Masters of the Universe has the power, the colour and the cast, but a clunky script keeps He-Man from landing the killer blow.
Although it might have reached it’s peak in the 80’s with a toy line, a live-action movie and several animated TV series, superhero He-Man and the Masters of the Universe world still has cult status all these years on, with many original fans excited to see his big screen return. This time around, director Travis Knight (Bumblebee) takes the reigns, bringing the franchise back in an epic live-action adventure. After being separated for 15 years, the Sword of Power leads Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) back to Eternia where he discovers his home shattered under the fiendish rule of Skeletor (Jared Leto). To save his family and world, Adam must join forces with his closest allies and embrace his true destiny as He-Man – the most powerful man in the universe. With a fun soundtrack, confident performers and a world full of colour, Masters of the Universe can almost convince you that you’re having a good time. However, the corny dialogue and generic story will consistently remind you otherwise.
Why Masters of the Universe Almost Works — Until the Script Gets in the Way
If you’re just looking for a simple, entertaining, fun time at the movies, Masters of the Universe may just scratch that itch. It promptly thrusts you into a vibrant world that’s rife with bright colours, intriguing creatures and a range of unique characters both human and otherwise. The simplistic story of a man coming back to his home world in order to save it doesn’t take much brainpower, allowing you to just go along for the ride alongside He-Man and his gang. Speaking of He-Man, he’s certainly a likeable lead, with a down to earth, fish out of water origin story that helps you get behind him and root for his success. Teela (Camila Mendes) and her father Duncan (Idris Elba) also bring a fun dynamic, creating an affable trio alongside He-Man with their own unique skills set and personalities. It doesn’t play around in terms of action, either, kicking off with some combat straight away and providing plenty of fight sequences throughout that do their best to ensure you’re being entertained. The cherry on top of this entertainment factor is the excellent score from Daniel Pemberton (Project Hail Mary), featuring icon Brian May shredding the guitar. The music quickly becomes Masters of the Universe’s best asset, elevating each and every sequence. The characters are cool and fun, the location and world is fruitful and there is action aplenty. So it has to be a winner, right?
Unfortunately, Masters of the Universe is sorely let down by one element – the script. Littered with cringeworthy sexual innuendos, outdated one-liners and too many attempts at humour that fall flat without an audience reaction, the constant need to be funny and appealing quickly ensures it becomes quite the opposite. Rarely is a moment left to breath, an emotional conversation kept just as that or a villainous monologue left to be menacing; instead, each moment that even comes close to packing a punch is promptly ruined by quips and jests. If it had that cheesy, 80’s comedy to it, the laughs would’ve at least brought on some nostalgia and relevance to the source material, but it instead opts for the type of humour that plagued mid-late 2010’s flicks. When it’s not delivering ill-timed jokes, it’s delivering a story that so often falls back into generic territory. Whilst there is a level of fun to be had with He-Man and his team slaying enemies in a fantastical world, the actual plot beats are nothing we haven’t seen before. From disappointing his Dad by not being man enough to a regular dude being thrust into a world-hopping scenario, there is little in here that doesn’t feel derivative or familiar. Masters of the Universe is the perfect example of a movie that has all the ingredients, but lacks the story to truly bring it all together.
For any missteps that Masters of the Universe makes, the cast certainly aren’t at fault. Not only do they do their absolute best with the material given, but there’s even some real standouts. Nicholas Galitzine (Bottoms) does a grand job as our hero He-Man, acing both sides of the character whether it be out of his depth or macho and kick-ass. Charming and likeable with strong on-screen presence, he does a solid job carrying the film and delivering a lead worth rooting for. Iconic villain Skeletor is voiced by Jared Leto (Tron: Ares), who might actually be the highlight of the film here. Not only does Skeletor translate onto the big screen pretty well visually, but the voice performance is equally great. It’s just a shame his menacing aura is damaged by poorly timed gags. Sir Idris Elba (Thor: Ragnarok) is a man known for his charisma, and even though his character Man-at-Arms is often reduced to an old drunk who needs to get his mojo back, he does well with that arc, even providing some decent advice and emotional beats at times. Camila Mendes (Riverdale) is also notable as Teela, showcasing strength and determination.
There’s only so far a competent cast, intriguing world and killer soundtrack can take a movie, as the story and script those aspects are given to thrive in unfortunately hinders rather than compliments them. Masters of the Universe still has a level of entertainment value not to be thrown shade at, with plenty of notable features including He-Man and Skeletor, the punchy rock music and Eternia itself. Unfortunately, they are bogged down by sub-par writing that prevents the film from landing that memorable, successful final blow.
Grade: C-
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Masters of the Universe
After being separated for 15 years, the Sword of Power leads Prince Adam back to Eternia, where he discovers his home shattered under the fiendish rule of Skeletor. To save his family and his world, Adam must join forces with his closest allies, Teela and Duncan/Man-At-Arms, and embrace his true destiny as He-Man — the most powerful man in the universe.
Release Date: June 5, 2026
Director: Travis Knight
Cast: Nicholas Galitzine , Camila Mendes , Idris Elba
