“Masters of the Universe” follows Prince Adam, who joins forces with allies and embraces his true destiny as He-Man to save the world from the rule of Skeletor.
All the nerds in the room, please stand up. You may just have your movie of 2026. As someone who didn’t grow up with the franchise, I went into “Masters of the Universe” with zero expectations — but if there’s one word to describe the film, it’s entertaining.
Rather than playing the waiting game, “Masters of the Universe” kicks off with spectacle. Director Travis Knight knows exactly what he’s doing here, quickly introducing the central characters and the main conflict all within a fast-paced 20-minute opening. This not only immediately satisfies fans’ cravings, but it also sets the stakes for all that follows.
After the introduction, the film deliberately slows down. Shifting the focus to character, “Masters of the Universe” takes time exploring Adam as an individual before returning to the absurdity. It follows a similar format to other genre entries, most recently being “Mortal Kombat II,” where the “normal” protagonist is placed alongside real fighters to save their planet. The script isn’t breaking any barriers, but as they say, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
What similar movies lack is an emotional core, and “Masters of the Universe” has it on multiple fronts. Through Adam, it explores self-identity, overcoming trauma and empathy. Eventually, he becomes the macho “He-Man” character, but that’s not what defines him. Through Duncan, it examines purpose and redemption. Through Skeletor, it explores someone who can’t be fixed. Some of these concepts resonate more than others, but the film spends surprising amounts of time lingering on feelings rather than grandeur.
If you’re in need of laughs, “Masters of the Universe” delivers those as well. Much of it comes from low-brow humor, which will likely land with the film’s target audience. This leads to many hilarious moments, but it doesn’t always work because the movie shifts between its dramatic and comedic tones too quickly. One second, Adam is enduring a life-altering moment. The next, he is cracking jokes like nothing happened.
Nicholas Galitzine (He-Man) delivers a layered performance. At times, he is required to play into physicality. In others, he is simply “ordinary,” bringing a goofy presence as an everyday guy. This shift can be from fight sequences to dramatic moments. Even with these differing character tones from Prince Adam to He-Man, Galitzine makes the character whole.
Other notable performances come from Camila Mendes (Teela), Jared Leto (Skeletor) and Idris Elba (Duncan). Mendes’ character isn’t given a lot to do outside of “daddy issues,” but she still adds depth to the screen. As others are cracking jokes, she is able to ground the bizarreness in some sort of reality. Leto is over-the-top on every front. While you can’t recognize his appearance under all the effects, you can note the manic laughter and sharp delivery. It’s Elba who has the most range of the group, however. Playing a complicated character, he allows the audience to see several sides of Duncan. It’s his dialogue with Galitzine that generates some of the most impactful scenes of the film.
Also appearing are Alison Brie (Evil-Lyn), Morena Baccarin (The Sorceress), Kristen Wiig (voice of Roboto) and many more.
You’re probably not watching “Masters of the Universe” for its emotional tie-ins. But that’s not all that works. If you come for the nostalgia and action, you’ll also be satisfied.
Despite a 132-minute runtime, “Masters of the Universe” doesn’t overstay its welcome. While moments of lull exist, there are plenty more with large set pieces and riveting action. Many will be quick to label this a “CGI fest.” In this instance, however, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. In a movie with so much CGI on display, it has a high success rate. But some issues are still present nonetheless.
Director of photography Fabian Wagner brings style to the choreography. With so much going on, the action oftentimes feels like sensory overload. Wagner keeps it all in check with a mixture of wide-angle footage during the fights and close-ups in moments of dialogue. He also utilizes quick zoom-ins or sweeping pans for comedic effect. A big problem in modern superhero movies is the bland camerawork. “Masters of the Universe” doesn’t have this issue.
Daniel Pemberton’s score adds another piece to the puzzle. The music has rock-and-roll energy all over it, mixing old-school and modern sounds. With such “out there” visuals, it only makes sense to have an exaggerated score. Pemberton achieves this feat.
“Masters of the Universe” packs a punch with large-scale action, fun characters and a surprisingly heartfelt story.
Rating: 4 out of 5
