Masters of the Universe has been a cult favourite since Mattel’s toy line and the beloved Filmation cartoon captured imaginations in the early 1980s. After the 1987 live-action film became a cult classic in its own right, this latest reimagining starts fresh by taking audiences back to the beginning of Prince Adam’s journey while embracing the mythology fans have cherished ever since.
Travis Knight proves an inspired choice as director; his work on Kubo and the Two Strings and Bumblebee demonstrated a rare ability to handle beloved properties with a great deal of attention to detail. The screenplay team is equally well suited, with Chris Butler’s blend of humour, the Nee brothers’ crowd-pleasing nods to earlier iterations of the subject matter, and David Callaham’s blockbuster experience all combining to solid effect.
The story follows Adam Glenn (Nicholas Galitzine), who has spent the last fifteen years living on Earth, far removed from the world he once called home. When the legendary Sword of Power leads him back to Eternia, Adam discovers that his home planet has fallen under the iron grip of the villainous Skeletor (Jared Leto). To reclaim his birthright, he must join forces with Captain Teela (Camila Mendes) and her father, the battle-hardened Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba). Standing in their way are Skeletor and his dangerous second-in-command, Evil-Lyn (Alison Brie), whose schemes threaten to plunge Eternia even deeper into darkness.
This is a film that understands its audience inside out, and it really shows. Rather than running from the colourful, larger-than-life nature of the franchise, it embraces it wholeheartedly. The fan service is delivered with affection rather than desperation, and a cameo from 1987’s live-action He-Man, Dolph Lundgren, earns a genuinely crowd-pleasing moment; a thank you to the fans who have kept Eternia alive for generations.
Galitzine is absolutely brilliant in the lead role. His Adam is a lovable, slightly clueless himbo whose good nature makes him instantly endearing, and the performance never mocks the character even when the script relies a little too heavily on comedy. When he finally transforms into He-Man, the film finds exactly the larger-than-life energy it needs.
Camila Mendes is terrific as Teela, bringing confidence, warmth, and real presence to the role. Her chemistry with Nicholas Galitzine gives the film some of its strongest moments. Elsewhere, Idris Elba is commanding, warm, and hilariously funny as Man-At-Arms, providing the grounded authority the story needs. For his part, Jared Leto clearly enjoys Skeletor’s theatrical villainy, while Alison Brie steals several scenes as the cunning and ambitious Evil-Lyn.
The film’s main weakness, shared with Thor: Ragnarok, is that the humour occasionally overwhelms dramatic scenes that need room to breathe. Thankfully the jokes land often enough, and crucially, nobody in the cast seems embarrassed to be here. That commitment matters enormously.
The score deserves special praise for proudly embracing the film’s 1980s roots—sweeping heroic themes and pulsing fantasy motifs that respect both the property’s cult reputation and the nostalgia fans carry with them.
Masters of the Universe is fun, colourful, energetic, and entirely comfortable with its own identity. This is the rare franchise revival that remembers why people fell in love with it in the first place.
