A gripe to have with certain franchise blockbusters of late is how much they take things for granted. Whether that comes from a small lack of vision from the filmmakers involved or producers thrilled to know that not a lot of effort needs to go into various areas to get something releasable that can appease audiences not thinking to ask for too much more, it leads to a disillusionment in what’s possible from tentpole pictures. Fortunately, Masters of the Universe doesn’t deserve that level of skepticism, as it’s clearly made by people who are passionate about the property that has inspired it, let alone want to succeed at more than just making it clear to audiences that they know what they’re talking about by way of non-stop easter eggs and nothing else to offer. Sure, this is still a very standard hero’s journey with sword & sorcery & sci-fi grafted onto it. The light-hearted tone never really allows the stakes to feel all that high, but by the power of Grayskull, I had a better time knowing this property was put in good hands.
An exciting prologue sets the stage as we learn about the world of Eternia, which is violently besieged by the skull-headed Skeletor (Jared Leto). Escaping with help from the Sorceress (Morena Baccarin), Prince Adam was sent to Earth, along with the Sword of Power, keeping Skeletor from becoming even more powerful. 15 years later, Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) reconnects with his sword and is given the chance to leave his boring office worker life in exchange for a ride back to Eternia with his now-grown childhood friend Teela (Camila Mendes). Once there, Adam will need to fully realize the power he possesses if he, Teela, and fellow warriors such as Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba), Fisto (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson), and Mekaneck (James Wilkinson) intend to stop Skeletor.
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Right up front, I should note how Masters of the Universe is not my franchise. They weren’t the toys I played with; the cartoon wasn’t one I grew up watching, let alone the subsequent iterations, comics, etc. I didn’t even see the 1987 movie until recently (and I didn’t really care to finish watching it, either). That’s not to say I’m against the concept of He-Man and his various stories. Still, it means I’m hardly familiar with the lore or the characters, aside from what I’ve learned through cultural osmosis. With that in mind, surely the success of a film like this would rely on just how effective it plays for those less familiar.
Fortunately, the film does a fine job of presenting what’s needed to convey the nature of this world. The characters, of course, come with the territory. No matter how hard the movie tries to pretend it thinks all of this stuff is silly, it still wheels out all of the exposition needed when getting down to who does what. The nature of Eternia, on the other hand, is expanded upon through clever choices by director Travis Knight and the writers. You see, this is not just a world of talking fantasy creatures, swords, shields, and other medieval elements. There are also laser guns, cyborgs, jetpacks, spaceships, and lots of other genre-mashing ideas that would surely make for a great toy line.
It also helps that, in 2026, a movie like this coming out of a major studio can afford to consistently focus on these otherworldly locations, rather than merely glimpsing the fantastical while keeping most of the action on Earth. With that in mind, however, the fun Eternia-based prologue does lead us to Earth for just long enough to allow us to enjoy watching Adam’s difficulty of being away from home. If anything, it’s the initial return to Eternia that has to re-establish a status quo, bringing the movie’s momentum down a bit. For a film that’s all about storming a castle and taking back what’s theirs, at 130+ minutes, this is the sort of movie that could stand to tighten things up significantly, as opposed to dragging them alongside the attempts at humor.
Yes, this is another larger-than-life blockbuster that isn’t fully content on having an earnest disposition about itself. As opposed to a cleverer take on how to show love for the property by playing with its own logic and sending up aspects of itself like in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Masters of the Universe leans a bit more on the 2010s superhero movie side of things, never really fully committing to the fully realized reality that has been presented without undercutting it with a joke. Sure, when the screenplay requires introspection or serious dialogue, suddenly the actors attempt to shine a light of sincerity onto what they’re working with. Still, there’s an inconsistency that hints at being a tiny bit embarrassed by its goofy origins (despite the intentional humor that was part of the original cartoon series).
Holding things together, Galitzine does find the right cadence to play a sort of himbo-adjacent He-Man. Having seen him in Bottoms, Red White & Royal Blue, and The Idea of You, the guy is clearly capable of leaning into a variety of modes. This being his ultimate test of whether he can hold a major theatrical release together, I had enough fun with what he had to offer. The rest of the cast provide what they can. Mendes shares enough chemistry with Galitzine to make the two of them solid even without an attempt to resolve their potential romance. Elba is having plenty of fun as a veteran warrior who has to find his way again. There isn’t nearly enough of Alison Brie’s Evil-Lyn, but she certainly knew how to convey the fun she was having.
Of course, all of this is just a build-up to one key performance, and look, I still don’t quite know why studios feel this man is somehow a thumbs up in terms of what he can bring to the box office, but I can’t argue that Jared Leto isn’t doing the best work in this movie. His take on Skeletor is fantastic. Not hurting is how well his design turned out, conveying both menace and this more pathetic side of an evil monster looking to always maintain a sense of authority. This means extending his evil laughs just long enough for them to become awkward, not knowing how to take certain social cues, and other elements that make Skeletor begin to feel like a diva with a cool costume.
Tone-aside, those looking to see the action of this toy-turned-cartoon-turned- big-budget-spectacle should take care in enjoying how well done the action is. Coming with a variety of fist fights, sword fights, laser fights, spaceship battles, and more, there’s not only a seamlessness to how it is accomplished, but a pure thrill in seeing such things fully realized in clear and colorful ways. It’s quite impressive to say the least, without getting too swept up in being wholly composed of CGI. If anything, there’s actually so much great work in costumes and practical effects that one hopes it stands as a simple yet more authentic way for other blockbusters like it to follow suit.
While it’s clear there are major fans of Masters of the Universe that will be getting something they can look at fondly, there’s plenty of fun to be had by others just looking for escapist entertainment as well. Perhaps I’m a little cooler based either on not being fully taken in by the lore presented or the familiarity of the tone this movie was going for, but it hardly goes against my thoughts on the proper ways these sorts of franchise-based, heavily budgeted movies should be handled. Ideally, personal satisfaction aside, the effort keeps feeling like a key component to build towards this sort of success. Whether that translates into something interesting enough for audiences to see in theaters is another story. For the time being, all I can be is a vessel of thoughts pertaining to my take on this summer movie, and it is largely a good time spent with Adam’s Heroic Warriors.
Masters of the Universe opens in theaters and IMAX on June 5, 2026.
