‘Masters of the Universe’ REVIEW: A flawed but fun ‘80s-style adventure for the modern age
‘Masters of the Universe’ REVIEW: A flawed but fun ‘80s-style adventure for the modern age
I was born in 2001. Yes, shock, the horror — people born in 2001 are now working adults. But despite my birthdate, I still had many encounters with He-Man and his cousin, She-Ra. Reruns of the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon used to play in the afternoons after episodes of Scooby Doo. The aspect ratio would change, and I would be treated to the glorious ‘80s campiness of He-Man and his bowl cut and green tiger.
Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man | Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures
When I first heard of rumblings of a He-Man movie, my initial thought was “Great, Mattel’s just capitalising on the Barbie movie’s success.” Maybe a little cynical, but I was getting tired. I didn’t want a grey slop, late-era MCU colored He-Man, or even a gritty remake. I wanted the same energy that the ‘80s cartoon had. Sincere, funny, and campy — one that embraced the ridiculousness of the world of Eternia. I was “ehhh” about the whole project’s existence.
However, I was suddenly back on board when they brought on Travis Knight, who directed both Bumblebee and Kubo and the Two Strings — both films I loved for their playfulness and the genuine care and passion for the subject matter. Knight is also often a producer for Laika Studios, which made my excitement double as he seemed like the right choice for a hopefully campy movie based on an ‘80s cartoon.
To my delight, Travis Knight was indeed the right call. Masters of the Universe is a campy, funny, colourful romp through the world of Eternia that wears its heart and love for the source material on its sleeve. It’s not without its flaws — some of the jokes didn’t land for me, or undercut a serious moment, but as a whole, I think the package is one that really reminded me of watching the original cartoon.
Kristen Wiig as Roboto, Idris Elba as Duncan, Nicholas Galitzine as Adam, and Camila Mendes as Teela | Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Nicholas Galitzine is endlessly charming in this film, both as Adam and as He-Man. He embodies Adam’s listlessness in the real world with a surprisingly vulnerable energy that really makes you feel bad about him losing his sword and not being back in Eternia. He’s a bit of a goof, but it makes watching him step into his power as He-Man much more fun to watch.
As He-Man, I would be remiss to not mention how his physical transformation is insane. His He-Man with his bulging muscles and thunder thighs looks ripped right out of the cartoon. But what I found most compelling is how Adam’s experiences as a man on Earth are at odds with his now muscular warrior’s physique. It’s an interesting way to explore masculinity and how it’s performed, especially in 2026, and Galitzine does it wonderfully. I found myself rooting for Adam to step into himself and believe in his power throughout the movie, and with a less convincing lead — that heart could have easily gotten lost with all the action.
Camila Mendes as Teela and Idris Elba as Duncan are also a lot of fun on screen, with Teela often serving as the “straight man” to Adam’s fish-out-of-water. I loved her capable energy and her friendship with Adam throughout the film. Elba actually gets an emotional arc around his feelings of failure that I wasn’t expecting, which elevates Duncan from being comedic relief to someone you actually care about by the end of the film.
Jared Leto as Skeletor | Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Now for the baddies. Unfortunately, Jared Leto was a pretty good Skeletor. I will disagree with the reviewers who call him the standout, as I’d give that honor to Galitzine instead — but he had the right level of menace and comedic chops to pull the iconic villain off and make him a force to be reckoned with. Allison Brie as Evil-Lyn was a genuine delight. I loved her vocal performance and energy in this and thought she really got her character’s vibe down.
At the heart of this film is the question of what kind of man one wants to be. It’s woven in flashbacks of Adam’s childhood, through a failed date, through Adam’s relationship with his father, and He-Man’s rivalry with Skeletor. It questions what it means to be a man and step into that power, albeit a little bit clumsily, but still with good intentions.
There’s lots to love about this film. It has a lot of heart and affection for the source material, and it shines through in the costumes, action scenes, and jokes (sometimes at its own expense). It reminds me of the fun 2010s adventure blockbusters we used to get. Sure, the script might not be the strongest, but the cast and crew poured a lot of care into the world and its characters, which makes you want more. I would be sad if this is the end for this version of He-Man. I don’t want another heartbreak like Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves not getting a sequel. I want to tune in for more adventures in Eternia, and I hope other people do too.
‘Masters of the Universe’ is now showing in Philippine cinemas.
