. Audiences know better now but like the coda at the end of each episode that teaches a lesson, there’s a meta message that fits the nature of the franchise.

Also, make sure that you stay to the end, to catch a special appearance of a fan-favourite, the revelation of another popular character whom fans have long clamoured for, as well as the film’s version of the popular Until Next Time meme.

GEEK REVIEW SCORE

Summary

It’s very obvious that Travis Knight loves the franchise and his passion for the characters, both good and evil, has helped shaped the movie as a love letter for other fans. Galitzine, Elba and Mendes deliver a faithful performance, but it’s Leto and Brie who steal the show, and rightfully so. It isn’t everyday that you go into a hall and walk out feeling overjoyed to have shouted, “I have the power!”, and know you’ll regret if you didn’t.

Overall

9/10

9/10

• Story - 8.5/10
  8.5/10
• Direction - 9.5/10
  9.5/10
• Characterisation - 8.5/10
  8.5/10
• Geek Satisfaction - 9.5/10
  9.5/10

HSALS

Hsals needs more space in his house, and more money in his bank account to pay for all the toys, collectibles and other geek related items that companies are churning out. Free-time? Girlfriend? Who’s got time for those?